After competing with players like Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, after being invited to play in the U.S. Open and after having a world ranking of No. 620 following high school graduation, sophomore Adam Gusky was prepared to pass by college and join the pro circuit.
But through the misfortune of a stress fracture, Duke indirectly had the fortune to capitalize on Gusky's talent.
Gusky did not always have his mind set on becoming a top tennis player, though.
"[Playing tennis] was almost an accident," Gusky said. "I wanted to play baseball, but tennis just came really naturally. I entered tournaments and started doing really well."
Despite his early success, few people could have expected the Miami native to become one of the top players in the country. His play progressed, though, and for the last semester of his senior year in high school, he played at Nick Bollettieri's tennis camp, where stars from around the world train. It was at Bollettieri's that Gusky played with Agassi, Sampras and even beat Bjorn Borg once when they were practice partners.
"It was a great place for tennis and I got to play with some of the best players in the world," Gusky said. "I improved just by playing with those guys day-in and day-out."
This improved play helped Gusky become the 1992 18-and-under U.S. National Doubles Champion. After winning that tournament, he and his partner received a wild card entry to play at the U.S. Open, an invitation which is extended to winners at the tournament.
"That was my one time to shine, to be in the show," Gusky said. "For one day I could have said I was at a Grand Slam tournament. The U.S. Open would have been a dream."
Unfortunately for Gusky, the opportunity still remains a dream. The next day in his singles match, Gusky was forced to retire with what trainers thought was a pulled muscle. It wasn't until a week later that doctors discovered three stress fractures in Gusky's left femur bone, an injury which kept him from playing tennis for over six months.
Gusky had already thought about taking a year off after high school, and the injury only helped make the decision easier, since he would not yet be ready to play on the hard courts used in college. He spent another year training at Bollettieri's.
"I was playing every day without worrying about academics," Gusky said. "That helped me get back into the swing of things."
Another factor which helped Gusky decide to take the year off was the fact that Duke had no scholarships available at the time. When Gusky entered Duke in the fall of 1993, two seniors had graduated, opening two scholarship positions. This gave him a chance to play under head coach Jay Lapidus--one of the main reasons Gusky chose to attend Duke.
"I saw Jay a few years ago, and he seemed very natural," Gusky said. "I just knew by talking to him that he was knowledgeable about the game. He knew what it would take for me to get better if I wanted to play the pro circuit. Jay is definitely the best [college] coach in the country by far."
Likewise, Gusky was one of the best players in the country--in fact, he was considered the top recruit in the nation. But in Gusky's first season, he could not shake a string of injuries that plagued him throughout the year. A month into the fall season, he broke his foot. Then in the beginning of the second semester, he severely sprained his ankle. At the end of the year, he suffered a broken rib.
Despite the injuries, Gusky compiled a 25-8 record in singles, a 19-4 record in doubles, and was unbeaten in Atlantic Coast Conference matches his freshman year at the No. 4 position. In addition, he was an All-ACC selection and an Intercollegiate Tennis Association Rookie of the Year nominee. Yet he was still not satisfied with his play.
"I was disappointed with my performance my first year," Gusky said. "I don't think I played up to my standards, but I played well for the team and that's all that matters."
"He is a real team player," Lapidus said. "When he doesn't do well in fall tournaments, it's because they're individual matches. He enjoys playing as part of the team."
This year, Gusky has managed to stay healthy, with the exception of a mild sprain in the fall. This lack of injuries has been a key factor for his success, leading him to the best record on the team this spring at 16-2 in dual matches.
"Last year I had a real tough year," Gusky said. "Obviously I attribute my good play [this year] to being healthy. I feel like if I can stay healthy and practice, I can keep improving and my record can get better and better."
According to Lapidus, Gusky has improved a great deal this year due to the fact that he has remained healthy, and both his volleys and his serves have improved.
"Adam is hard on himself and is a perfectionist," Lapidus said. "If he hits a good shot, he feels he could have hit it better. He's very dedicated."
This type of attitude is what could enable Gusky to enter the pro circuit after his tennis years at Duke. Lapidus feels Gusky has a good chance if he continues to improve the way he has recently at Duke.
So maybe the next time Gusky gets invited to the U.S. Open, it won't be as a wild card entry and Agassi and Sampras won't just be his practice partners, but his competitors.
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