Faces off the field gives a deeper look into the thoughts and lives of high school student-athletes in the Austin area. Today we feature Westlake tennis player Luke Riezebeek, who overcame a major injury to reach the UIL state finals.
All about Luke: watching, playing on tennis’ best stage
Tell something about you that most people don’t know.
I am half Dutch, and growing up I spent my summers visiting my father’s side of the family in the Netherlands.
What has been your favorite vacation?
My favorite vacation has been going to the Indian Wells (Calif.) tennis tournament with my family during spring break of 2019. Before that, neither my brother nor I had ever attended a professional tennis tournament.
The highlight was watching Roger Federer against Dominic Thiem in the men’s singles final, which was an incredible experience witnessing the level of the top players in the world.
If you could play on any court in the world, where would you go?
It would be Court Philippe-Chatrier at the French Open because of the clay surface, the rich tradition of the tournament and the incredible atmosphere of the French crowd.
If a caveman came back to live in modern times, what would he be intrigued by the most?
I think he would be most intrigued by the use of technology, particularly the smartphone, in our daily lives to complete tasks and solve problems. Cavemen had to rely on themselves and their physical skills as well as available resources to live and solve their problems.
What do you believe to be the world’s greatest inventions?
I believe that the internet, penicillin and airplanes are the world’s greatest inventions because they revolutionized human lives and how we are able to interact with each other. The internet allows us to communicate with each other quickly, even if we are far apart, and provides us quick access to information.
Penicillin is another great invention because it was the first medicine to successfully treat severe and previously fatal bacterial infections. Finally, airplanes because they allow us to travel long distances across multiple countries and oceans in a relatively short amount of time.
What do you plan to do after you graduate?
Currently, I am committed to the application process at Bowdoin College (in Brunswick, Maine) to continue my academic and athletic career.
Getting to state the hard way
What is your greatest tennis memory at Westlake?
My greatest tennis memory so far has been reaching the state championship in the 6A boys singles tournament this past spring. Reaching the state championship was incredibly special to me because of the adversity and challenges I had to endure along the way as well as the opportunity to represent my school on the biggest stage in high school tennis.
What happened?
Two weeks before the district tournament, I learned that I had a broken sesamoid bone in my foot and would have to be off of it for two months. However, after discussions with my doctor, we agreed on a hybrid schedule that would allow me to play the spring season while also minimizing impact on my foot.
As a result, I played both the district and regional tournaments on zero preparation, and luckily was able to get through to the state tournament. At the state tournament, I was able to beat two high-quality opponents before falling in the state championship.
Do you have any prematch rituals?
Before a match, I like to start off my routine with a 10-minute visualization where I focus on my breath control and visualize how I want the match to go. After my visualization, I go through a 15-minute dynamic warmup to get my muscles warmed up. I also like to listen to Bob Marley music during warmup because it allows for me to be in the most relaxed and calm mental state I can possibly be in before I enter the court.
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Dream dinner: It’ll be a Marley fest
If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would they be?
I would choose Kobe Bryant, Arthur Ashe, Bob Marley and J.J. McCarthy.
Why did you choose J.J. McCarthy?
I like the unique approach he takes each and every day to reach his full potential as a football player. I am really interested to learn more about his emphasis on meditation and mindfulness, and the effects his mental practices have on his performance as an athlete.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Faces off the field: Westlake tennis player Luke Riezebeek
