How Eliot Spizzirri used wrist damage to propel him to No. 1

Eliot Spizzirri has dominated his competitors in his junior season as he’s already gathered 5 Large 12 Participant of the Week honors. His ten whole weekly awards is now probably the most within the convention historical past, and he nonetheless has one other yr of eligibility remaining. 

The Greenwich, Connecticut product started the season at No. 3 within the singles rankings earlier than his reign as No. 1 began in early February. Whereas Spizzirri has dropped just a few units this yr, he has amassed a 16-1 file on account of his potential to constantly end matches sturdy. 

“He tends to rise to the event,” Texas males’s tennis head coach Bruce Berque stated throughout a media availability. “When his again does get put towards the wall, he responds very well.” 

Final season, Spizzirri performed via a nagging left wrist damage that left him sidelined for the whole fall season, placing him at a drawback for the spring season.

“It feels good after I suppose again to a few of the struggles I had final season and simply the final yr and a half with my left wrist,” Spizzirri stated, “​​I’m doing one thing proper, and it’s paying off. So yeah, it’s only a testomony to the exhausting work, however it definitely feels good.” 

Berque stated he believes the wrist damage might have helped him technically and mentally in the long term. Because of the damage affecting his backhand, Spizzirri needed to develop a stronger forehand and slice, a shot with backspin that’s essential for drop pictures, to cover his momentary backhand deficiency.

“The response he needed to the damage, being prepared to place himself on the market for his staff even when he needed to take some losses and possibly look a bit susceptible, I believe that mentally actually helped him,” Berque stated. “He’s simply continued to play with a chip on his shoulder and a starvation to succeed in his long-term objectives not only for the staff right here however past Texas in skilled tennis.”

In doubles, Spizzirri needed to construct chemistry along with his new accomplice, redshirt junior Cleeve Harper. Spizzirri had success along with his former accomplice junior Siem Woldeab, with the pair incomes Second Workforce All-Large 12 honors in 2022 and unanimous First Workforce All-Large 12 honors in 2021. Nevertheless, Spizzirri took the change in stride. 

“Cleeve is tremendous straightforward to get used to and enjoyable to play with as a result of he’s such a great doubles participant,” Spizzirri stated. “Thus far we had a very good stretch earlier within the season, after which form of struggled for a bit bit, after which we really switched sides of the court docket on the returning aspect.” 

Since Spizzirri regained his prolific backhand that was misplaced on account of damage, the teaching employees advised that he and Harper change sides of the court docket. Spizzirri switched to the advert aspect, the left aspect of the court docket, and Harper went to the suitable aspect, or the deuce aspect. 

After a midseason droop that culminated in a loss to a pairing from UCF that was ranked No. 76 nationally, Harper and Spizzirri went on a six match profitable streak. 

As for the longer term, Spizzirri has unwavering confidence that he’ll turn out to be an expert participant and appears ahead to using his remaining time at Texas in an effort to make that aim a actuality. 

“I’m gonna play professional tennis,” Spizzirri stated. “That’s been my dream since I used to be a bit child is to turn out to be one of the best professional tennis participant I might be, and so I’m going to attempt to try this on daily basis. I can’t wait to get on the tour.”