March 8, 2007

By Nicholas Trost
GoHuskies.com correspondent

SEATTLE -- Although Alex Slovic and Daniel Chu arrived on the University of Washington campus back in 2003 with very different backgrounds, the pair is prepared to graduate with a bond that might forever link them in Husky tennis history. The seniors both came to Washington to play for an up-and-coming program, but will leave being able to say they rewrote the Huskies' record books and helped make them a national powerhouse.

Slovic is from Pancevo, Yugoslavia; Chu from Vancouver, B.C. Slovic grew in a nation plagued by war; Chu's biggest fight was finding an indoor court to play on during the winter. Despite the different backgrounds, both have found an equal opportunity to succeed at Washington.

For Slovic, finding a home in Seattle has been a blessing. Slovic admits that besides dealing with the dangers of his war plagued country, it is also much harder for to succeed back in his hometown.

"First of all it is a different culture," explained Slovic. "I'm not saying it is bad, but it is different. It is harder. There are way more opportunities here and you have to work way harder back home to be successful."

Slovic's transition to Seattle was eased by the fact that fellow Yugoslavian Alex Vlaski was already on the Husky roster. Vlaski, the Huskies all-time career singles wins leader, played a vital role in getting Slovic to come to the UW.

"Alex said a lot of great things about UW," said Slovic. "He talked about the tennis program and the academics as well, so he definitely influenced my decision."

Husky Head Coach Matt Anger, who facilitated this whole process, echoes the remarks of Slovic.

Slovic has 163 doubles and singles wins combined in his Husky career, third most in school history.

"That was the biggest part initially," said Anger about the influence of Vlaski over Slovic. "He helped get Alex to come and then helped him adjust when he was first here. All of a sudden you come to Seattle, and it is not like people in Seattle go to Serbia that often, so that s a big move. He (Vlaski) was obviously very helpful."

Conversely, Chu's journey to Washington has been a little smoother, especially since he grew up just four hours away from Seattle. Chu was pushed at a very early age to play by his father, Keith, and has simply continued honing his skills at Washington.

"My dad really loved the game," said Chu. "When he would play with his friends I would just hang out at the park."

Even though the journeys of Slovic and Chu are different, their goal at UW is the same: to win. And there is no doubt that they have accomplished this.

From the very get to, Slovic has been a cornerstone behind the team's success. Slovic was the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in his first season and has been a member of the All-Conference Team all three seasons at the UW. He's currently tied for fifth on the Huskies list of career singles wins with 86 and he is just the third player to reach 160 combined singles and doubles wins.

Yet it's his accomplishments that he has achieved with Chu by his side that might leave the biggest marks in the Husky record books. The pair were sophomores on the Huskies' team that went 20-5 and won a share of the first Pac-10 Championship in school history. The duo has been to the NCAA Championships all three years at Washington, including two trips to the Sweet Sixteen.

The team's accomplishments are not the only way the duo are rewriting the Husky record books. It is on the court as a doubles tandem that Chu and Slovic may perhaps be most remembered when it is all said and done. Chu and Slovic obtained the highest ranking ever from a Huskies doubles team when they reached No. 5 in 2005. Their success can also be measured by the fact that each of them is atop the Husky record book with 77 career doubles wins.

Although Slovic and Chu are currently teamed together in the doubles lineup, it hasn't been that way all season. Anger mixed the lineup early in the season, pairing Slovic and Chu, who are both left-handed, with right-handed partners. Both had success, but Anger wanted more pop from his No. 1 doubles team, so he reunited the pair.

"It is all about what is best for the team" Coach Anger said.

Entering this season, Slovic had three more doubles victories than Chu. That lead dwindled in just one week when Chu won three matches at the No. 3 doubles in the Great Northwest Shootout, while Slovic went 0-1 and had two "did not finishes" at the No. 1 doubles spot. Now that they are tied, it looks as if they are going to stay that way.

Chu has 143 career singles and doubles win, tied for eighth-most in UW history.

The early results have made Anger look like a genius, as Chu and Slovic are 4-0 in dual matches as a pair, including an 8-4 win over the nation's ninth-ranked team of Sheeva Parbhu and Ryan Keckley of Notre Dame.

Both Slovic and Chu seem to be happy to be back together. They also both seem content with the prospects of ending their careers tied for the most doubles wins in school history.

"What I think about is what is going to benefit the UW the most," said Slovic. "I'm sure Daniel thinks the same way."

It is this mindset that has helped them to also be such great leaders and positive influences on the relatively young Dawgs. Along with fellow senior Michael Ricks, Slovic and Chu are charged with teaching the underclassmen on how to carry on the Husky winning tradition. Part of this tradition is also excellence in the classroom, where both Slovic and Chu are two-time members of the Pac-10 All-Academic Team.

"The key to excelling is setting your goals and committing to your goals," said Chu. "Commit to them 100 percent and work at them and eventually you will get there."

This is the mindset that the Huskies carry over to every practice and game, and have used to lead them to their current ranking of 19th in the nation.

Unfortunately for Husky fans, Slovic and Chu are set to graduate this spring. Their departure will leave the duty of carrying on the Husky tradition to the younger players on the team. Both Slovic and Chu have left a huge legacy for the underclassmen to follow.

"I don't want everyone thinking of me (just) as a tennis player," said Slovic. "I want them to think that I was both a good tennis player and a good guy. Someone who influenced the team as a good guy, that helped others on the team, and was a decent tennis player."

Chu echoes Slovic's sentiment.

"(I want to be remembered as) as a great contributor to the team, leading the team and helping the guys in the doubles and being someone that the coach could always rely on. Just a solid player and winning the matches that needed to be won."

Coach Anger says that the legacy Slovic and Chu leave behind will be that of winners.

"Alex Slovic is a player. He is a winner and a winner for the team. You get to the NCAA tournament and there is a lot of pressure and there he is clinching for us."

"Last year he (Chu) started coming out of his shell," continued Anger. "When he clinched the win for us against Virginia and had a three set win against USC -- 7-6 in the third -- he showed that he plays tough, tough tennis."

Regardless of what legacy Slovic and Chu ultimately leave at the UW, they will always be remembered for the way they influenced the Huskies -- on and off the court. It's pretty remarkable how two guys, with such different backgrounds, will leave with equally important influences on shaping the history of Husky tennis.