Alex Stone Senior Profile

DURHAM, N.C. ? GoDuke.com recently sat down with men's tennis player Alex Stone for his senior profile. Stone discusses what he likes to do before a match, the best concert he has been to, what his SportsCenter moment was, plus much more.

GoDuke.com: What is your nickname?
Alex Stone: Everybody has always called me Stoner because my last name is Stone and it is easy to say.

GD: What do you have playing in your iPod?
AS: I have always been a big fan of Dave Matthews. I like listening to a lot of his live stuff and some of his jam sessions really calm me down before a match.

GD: If you could change one rule in your sport, what would it be?
AS: They've had to change the let rule so now when the ball hits the net on the serve and it goes in it counts. I think they should change it back to the way it is in the pros where you have a line judge on every court and the line judges should call lets because too many times I have seen match points won on a let ball.

GD: Who is your favorite professional tennis player?
AS: I hate to be clich? but I have to go with Roger Federer. Not only is the guy amazing at tennis and I don't know how many grand slams he has won in the last couple of years but the way he carries himself on and off the court is something I really like about him. Anytime he has an interview he always says the right things.

GD: What is the last movie you saw in a theatre?
AS: I saw Vantage Point and I really didn't like it.

GD: What is your favorite TV show?
AS: The West Wing hands down. Great writing, love the actors, great plot, it is amazing.

GD: Describe your SportsCenter moment?
AS: It was probably when I clinched the match last year against North Carolina. It was getting down to the wire and they were undefeated and ranked No. 5 in the country. We were the underdogs at their place. I won it on a big forehand cross court and everyone ran out on the court. It was a great feeling.

GD: What is your favorite food?
AS: I love the pizza at I Love Manhattan Pizza in Durham. They have a great Barbeque Chicken slice that I just die for.

GD: Do you have any pre-match rituals?
AS: Listening to music is about the only thing that I do. We don't have a lot of time before the matches because we are always so busy. Sometimes I will sit in my room, close my eyes and just try to relax.

GD: What are your plans for after graduation?
AS: I will be working at Bear Sterns, an investment bank in New York, doing some sales and bond trading stuff.

GD: What is your favorite memory to date of your college career?
AS: Winning the ACC Championship my sophomore year. That was a pretty incredible feeling when Stephen Amritraj clinched it in the third set after we came back from down 3-0 against the No. 1 team in the conference, Virginia. We rallied off four straight points.

GD: What is your favorite part of practice?
AS: I like when we do what is called the Swedish game when we play four different games, two games cross court and two games down the line, you play up to five and it is a drill that is all about consistency and rhythm. It is always fun because you can't really hit winners and it is a big grind fest out there. The guy who can last the longest will win.

GD: What is your favorite place to study?
AS: I can't study anywhere but in the library. In my room I have a TV and my computer and I just can't focus. The only place I can do work is in the library where no one can bother me.

GD: What is your favorite sport besides tennis?
AS: Golf. Anytime I can I try to squeeze in a round. It is great around here and I am from New York where it is not nearly as warm but here you can play golf almost year round so anytime we don't have practice I like to get out at the Washington Duke and play some holes.

GD: What is your favorite video game?
AS: Mario Tennis for Nintendo 64.

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Alex Stone

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