For one particular player on the Ohio State men’s tennis team, desire and hard work has come naturally.

Since he first started playing tennis in his grandma’s backyard when he was eight years old, Phil Metz has succeeded in the game. Today, he is No. 57 in the nation.

“Phil is everything you can ask for in a player,” said OSU assistant coach David Schilling. “All his accolades and achievements come because he outworks everyone.”

His coaches and team hope this work ethic yields fabulous results at the Big Ten tournament. Metz said his personal goals include contributing to the team in the singles and doubles matches, while advancing to the NCAA singles tournament in Athens, Ga., May 19-28.

Much of his work ethic comes from his self-discipline. Metz sometimes practices hours after everyone else has left, Schilling said. Head coach Ty Tucker and Schilling said they are able to use Metz as an example to the rest of the team.

Vincent Ng, roommate and teammate who practices with Metz often, said Metz brings the “never-say-die” attitude to the team. No matter if the opponent is unranked or No. 1 in the nation, you can guarantee he is going to play his heart out, said Ng.

“Phil is the essence of a great competitor,” Ng said. “He battles you every single point and he’s tough to beat when the match is on the line.”

Metz, a sophomore, holds a record of 31-10 this season. He started this season ranked No. 92, and has been ranked as high as No. 37. His freshman record was 27-12, playing No. 3 on the team.

“Playing No. 1 (singles) this year has helped my game” Metz said. “I have worked on my serve with help from coach Schilling. My volleys are getting better too. Everything has improved a little bit.”

From Mentor, Ohio, Metz won the 1999 Ohio Division 1 state singles championship his senior year, a goal he set for himself when he was a freshman in high school.

“Winning it (the championship) senior year took the monkey off my back and relieved a lot of pressure,” Metz said.

Both Illinois and Michigan State recruited him, but Metz chose OSU in order stay close to his family. Being one of four siblings, he is happy his family has made such sacrifices for him.

“From the beginning when I started playing tennis, they (family) were great,” Metz said. “They went to all my tournaments. They sacrificed so much for me, especially having three other siblings. My whole family has sacrificed for me.”

Metz’s grandmother played tennis and introduced the game to him. She formulated a notebook with famous quotes from athletes and gave it to Metz for good luck. Metz hopes his family will continue to be supportive for his professional matches once he graduates.

Within two years, Metz hopes to be in the top 10 in the nation. His coaches and teammates said they believe this goal is attainable.

“Phil is the premier sophomore in the Big Ten,” Schilling said. “We are working toward getting him to play at the next level, while making the most out of his experience in college tennis.”

The 6-foot-four player said he models his game after Russians Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin, who are tall and have great ground strokes.

“Phil has the best backhand in the country,” said co-captain Andrew Carlson. “His return is unreal.”

Metz is a hate-to-lose guy. If he loses, it’s like his life is over, Carlson explained.

Metz is working hard to improve his game for the Big Ten tournament this weekend. The coaches are helping him maintain a solid discipline approach. They are also working on his return against bigger servers he may face in the tournament. His weakness is his serve, but it is getting better as well.

“I am trying to play more aggressively at the net,” Metz said. “I want to finish the point earlier.”

Schilling says Metz is very self-motivated. With a few lucky quotes from his grandma, a pre-game meal of pasta or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and his unwavering work ethic, Metz’s future looks promising.