Faces off the field gives a deep look into the lives of Austin-area high school student-athletes. Today we introduce Westwood tennis player Janya Tellabiti, who hopes the Warriors will defend the UIL state team tournament title they earned last year.
All about Janya: Pass on the turkey; thanks anyway
Tell something about you that most people don’t know.
I’m allergic to turkey, and I was born in Arizona.
What was the best thing you did this summer?
I traveled down to Dallas to meet my best friend before she left for college. She came and supported me at the Texas Slam, one of the major tournaments in Texas. We rarely get to meet, and it was really touching to see her come out and support me. We went out to get food later, and I’m really appreciative of the time we got to spend together.
If a caveman could live in modern times, what do you think would fascinate him the most?
It would definitely be the technology and how we can communicate with each other over a long distance and get an immediate reply.
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Only one goal at Westwood: Win state again
What was the best part about winning state last year?
The best part was knowing that all the seniors were leaving with a win and making history for Westwood tennis.
Why is Westwood so good at tennis every year?
I think we’re really good every year because even though we lose seniors and meet new people every year, we learned how to talk and become a team player quickly. We support each other every match and at practice.
What are your team and individual expectations this year?
As a team, we all hope to win state again. It would be awesome to not only win state twice in a row, but win it three times in a row.
If you could play on any tennis court in the world, where would you go?
I would really like to play on the Jumeirah Olhahali Island in the Maldives. I’ve always loved the (Indian) ocean, and I love the view from that specific tennis court.
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Dream dinner: No surprise to have Serena, Roger at the table
If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would they be?
I would like to invite Aidan Gallagher, Ryan Reynolds, Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
With this group, what meal do you think would be best for the occasion?
I’m not exactly sure since it’s a wide array of people, but I think we should go out and have either Mexican or Italian food.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Faces off the field: Westwood’ tennis player Janya Tellabati