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Gophers Spotlight: Dalila Said
1/27/2020 1:41:00 PM | Tennis
Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, redshirt freshman Dalila Said has started to make a name for herself wearing the Maroon and Gold. Due to injury, the Georgia Tech transfer was unable to compete during the 2019 fall season and since recovering, she has played in the No. 2 singles and doubles spots respectively. Gopher Sports decided to sit down with Said to talk about playing for her home country, what she learned while being injured, and what makes Minnesota great.
Gopher Sports: Being from Egypt, what was the most difficult thing you needed to adapt to in the United States?
Dalila Said: I think being away from my family has been the most difficult thing for me. I am used to always being around family, so coming here made me have to do everything on my own and it took time for me to adapt to that and be comfortable with it.
GS: You have traveled all over the world to play tennis, are there any memorable moments or wins? What is the coolest place you have traveled to compete and why?
DS: I have a lot of memorable moments in tennis, the most memorable thing for me was being able to play for my national team in Egypt and take them to play the Under 16 World Cup for the first time. South Africa was one of my favorite places to visit, because it was so different from any place I've ever been to and it was really nice to get to see their culture.
GS: What drew you into Minnesota?
DS: The biggest thing for me was the coaches and their vision for the program. I also really liked the campus and the facilities it has for its student-athletes.
GS: What is your favorite part of the University of Minnesota Campus?
DS: I like a lot of things on campus, but something that stands out for me is Coffman. It has a lot of places to study and just hang out with my friends.
GS: This is your first year on the Golden Gophers squad. What has your experience been like being on a new team?
DS: It´s been great, I love everything about this team. Everyone is pretty close and all of the girls made me feel welcome from day one.
GS: You have now played in the ACC and the Big Ten. Have you experienced a change in competition and/or the way the game of tennis is played?
DS: I think both conferences are tough, the level of competition in the ACC and Big Ten are similar. The only thing that is different with Big Ten is getting to play more indoor tennis because of the weather, but other than that, the competition level is the same.
GS: How does it feel being able to compete and be successful after recovering from an injury?
DS: I didn't expect it at all, I feel very satisfied. Coming back after a year of just rehabbing and then getting my first wins in the first tournament of the year has been very special. It just shows that I have a great team surrounding me and that I've been doing the right thing. It definitely motivates me to keep working hard and to trust the process.
GS: During your time being injured, was there anything you learned about yourself along the way?
DS: Being on the bench for a year was very difficult for me, I wanted to get healthy in the blink of an eye. I learned to be patient and respect that my body needed time to heal and recover, I also learned to appreciate being healthy and not take it for granted anymore. Being on the sidelines made me learn a lot more about tennis and made me see things from a different perspective that I would have never been able to see if I had been playing.
Quick Facts
Major/Minor: Business Marketing Education
Biggest pet peeve: Slow Internet
Favorite candy: Sour patch kids
Gopher Sports: Being from Egypt, what was the most difficult thing you needed to adapt to in the United States?
Dalila Said: I think being away from my family has been the most difficult thing for me. I am used to always being around family, so coming here made me have to do everything on my own and it took time for me to adapt to that and be comfortable with it.
GS: You have traveled all over the world to play tennis, are there any memorable moments or wins? What is the coolest place you have traveled to compete and why?
DS: I have a lot of memorable moments in tennis, the most memorable thing for me was being able to play for my national team in Egypt and take them to play the Under 16 World Cup for the first time. South Africa was one of my favorite places to visit, because it was so different from any place I've ever been to and it was really nice to get to see their culture.
GS: What drew you into Minnesota?
DS: The biggest thing for me was the coaches and their vision for the program. I also really liked the campus and the facilities it has for its student-athletes.
GS: What is your favorite part of the University of Minnesota Campus?
DS: I like a lot of things on campus, but something that stands out for me is Coffman. It has a lot of places to study and just hang out with my friends.
GS: This is your first year on the Golden Gophers squad. What has your experience been like being on a new team?
DS: It´s been great, I love everything about this team. Everyone is pretty close and all of the girls made me feel welcome from day one.
GS: You have now played in the ACC and the Big Ten. Have you experienced a change in competition and/or the way the game of tennis is played?
DS: I think both conferences are tough, the level of competition in the ACC and Big Ten are similar. The only thing that is different with Big Ten is getting to play more indoor tennis because of the weather, but other than that, the competition level is the same.
GS: How does it feel being able to compete and be successful after recovering from an injury?
DS: I didn't expect it at all, I feel very satisfied. Coming back after a year of just rehabbing and then getting my first wins in the first tournament of the year has been very special. It just shows that I have a great team surrounding me and that I've been doing the right thing. It definitely motivates me to keep working hard and to trust the process.
GS: During your time being injured, was there anything you learned about yourself along the way?
DS: Being on the bench for a year was very difficult for me, I wanted to get healthy in the blink of an eye. I learned to be patient and respect that my body needed time to heal and recover, I also learned to appreciate being healthy and not take it for granted anymore. Being on the sidelines made me learn a lot more about tennis and made me see things from a different perspective that I would have never been able to see if I had been playing.
Quick Facts
Major/Minor: Business Marketing Education
Biggest pet peeve: Slow Internet
Favorite candy: Sour patch kids
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