Marcus McDaniel with his 3rd place trophy.
USTA NorCal caught up with Marcus McDaniel, 14, from Vacaville, CA, who talked about his experience at the USTA National Winter Championships event and winning the sportsmanship award. “I didn’t know what to expect since I only knew four players, so I tried to focus on what I can do and not what they can do,” Marcus explained.
Even though he hadn’t played in a Level 1 USTA National tournament yet, Marcus had been playing in the Boys 16s Division all last year, making this tournament not entirely pressure free. “I did a lot of local tournaments in the 16s and a few Level 2 tournaments, so it wasn’t completely without pressure. But I stuck to my plan and told myself that I can’t control what they do, only what I do.” Coming back in the playoff match, Marcus regrouped and kept the mentality that got him to the semifinals, falling in the final set 6-2 1-6 4-6.
On top of a great performance on the court, Marcus made a name for himself off the court as well. He received the sportsmanship award in the Boys 16s Division, which meant a lot to him. “The sportsmanship award, to not only me but my entire family, means more than any award you can receive. I would much rather miss out on a ball and receive the sportsmanship award than to get the ball without earning the sportsmanship award.” Wise beyond his years, it was clear that Marcus earned the sportsmanship award. More than just on the court, his attitude is the same off the court. He is well aware that without some of the people around him, playing tennis and traveling wouldn’t be possible. “I want to thank my Mum, my Dad and my coaches for being able to travel, because I couldn’t do it without them,” Marcus said.
5 Facts you didn’t know about Marcus:
- Fruits are his favorite food
- Beside tennis, his favorite hobby is soccer
- He was supposed to be left-handed, but everything was taught right-handed to him
- He is an outdoor person
- His favorite part of traveling: experiencing different cultures
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