Radnor’s Mia Xie is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week (Sept. 12-18)
The senior, a first team All-Central League and All-Main Line selection at singles last fall, has started out in dominating fashion this season, posting a 6-0 mark as of Sept. 9. She recorded a 14-1 mark at second singles for the Raptors in 2021. Radnor tennis coach Pat Kurz said, “I think the best thing about Mia is her determination. I have never seen her get rattled on the court. I have never seen her expression change. You could watch her match and not know whether she is winning or losing. She stays focused. I know she has worked very hard on her game over the years. She is physically small with a big heart!” Off the court, Xie plays clarinet in the Radnor High School band, is president of the Radnor Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and is involved in the Spanish Service Club, International Youth Neuroscience Association (IYNA), and Asian Culture Club.
Q: What do you think has been the key to your success this season?
A: I think the key to my success this season is all the training I did throughout the year to improve and get ready for the season. I played a lot of matches over the summer to get myself in a competitive state.
Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game? What part of your game have you worked on the most recently?
A: The strongest part of my game is my groundstrokes. My mental strength is also an important aspect of my game because I never give up without a fight. Recently I’ve been working on becoming more aggressive and improving my volleys.
Q: You mentioned that your best match of the 2021 season was your only regular-season defeat, a 6-3, 7-6 loss to Conestoga’s Ananya Krishnan, who finished second in the PIAA District 1 3A doubles championship last fall. Tell us a little bit about that match.
A: That match really reflected how much I’ve improved. I’ve played Ananya many times in the past and each time it ended in a lopsided defeat. However, I went into that match with the belief that I was able to compete with her and used my consistency to force her to make mistakes. Overall, I’m proud of the way I fought regardless of the result.
Q: Who are your favorite tennis players? Do you try to pattern your game after any of them?
A: My favorite tennis player is Roger Federer. I really admire his poise on the court and how he’s able to stay positive no matter the scoreline. Our game styles are very different but his attitude is something I try to mirror when I’m playing.
Q: Tell us a little about your start in tennis. Who have been your top tennis mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: I started playing tennis when I was about 8 years old and took lessons with my older brother Max. My top tennis mentors have been Mark Groetsch and Chris Atienza. Mark was one of my first coaches. He helped me develop my technique and taught me the importance of hard work and passion. For the past few months I’ve been working with Chris to build a more aggressive game style and he has been a really supportive figure in my life.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-match preparation the day of a match.
A: Before a match I do a dynamic warm-up and static stretching to prevent injuries and get my heart rate up. I also make sure to drink a lot of water and eat something light so that I have energy.
Q: What is your favorite tennis venue, and why?
A: My favorite tennis venue is the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which is where the US Open is held. I especially enjoy going to the US Open during the early rounds to watch the matches on the field courts because I get to be super close to the players and the atmosphere is amazing.
Q: What is your favorite academic course at Radnor? Is there a career path that particularly appeals to you at the present time?
A: My favorite academic courses at Radnor are psychology and math. Currently, I’m interested in studying cognitive science and international business in the future.
Fun facts – Mia Xie
Favorite book: A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Favorite movie: Five Feet Apart.
Favorite athlete: Roger Federer.
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Favorite pre-match meal: Sushi.
Family members: parents Susan and Nicholas, older brother Max.
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
