Exchanges students a hit for MHS tennis

Eastern European exchange students David Rac and Evgeniya Malina are making quite a racket in the United States.

Rac, who starting playing tennis in the Czech Republic 10 years ago, currently is the No. 2 boys singles player for the Marysville High tennis team. 'He could be No. 1 but we have David Blanchard back from last season," said Marysville coach Steve Tennis.

Blanchard is the reigning MVP in the Golden Empire League. Malina has been playing tennis for about half a year, getting started in her native Russia. "She's been playing doubles for us," Tennis said. He noted unlike the Tri-County Conference, which has separate boys and girls tennis seasons with six singles matches in each, the co-ed GEL has just two boys singles and two girls singles competitions. "If we had six singles, Malina definitely would be playing singles," Tennis added.

The Marysville tennis program has been waiting years for exchange students like Rac and Malina to come along, Tennis said. A few years ago, when Marysville and Inderkum were in the same league, Tennis noted Inderkum had exchange students from Spain and Germany who helped the Tigers win not only league but also the Sac-Joaquin Section title. "

We were never fortunate to have something like that," Tennis said.

Until now. Rac is a legitimate tennis threat.

"He hits the ball so hard," Tennis said. "He's got a good serve, he's got both a good forehand and backhand."

Rac credited his father with getting him started. "He played and loved it so much that he asked me to come and play tennis with him," Rac said. Rac also fell in love with the game, furthering his interest in the sport through his tennis club, TK Radosovice near Prague. Since he was 14, Rac, 18, has been playing in tournaments.

"I'm good, but not good enough," Rac said, when asked if he ever thought of trying to play tennis professionally. Playing tennis in the U.S. has been an eye-opening experience for Rac. "We play on clay (back home)," Rac said, admitting he had never played on a hardcourt until he came to America.

"It's a much faster game here, but it's also fun." Rac also had to learn a new way of scoring. "We play 'advantage,'" he said, adding the U.S. scoring system is "very confusing to me."

Malina doesn't have the experience Rac has on the court, Tennis said, but she is rapidly picking up the game. "She works hard to improve," Tennis said.

Malina, 16, also learned about the game from her father, who is an avid fan. In fact, Malina and her father went to Roland Garros stadium, where the French Open is held. "I even got Roger Federer's autograph," she said. "And I like (Maria) Sharapova."

When they're not playing tennis, both imports have found ways to entertain themselves like they did back home. Malina loves to go snowboarding while Rac likes to ski. "During the winter, I'm in the mountains 24-7," he said.

Both Rac and Malina bring that certain Eastern European attitude to the Marysville courts.

"They both are very competitive," Tennis said. "When they miss or hit a bad shot, you can see the intensity in their face, the fire. They want to win. They want to get better." Going to school in a foreign country is difficult enough, Tennis said, "but they've been able to fit in very well. They've also adjusted to American tennis."

Contact sports reporter Richard Myers at 749-4714 or rmyers@appealdemocrat.com.