University of Minnesota Athletics
First Serve with Josip Krstanovic
1/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Get to know the newest Gopher in Josip Krstanovic out of Zagreb, Croatia who joined the Gophers this week for the spring season. Josip who goes by Joe has won two ITF doubles tournaments, is a three-time national champion and is ranked top ten in Croatia for all age groups.
Gopher Sports: What first caught your eye about Minnesota and the tennis program here?
Josip Krstanovic: The first thing that caught my eye was the facilities. It is really nice and I really liked even the colors of the courts. The locker rooms seemed nice. Coach Young was with me on the visit and he is a nice person and easy to talk to. I could tell he is a good coach.
GS: Can you talk about your previous tennis experience?
JK: I am from Croatia and started playing tennis at the age of seven. I started playing tournaments at the age of 10 and was really good at the start. Around 14 or 15 I was getting really good. I started winning some tournaments and doing well in national championships. I started playing in tennis Euro Championships and ITF matches as I got older. All that got me to here.
GS: What is it about the game of tennis that you love so much?
JK: You are all by yourself and do not rely on anyone except for in doubles. It is a beautiful sport where there is no coaching during the match, no having somebody by your side and you have to make your own decisions. I love this sport.
GS: If you could play a tennis match against any celebrity who would you choose and why?
JK: I would probably go with Roger Federer. He is a magician on the court. He makes everything seem so simple. I would also like to meet him so he can give me some bullet points.
GS: What were you up to in the fall and over the holidays?
JK: I was practicing and preparing for college tennis. I got a new coach who was a top 50 ATP player in doubles. He really helped me with a lot of his coaching. It was a nice time to spend with him. He is a really good guy, helpful and open. It is something I will not forget.
GS: How has it been adjusting to coming in here halfway into the school year?
JK: For the first couple of days on campus Marino (Alpeza) has been showing me around and has been really helpful to me so I can adjust to the new culture easier.
GS: What are you most excited for this spring?
JK: I am excited for the first matches of course. I want to see how college is here in America and also would love to meet some new friends. This is all a new experience to me so we will see how it goes.
Players Mentioned
