Singles/Doubles
By Kyle Jorrey
Sports Editor
When you’re one of only two upperclassmen on a team full of freshman, you have lots of responsibilities. Just ask Pepperdine junior Diego Acuna.
In addition to providing leadership and experience at practice and in competitions, Acuna likes to lead off the court as well. If you ask his coach and his doubles partner, he’s what you might call the team’s activities planner.
“He’s always trying to set things up for us to do together as a team,” Coach Adam Steinberg said. “He really wants this team to be close, he really wants it to be a family.”
Acuna came to Pepperdine in January 2001 from Lima, Peru. His father, Alfredo Acuna, was a tennis pro and a one-time captain of the Peruvian Davis Cup team. For this reason, Acuna, who was his country’s top-ranked player in high school, has been holding a racket ever since he can remember learning to walk.
“I’ve been surrounded by tennis ever since day one,” Acuna said.
Last year, the junior finished 17-4 in dual match singles, playing primarily at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions in the line-up. This year, after a busy and successful off-season he’s playing No. 1, and proving worthy of the placement.
“I think he’s our most improved player this year,” Steinberg said. “He’s tremendous. I haven’t coached guys with much more talent, and he’s worked so hard this year, really making a commitment to his tennis game.”
Diego, who is currently ranked No. 80 in the nation, hopes to finish in the top 10, contending for both the individual and doubles’ title. With a year still left, his coach think the only direction for Acuna to head is up.
“He’s really becoming a big time player,” Steinberg said. “He had a great fall, the best on the team, and he hasn’t stopped at all. He just keeps going.”
When he’s not escorting the team out to a “night on the town,” or having lunch with one of the newcomers, Acuna likes to surf and, as a South American native, play soccer. He’s also an avid Laker fan, though he, like so many others, has yet to obtain tickets.
“I’ve been trying to get some for the team, but it’s been really difficult,” Acuna said.
A self-proclaimed lover of American films, Acuna said he’s goes to the movies whenever possible and his favorite flick of all time is “Forrest Gump.”
Maybe that explains the haircut.
January 23, 2003