Spanish ‘Bull’ set to lead Horned Frogs
By Jessica Sanders
Skiff Staff

When TCU junior men’s tennis player Antonio “Toni” Gordon first came to the United States from his native Barcelona, Spain, he spoke little English and did not know many people. But he tried not to let that be a factor as he quickly established a reputation for himself in his new home.

“I was always studying or practicing (tennis),” said Gordon. “One day Coach Santos (the former tennis coach) came up to me and said the way I study and practice is like a bull.”
The nickname “The Bull” stuck with Gordon because of his tough and hard-working approach to the sport.

Simon Lopez/ SKIFF STAFF Junior Toni Gordon is ranked No. 69 in the preseason Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls. When “The Bull,” Gordon’s nickname, came to TCU he was unfamiliar with the language, but he overcame those problems and now finds himself the leader of the team.

“We call Toni ‘The Bull’ because he is a tough and hard worker on the court,” said TCU men’s tennis coach Joey Rive. “He is never out on a match and is hard to put down.”

Gordon is currently ranked No. 69 in the preseason Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls, making him TCU’s highest ranked player this year. Gordon is cited for his impressive backhand and forehand, and he is also known as a great receiver, Rive said.
Gordon is known as a very emotional player, whose fiery temperament can be both a blessing and a curse to his game. He often finds himself in a match screaming and shouting at himself and often at his opponents. Gordon has been seen screaming expletives, mainly in his native tongue — Spanish.

“Sometimes it doesn’t help at all,” said Gordon. “It can help if I can control it, but I think it helps to play with a lot of emotion in competitive sports.”

Gordon is no stranger to competitive sports. He competed professionally as a teenager on the Spanish National team.

“When I was in Spain, I was trying to be pro. I was only 16 (years old) at the time and the competition was tough.”

Now Gordon, a 23-year-old physical education major, is a more experienced player, but he finds the competition in the United States equally challenging. In Spain tennis is played on a clay court instead of hard courts used in the United States.

“On clay, if you are better than the other guy, you will win,” Gordon said. “On hard court, your game can be affected by other things, like the serve.”

Last year, TCU’s tennis team was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation, but lost in the semifinals NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga. This year they have fallen to No. 19 due in part to the loss of eight seniors on the team.

Now it is up to Gordon and teammate junior Daniel Wajnberg to fill the leadership positions on the team. Gordon and Wajnberg have played on the TCU team together for the last two years and both are excited to step up to this new challenge.

“This is our first year as (upperclassmen) on the team. The freshmen will probably look up to us a lot,” said Wajnberg, a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rive is also confident that they are up to the job.

“I think both (Gordon and Wajnberg) experienced a tremendous team last season,” Rive said. “This will put them in a position to help the new guys.”

He cites Gordon in particular for his “silent leadership through his actions.”

The true test, however, may be the upcoming game against No. 7 SMU on Jan. 30.

“The SMU game is a good way to get started,” Rive said. “We can see where we are quickly and get to the meat of the season.”

SMU has also undergone some changes in the team roster, which Gordon thinks could help TCU’s chances to win.

“It will be weird. It is the first game of the season, so it’s just the beginning,” Gordon said.

“I’m feeling excited, but I don’t know much about their team since they lost some players.

I am interested to see who they recruited.”

As for the rest of the season, Gordon and Wajnberg have high expectations. They hope that the SMU game will help move TCU up from their preseason ranking.

“I think we have a lot of potential, we can do it with time and luck,” said Wajnberg. “We are practicing hard and have a great coach. I think he can take us all the way.”

Jessica Sanders
j.d.sanders@student.tcu.edu

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