After getting off the phone with David Maldow, I now understand what his teammates mean when they say that he is a born leader. As if the pure impressiveness of his athletic career at Hopkins isn't enough reason to listen to the junior tennis captain, his strong voice demands attention and respect. With each question I asked him, I could tell in the subsequent speechless seconds that he was formulating his thoughts so that he would answer as truthfully as he could. Within the span of a 10-minute interview, I was able to grasp the reason why David Maldow is regarded so highly among his teammates and coach. He is a natural leader, a determined man and a phenomenal tennis player. For this reason, and for his performance this weekend, the News-Letter has chosen David as the Athlete of the Week.
This past weekend, Maldow set the school record for career singles wins with 55. Undoubtedly, the grandeur of this record goes without saying. However, the fact that Maldow set the record as a junior reflects his sheer dominance on the court. To see the effect that Maldow has on his teammates, one does not need to look any farther than Andrew Wang. Maldow and Wang have been doubles partners for two years now and their chemistry has reached a level that only they can understand. As individual players and as a team, their domination on the court has been well documented. Unquestionably, Maldow's skill, leadership and knowledge of the game have helped Wang develop into a better player.
"Overall, it's just a lot of fun playing with him," Wang said of Maldow. "He's very agile and thus gets a lot of balls. Since he is a lefty and I am a righty, the lefty-righty combo is a great advantage as we both have our forehands on the outside. Also, he has very good shot selection and has the ability to wear down opponents."
Maldow's performance on the court throughout his career is one that even people who don't follow tennis can respect. Ever since he entered the team as a freshman, his teammates knew that he was going to be something special. As a junior and experienced veteran, it is completely understandable as to why David was chosen as the team's captain.
"He's very tough on himself. He wants to be the best he can and this reflects on everyone else on the team. He's probably the best player Hopkins has ever had in school history, and he is going to do a lot more this season and especially next year," Wang said.
Even in the wake of such an amazing individual accomplishment, David found a way to take the spotlight off of himself and shift it to his team. When I asked him how it felt to set a school record, he replied by saying, "It's hard to say. It really meant a lot, but the best part was that it was against a big rival. It was great overall because we got a big win out of it and it really pumped up the team. Setting the record was nice and fitting, but it was more of a bonus."
Does a player with Maldow's skill come in to college knowing that they will dominate the way he has? When I asked David about this, it definitely did not seem so.
"When I came to Hopkins, I never really anticipated my career to turn out the way it has. I had more short-term expectations for myself . . . I came in with the mentality of taking tennis on a season-to-season basis. My main goal was to contribute as much as possible to the team. However, as the seasons went on, I became more confident in my game. Thanks to coach and the rest of my teammates, I have been able to get better and better as a player."
Maldow's game reflects his work-ethic. He is not a power-player per se, smashing balls past his opponents at blazing fast speeds. His game is focused more on hard work and determination - characteristics that are present in his attitude as well.
"My major strength is being able to grind out points and wear my opponent down mentally and physically," he said. "I don't have massive strength, I just move around looking for opportunities to close the point. I will play with my opponent until he shows a weakness then close out that point. Winning a tight first set discourages the opponent and my determination to fight for every point makes it hard for them to come back. When I see the chance, I close the door."
No matter how hard I tried to focus on David Maldow the individual, I kept getting responses that related back to David Maldow as part of the team. In even as individualized a game as tennis, David was able to put his team first. Experiencing this firsthand, it is easy to see why he is the team captain.
"The team has done a great job this season. We came into the season knowing we had a few things to work on. We needed to put a complete match together, both in doubles and singles matches, and we've done that this year. The intensity has been a lot strong and the team has a common goal - getting to nationals and winning the title."
As an athlete and leader, Maldow is one of the most determined and hardworking guys and has helped lead the Jays to an unbeaten Conference mark.
