Tennis: Rea gives himself a serve

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Simon Rea was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. In a world blighted by tennis-playing brats, the 21-year-old remains refreshingly, feet-firmly-on-the-ground honest.

He admits he is his own harshest critic.

Thumped 6-2, 6-1 by Croatian qualifier Mario Ancic in the first round of the Heineken Open this week - no real disgrace given Ancic's performance - Rea did not mince words in evaluating his efforts. "I thought it was pretty weak," he said.

"I felt like it was an awful match. I'm not going to beat anyone decent serving like that."

But rather than wallow in self pity, Rea does something about it.

At 6.30 the next morning he was on the practice court working with coach Richard Barry.

He sent down a "bunch of serves" working, in the main, on his ball toss.

"Serving is an important part of my game," said Rea, who with Mark Nielsen was one of the New Zealanders to be handed a main draw wildcard. "It is the only thing I'm utterly, completely, in control of.

"Once you have served, anything can happen.

"This [the open] is a big event for me. It was disappointing to be beat up like that."

But Rea is not going to dwell on it too long. He has challenges - like the Davis Cup - to look forward to.

From the time he starting picking up balls at his local Milford Tennis Club as an 8-year-old he hankered to play at the highest possible level.

Never pushed by over-the-top parents - something he remains grateful for given the horror stories the sport has been flooded with - he just got on with it.

"Mum and dad were ideal tennis parents. They came from a working-class background. Nothing pretentious but no pressure either, just plenty of the right kind of support. You see some crazy parents out there."

His father, Peter, was a useful rowing coach after playing rugby and cricket. His younger brothers play rugby, his sister, also younger, rows.

With no tennis background in his family, Rea found a friend and mentor in Joe O'Rourke, the then 60-something father of former New Zealand Tennis chief executive Pat O'Rourke.

"He was amazing," said Rea of O'Rourke snr, who died a couple of years ago. "Without him I would not be playing. He taught me so much about tennis and life. He was, without doubt, the biggest influence."

Spotted playing on the junior circuit by scouts from American universities, Rea was offered a scholarship at the University of Tennessee.

"After looking at the offers, I felt this was the best fit for me," said Rea, who ventured overseas after his seventh-form year at Auckland Grammar School, where he was head boy.

Mixing tennis and studies successfully, Rea is preparing to graduate with a degree in journalism in May - something veteran US tennis writer Bud Collins applauds.

Then what?

"Who knows?" said Rea who, on Sunday, returns to play No 1 for Tennessee before coming back early next month for the Davis Cup tie against India in Invercargill.

"I hope I get to make my debut," said Rea. "It is something I'm sure I'll feel comfortable with."

After that he is going to give tennis on the ATP tour his best shot.

"I would like to get my ranking down to 400 [from 800]. It will not be easy. I haven't set myself a time frame. I will reassess after three or four years."

Any regrets so far?

After much deep thinking. "No, not really. Perhaps somewhere I should have taken the second half of a [college] year off and chased points.

"But I still have time on my side."

And the drive and determination.

Simon Rea

* Born: Auckland, July 18, 1982

* Plays: Left-handed

* Province: North Harbour

* US College: University of Tennessee

* Highest singles ranking: 796

* Favourite surface: Grass

* International honours: Member NZ Davis Cup squad 2003-04

* Career highlights: Winner NZ Residential championships 2001-02

* 2003: Reached two quarter-finals at ITF Futures events in US