Conqu'ring Heroes 194 - Sean Maymi

Michigan men's tennis has started this season with one of the toughest schedules in

the country facing three of the top 15 programs.

And right now head coach Sean Miami is going to stop by to give us a progress report on

where his team at is at this point also with four big 10 games all on the road.

Ohio State coming up this weekend.

What is expectations are moving forward?

He joins us next on Conquering Heroes.

Welcome to your one stop podcast for all things Michigan athletics updates on every team

on campus and interviews with players and coaches are all on the way.

This is Conquering Heroes.

Here's your host John Chancin.

A join now by the head coach of the men's tennis program Sean Miami and coach it's your

third season.

There's been a lot of changes around college athletics.

How many how much have those changes affected a game a much international much more international

game than some other sports?

How has it affected your sport?

Yeah, certainly.

I mean, I think every program right now is making those decisions and what they're doing

with the tennis programs and and every university has their path in which they're trying to

help those student athletes whether it's through scholarships through NILs through revenue

share and and there are some programs that are doing doing all of the above and and yeah,

it's made a big big difference in in our sport.

But I think for the better it's bringing in some great players bringing in some players.

It have some good experience.

You get some some teams will will load up with three or four guys that you know, might

be 23 years old and coming in as as freshmen so to speak and they're playing against my

18 year old.

So, you know, I think sometimes it's it's a different playing field, but it's also I think

for the better of the sport as far as the level in the competition.

Well, and you know, you mentioned competition.

I'm going to use that to lead into you've had some stiff competition to the start of this

season.

Number two, Virginia, number 12, Columbia.

I mean, you guys have loaded up on a tough schedule.

Where's your team at?

10 matches in.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think, you know, it's tough because you create those schedules, you know, several

years, years out and you're not sure how your team's going to be.

You're not sure how they're going to be, but you are hoping that we're all competing

for national championships, big 10 championships and and ranking points.

And so you're always going to try and get the best teams on your schedule so that you

can challenge your guys and be able to be as seated as high as possible, ultimately

at the end for the NCAA tournament and be seasoned and ready.

And in this case, we've had some injuries, had some things that have put our team maybe

not at the competitive level of some of those guys, although we've played some pretty tight

ones, had some some tough matches there, but our guys are learning on the process, learning

on the job, so to speak.

And I think I think we're getting better and better.

We're getting healthier in some respects.

And so we're feeling like we're doing a little bit better towards this big 10 season,

although kind of tough in that we thought we were getting there.

And then one of our best players ended up having the flu on Friday.

So against to open the big 10, but that's that's how it worked, you know, in in a college,

you know, the flu is going to fly around a little bit.

So we ended up getting getting caught by it.

So before we talk about your team, it's specifically where is the big 10 this year?

How tough is big 10 competition as it does prepare you for the NCAA tournament?

Yeah, really good.

I mean, it's always, always carried its weight nationally and we've got some great teams

in this year's, you know, the same, you know, Ohio State is, is number one in the country

I think or maybe two in the country at this point.

We've got Illinois in the top 10, USC UCLA are always going to be strong.

And so, yeah, that's a, it's a tough league.

It's a tough conference, but that's kind of what we're, what we're shooting for.

And I'd say typically Michigan's usually in the mix there last year had a lot of good

opportunities.

And so, yeah, I think we're, we're trying to give ourselves the best chance to compete

for a big 10 title.

As I look at your roster, especially a lot of the guys that are contributors, you, it seems

like you've got a hobby, seniors and you've got freshmen.

Yeah, it seems like a unique makeup.

What is the makeup of this team?

Yeah, and it's not, not by design, you know, but I do think that it's, it's worked out

well and that the seniors are able to mentor and really lead those, those freshmen and teach

them, you know, some of the, the values that we have.

But I think entering the program a couple years ago and having to start to recruit and build

that, you know, it, it's just the way that it works out, the way that the transfer portal,

you know, does stuff to the, to the rosters, all these things contributed to where we're

right now.

But ultimately, I always tell the guys wherever we're at is where we're supposed to be.

And so this is exactly the team we're supposed to have right now so that we can learn through

this process.

The freshmen are getting a ton of opportunities that maybe they've went normally in a situation

where we'd have a full healthy roster, but we're using it to our advantage.

The guys are building on it and I love the group that we have.

They work extremely hard and it's, it's fun to come to work every day.

So let's start with your seniors.

Where are you getting?

Who is stepped up to be some of those leaders, guidance, some of those young players?

Yeah.

Bjorn Svensson's been the guy that's been in the lineup the most, although him and Nick

Seinglinger have been the guys that have contributed to our team the last two years.

This is the third you're going into that third year.

But ultimately, I think the biggest guy that stepped up has been Mert Oral, is all of

a sudden starting to play in the lineup.

More consistently, he had some doubles appearances last year, but man, he's doing a great job.

I don't have the record off top of my head, but he's beaten some great players and he's

really jumped in level.

But honestly, it's just his work ethic has gotten him to be prepared for this opportunity

and now he's, he's getting matches after matches, which is only seasoning him even more.

So Bjorn and Mert have really been carrying the torch with those seniors.

Nick has had a rough little go, but he's a battle or he's a fighter, he'll bounce back

and he'll be ready to go.

For sure.

Now, I know your number one single, Max Delin was back in that last matchup against Nebraska.

What have you seen from him?

Yeah, Max.

Honestly, Max is one of the best players in the country as a freshman.

He made quarters of individuals and singles.

He made quarters of doubles in the fall.

So him coming in as a freshman and being this good is great for our team and he's only

going to get better.

He's a great kid, super humble.

He embodies the values that we have of this team.

So we're really lucky to have, have Max on this team and he's going to do great things.

He's going to be, I think, one of the better players to ever put on a Michigan uniform

here.

So I'm really excited about Max in his development.

Again, I'm not great with ranking.

Sorry for that, but he's got to be top 10 in the country nationally, singles and doubles.

And he carries a lot of weight for us right now.

He's doing a great job.

Well, and it may not be great with numbers, but I did look it up.

He is number 10 in the country.

So you nailed it there.

And you've got a couple of other freshmen in Bendari and Shaya that have been five

and six singles at least they were last week.

Yeah, exactly.

And those are the guys, you know, two guys coming in, maybe with not as much experience

as someone like Max has, but man, they've been taken in on the chain a couple of times,

but they're learning quickly.

They're learning quick.

And that's just the way it is when you've got to have guys that step up.

It's not like any, it's just like any other sport.

If you have some injuries, guys got to step up and play that role.

And so they're learning quick.

We're happy with the fact that, you know, that they're really have their eyes wide open

and trying to learn from every opportunity.

Now as I was looking through the start of your season, the doubles matchups, and some

of this is probably, you know, hey, you mentioned the flu.

It's been injuries, different parings, different matchups.

How do you put together your matchups?

Yeah, a lot of it becomes sometimes chemistry, right?

We look at how they pair up, how they match up.

Sometimes it's who's available, who can go that day.

But ultimately, I mean, we're looking for guys are going to come out and play with great

energy.

They're going to go after the ball and really be aggressive, want the ball and doubles,

and can play the way that we're trying to teach them.

And if they can do that, they're going to find their way into the lineup.

And I think we've mixed it up a bit mainly because we do have some freshman, new experiences

in dual match.

So seeing how they handle it.

And I think in this case, we've got a couple guys, you know, maybe an older guy playing

with a younger guy in some cases, and that might help the situation.

We're starting to get one other player back.

Alex Cairo played doubles, the laks two matches.

Those are his first opportunities to play.

He's a junior, but he's been injured.

So we're hoping he's coming along, maybe get him in singles here soon.

So I think our team will get stronger and stronger as the year goes.

When a guy comes back from an injury, I mean, I know what it means at football and how

you work them back in and when you're finally back playing, what that feels like.

What's it like in tennis?

How long does it take to get the feel back again of being on court?

Yeah.

Every injury is different, right?

Because sometimes you can still be feeling the ball.

If maybe it's an injury that allows you to still feel the ball and you're able to touch

the tennis ball with the racket.

And that means that's a big thing.

But if you take that racket away from them, there might be a longer time for them to get

used to that again.

And then they've got to build up their cardio.

They've got to build up their endurance, you know, all these things come into play.

Like right now, we're only having Alex play doubles to ease his way into it.

So it takes a little time for sure.

You're always careful about the reoccurrence of the injury.

One thing that's unique about our sport is when you put that guy in, he's got to play that

whole match.

You know, he can't go in and play five minutes.

We bring him out and put a guy off the bench.

You know, so he's got to play the whole match.

We got to get him ready or at least close enough ready to be able to play the whole match.

And so in Mox's case with the flu, you know, couldn't play on Friday.

You know, we were, we were dicey of whether we're going to put him in because once we put

him in, he's got to play and that's tough to do when you're coming back from the flu.

Just because, you know, the fatigue that's going to come into play, but he did a great

job battling through it.

And yeah, the injuries are unique to the actual injury, but it's unique with tennis.

You're right on.

You got two weekends here where you're going to be on the road.

This weekend, it's in Columbus against Ohio State.

You already mentioned there, there are top one or two team in the country.

Penn State will be on Sunday.

And then the following weekend, you're on the road to a champagne or banner for Illinois

and then Evanston for Northwestern.

What are the challenges that you're facing with both weekends on the road facing some

of the top competition in the, in the big 10?

Yeah, always tough on the road.

Only because the courts are different, you know, wherever you go, the courts going

to play a little bit different.

And so it's, it's all new to our guys.

But on the other side of the net, they're very comfortable with it because that's

where they practice every day.

So you're going into an environment where it's definitely hostile with the, with the,

with the fans and such and it can get pretty rowdy, especially at a place like Ohio State.

They'll pack it in and, and we'll hear it for sure.

And it's actually good for our guys to go through that.

But they're, they're really talented team as well.

And so all those teams, all four teams, especially early in the big 10 season are fighting

for everything they can right now.

Everyone's, you know, pretty close within the standings.

And so they're going to give you their best.

But we'll be ready to go on the road and, and battle as hard as we can.

What are some of the keys as you face the buck guys?

Yeah, they're really good in doubles.

So they've, they have a team that made finals of doubles.

I mean, I think all three of their teams are maybe ranked in the top 20, top 15 in the

country.

So really good doubles.

And in singles, they've got probably, you know, almost the opposite of us.

They've got a lot of depth right now.

And so they can play a lot of different guys, different matchups and that can matter.

So they have the ability to do that.

So we're going to get pushed.

They've got a season team.

They've got a couple transfers that have come into with a lot of experience.

So while we've added freshman, they've added some, some experience guys.

And that's just the route they've been able to go through with the transfer portal and

the NIL and all that they can do.

And so good for them where they're at.

But, you know, we're going to give everything we got in that match.

You guys made the tournament last year.

And I know it was a first round exit.

As you proceed through this season, what are some of the keys for you guys as you go through

the big 10 season to prepare for a tournament and for to get into the tournament, but also

to make a little bit of a run in the tournament.

Yeah, I think a lot of it's the health, the health as long as we can get better and better

with that, certainly make sure that Alex Cairo, a guy that will now be in doubles.

Hopefully we can progress him along to getting in the singles at some point.

He can add some value.

If we can start getting some of the guys that maybe haven't had as many wins so far get,

you know, hit their stride.

I think we'll be all right and keep beyond and and I'm hurt, you know, on that upward trajectory

that they're on.

I think we'll be tough.

You know, we're going to be a tough team to beat, especially when we have a great player

like Mox who can beat anyone in the country.

It definitely puts puts us in a good position in any match.

Well coach, best of luck this weekend as you're able to Columbus and Happy Valley.

And we'll look forward to catching up with you again soon.

That's awesome.

Thank you guys.

Well, thanks to coach Miami for his time.

He's in the third year as head coach of the men's tennis program.

Always great to catch up with him and get some insight on what's going on on the tennis

side of things for everything that's going on in and around Michigan athletics.

Make sure you keep it locked in here on Conquering Heroes.

Thanks for listening to Conquering Heroes with John Zanzer.

Conquering Heroes is part of our Michigan Athletics Podcast Network, MGO Blue Podcasts.

The pursuit has been a lyrfield presentation of the Michigan Sports Network.