Temple Women’s Tennis player Tianni Zhou came to Temple University from Shanghai, China, to further her career in tennis and physical therapy. Although only a freshman, Zhou has been playing tennis since she was 7 years old and has always been surrounded by an athletic community.
“My name, Tianni, actually comes from tennis, because my parents met on a college tennis court in China,” Zhou said.
Coming to America to pursue her interest in tennis was something that allowed Zhou to broaden her horizons and explore cultures different than her own. Zhou explained that being able to play tennis in the U.S. is a gift she is incredibly grateful for.
“The U.S. has a better atmosphere for college tennis, and Temple also offered me a full-ride scholarship. That is a really precious opportunity for me,” Zhou said.
Like many players, her time on the court has been impacted by injury. Zhou suffered from a Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) tear, a wrist injury, which inhibited her from playing tennis for three months. This injury ended up inspiring her to pursue a career in physical therapy during her time at Temple.
“Injury plays a really big part in athletic careers and can have a really negative impact on athletes,” Zhou said. “I just want to help those who are in need in the future.”
Zhou also noted that her time spent training hasn’t gone unnoticed by her teammates. Often spending a lot of her free time trying to improve her skills, Zhou has a reputation for always putting maximum effort into her work.
“To avoid injury, I will go to the training room pretty often and get some treatment for myself. Everyone on the team says I’m always in the training room,” Zhou said.
Zhou’s doubles partner, sophomore Irmak Kost, has been developing her relationship with Zhou these past two semesters on and off the court. Like the rest of her team, she has noticed Zhou’s commitment to her sport.
“Sometimes I think she’s sleeping in the training room because she’s always there,” Kost said. “I’m always asking, ‘Where’s Tianni,’ and everyone’s like ‘Oh, she’s in the training room.’”
Zhou explained that her college experience has been easier for her to stay balanced between her athletic and academic life than it was in high school. Being partners with Kost has helped her performance on the courts as well as her personal growth outside of her sport.
“We’ve improved a lot together. I can see the difference between our first match and last match, it’s a huge, huge improvement,” Kost said. “I feel really comfortable with Tianni because we can communicate.”
Temple Women’s Tennis Assistant Coach AJ Culver works directly with Zhou and has also been able to watch her athletic and personal development these last two semesters.
“She’s focused in terms of her education and her tennis, and she takes the game seriously,” Culver said. “So I just respect her as a person first and foremost.”
Through Zhou’s budding relationships with her teammates and coaches, she has been able to cement her place on the Temple Women’s Tennis Team. While there is always room for her and her teammates to grow, Culver expresses how staying true to themselves will help them flourish on and off the tennis court.
“Stay balanced and stay true to who you are. Bring your culture, bring your perspective, and communicate,” Culver said. “…Be okay asking questions and try to implement what’s fun or good for you, just like Tianni has.”