Senior Uzair Shaukat has been playing John Carroll tennis for two years. Unlike most high school athletes, Uzair started playing tennis his sophomore year because his friends were playing, and he enjoyed watching documentaries on the sport.

Uzair said, “I love the fact that tennis can be mentally challenging as it requires me to make split-second decisions, anticipate my opponent’s move, and maintain focus throughout the match.”

He added, “I also love the competitive aspect of tennis. I enjoy the thrill of competing against others and striving to improve my ranking up the team ladder.”

Although he has a strong love for the sport, Uzair said he wishes there were not as many environmental setbacks. “Tennis is played outdoors, so weather conditions such as heat, wind, and rain affect both performance and whether or not the matches even occur.”

Despite the fact that Uzair loves tennis, he does not plan on playing it at a collegiate level. However, he may play intramural for fun.

He recently got accepted into the accelerated medical program at Thomas Jefferson University and Lake Erie College of Medicine, where he has a seat reserved in med school so long as he maintains a 3.6 GPA and achieves a minimum MCAT score.

In his free time, Uzair likes to spend time with friends and play Xbox. He also likes everything about cars. “I like working on cars, driving cars on a track, and watching Formula 1 and other car-related content.”

Uzair’s favorite memory from tennis is playing in the mud with his friends. “Practice got canceled due to a rainstorm, and Michael Coale, Dylan Mannlein, and I tried to play tennis, but we were sliding all over the place in the muddy, wet conditions.”