Whiz Kid: Melissa Beretta

What are some of the things you like to do off of the court?

Off the court, I love to sing and act. I am the director of a community service singing group called "For The Heart," which I have been performing in since the age of eight. Most of the time when I'm not playing tennis, I am at rehearsals or just singing and dancing with my friends. I spend a lot of time with my friends and family or doing schoolwork, and other than that I try to sleep and relax as much as possible.

When did you first start to play tennis?

I first started playing tennis when I was three years old, and I took lessons over the summer at my country club. I only played over the summer until I was 8 or 9, which is when I started to play more avidly.

When did you first start to play competitively?

I started playing USTA tournaments when I was 9, and tennis has been my only sport since then. It takes up a lot of time, so I don't really have time for much else.

What is it like to be on a varsity team as a freshman?

Being on varsity as a freshman is incredible. It was extremely nerve-racking in the first match to be playing for a team and not as an individual for the first time, but I had so much instant support from my teammates and coaches that it was very easy to relax and play my game. It's so much different playing on a team because you tend to feel the weight and pressure to win for the team riding on your back, but we are so lucky to have such a talented and hardworking group, and I think we do a very good job at keeping the atmosphere light and positive even in close matches.

Surprisingly, being a freshman doesn't really affect the way the team treats me, because we all really are like sisters. Everyone has been supportive and friendly from the day I got on the team, and I couldn't ask for a better group of girls to play with.

Who is your favorite tennis player to watch? Why?

Andre Agassi is my favorite player to watch, even though he is retired, because of his charisma and attitude on the court. He is so poised and respectful, but he plays a great game and fights for every single point. I wish he was still playing, but I've been lucky enough to see him in an exhibition match, and that was one of the best nights ever. I also read the book he wrote called "OPEN", and I couldn't get over the way he was treated as a child and how open he was about tennis and his life. There is a lot to learn from people like him, on the court and off.

What are some of the different surfaces you have played on? Which is your favorite? Why?

I've played on hard courts, clay courts, and grass courts; hard courts are probably my favorite. The ball moves a lot faster on hard courts than on clay and I train all year at Intensity where we have hard courts, so my game style has sort of molded to that type of court. Grass is very fun to play on, but to play well you need to spend time training on it before you play or else it's very challenging to adjust, as the ball tends to skip and bounce unpredictably. However, my highest level competitive finishes have been on clay courts, so maybe it's a tie between hard courts and clay.

If you could play against any player at any venue, who would you play and where?

I would probably play against Andre Agassi at the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai. The court is suspended over the water from the top of an extremely tall building, and although it would be extremely scary, if I got the opportunity to play there, I would not be able to pass it up. It is an tremendously beautiful sight to see, and playing tennis there would be a dream come true.