HAMPTON, Va. – For Hampton University junior Gellert Varga, coming to America to play collegiate tennis is the culmination of a goal he'd had since middle school – one his friends weren't really sure he'd accomplish.
“My friends didn't really discourage me,” Varga said, “but since they weren't athletes, they didn't know how things worked in that world.”
Varga's dream of coming to college in America became more focused when he was a high school student at Gimnazija Becej, when he read an article featuring Pirates coach Dr. Robert Screen. Seeing Dr. Screen's credentials – including what is now an NCAA-record 1,059 career victories – pointed Varga in HU's direction.
St. John's, Eastern Kentucky and Montana were also recruiting Varga, but Dr. Screen's credentials, along with his sales pitch, convinced Varga to become a Pirate.
“Coach Screen just told me I could be a part of a historic program,” Varga said. “I could be a part of one of the most successful programs in the country.”
Varga (Becej, Serbia) was already familiar with success before coming to Hampton; at Gimnazija Becej, he went 96-8 in his career on the tennis team and was named Student-Athlete of the Year as a freshman and a senior. Varga went 22-1 in his freshman year, and he won 26 games as a junior.
That success has continued in college; on top of going 11-2 this season and 5-0 in MEAC singles play, Varga boasts a 7-3 doubles record this season in helping the Pirates take the top seed in the Northern Division heading into this weekend's MEAC Championships in Raleigh, N.C. Varga parlayed that into First Team All-MEAC honors, as did his teammate Nelio Mattos (Ribeirao Preto, Brazil).
For his career at Hampton, Varga is 26-10 in singles play and 22-8 in doubles competition.
“I just have confidence in myself that I can beat everyone I play,” Varga said. “That's probably the biggest difference for me.”
Varga is also undefeated in MEAC play for his career, going 11-0 in singles play and 8-0 in doubles competition.
“I get a little more excited for MEAC matches,” Varga said. “Because I go in there, and in my mind, I know I have to win that game.”
The Pirates (10-5, 5-0 MEAC) advanced to the MEAC title game last season, before falling to South Carolina State. That match came after a tough 4-3 win over Florida A&M in the semifinals – a match that took upwards of four hours and featured a spirited Pirate comeback that started with a victory from Varga.
“We were so close last year, and we know what it felt like to lose,” Varga, a Second Team All-MEAC selection as a freshman, said. “Losing last year gives us extra motivation heading into MEACs this year.”
While trying to model his game after world No. 1 Roger Federer, Varga likes to run up and down the court as much as he can, using quickness and athleticism. He particularly likes to do this against much larger and more powerful players, hoping to tire them out with his own skill set.
“I can't hit the ball really hard and fast like some other players,” he said. “I guess I could, but I wouldn't last very long. I would tire out way too soon. I try to stick to what I do well, and try to use that to wear down my opponent.”
In Serbia, tennis is probably the third or fourth most popular sport, ranking behind soccer and basketball. But with such stars as Novak Djokovic, the No. 2 men's player in the world, as well as women's stars Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, have raised tennis' profile within the country, a trend Varga would like to continue.
A finance major, Varga wants to own his own business after college – probably a recruiting center that helps bring international student-athletes to the United States to further their educations and their athletic careers. While graduate school is still an option for Varga, he looks toward a future of helping others have the same opportunity he did.
“When I decided to come to America, my family was very supportive,” he said. “They knew I could make a better life for myself here in America, and I'd like to do my part to help others like me do the same.”
With graduation a year away, though, Varga's goals are a little more immediate.
“I don't want to lose any more matches this semester,” he said, “and win the MEAC.”
