RAUL GARCIA
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
KSU Men's Tennis
Sport Management Major

KENNESAW, Ga - Sophomore Raul Garcia's outstanding performance on the tennis court has generated a spotlight for Kennesaw State's men's tennis program.  The Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia native ranked No. 1 in the under 16 and 18 divisions in Bolivia before moving on to KSU, where he received ASUN All-Freshman and Second Team All-ASUN honors in the 2020-21 season. His passion for tennis started at a young age and has driven him to put in the work to be the best on the court. Garcia recently shared with us his upbringing in tennis and his goals while playing for KSU.  

KSUOWLS.com: How long have you played tennis, and what made you want to first start playing? 

Raul Garcia: I have been playing tennis since I was 6 years old because my grandfather was a coach. He got me into playing tennis, so everything started because of him.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: Before coming to Kennesaw State, you ranked no. 1 in Bolivia in the under 16 and 18 division. What kind of work did it take to get to that position?  

Raul Garcia: It was a lot of work to get me there. I practiced hard to get there. The key for me was to just go hard, practice hard every day, and the results will come. 
 

KSUOWLS.com: How did your hard work impact your chances of playing in college? 

Raul Garcia: I had the opportunity to go pro, but I got some good advice to come here. So, I came to KSU because there is a good level of tennis in college. I wanted to experience that and take the next step.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: How did you feel about coming to the United States, and why did you choose KSU? 

Raul Garcia: The hardest part is being away from my family. But I really like the United States. I have good friends here and I think it has been really good for me. I came to KSU because Coach Matt gave me good advice and talked well about the team. He talked to me about his goals and his plans for me. We have a good team, and I took that and went with it. I like to have a goal and my goal was to win the conference tournament for KSU and make school history.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: How have you seen yourself grow as a player and as a person in the last two years that you have been at KSU? 

Raul Garcia: I see myself way differently. I think I have grown up a lot since I came to KSU. I have matured on the court. I think that I am better now, and I feel way stronger physically and mentally.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: Using only two words, describe your team. 

Raul Garcia: Funny and diverse.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: What is your favorite thing about being a part of the KSU tennis team? 

Raul Garcia: My favorite thing about the team is the way that we are and how much we prove as a team. When we go to practice, we all have a really good connection. We are all together and we all have the same goal.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: If you could have any job, what would it be? 

Raul Garcia: If I could have any job in the world, I would be a tennis coach.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: What is the coolest thing that you have done or seen while in the states? 

Raul Garcia: The coolest thing that I have seen was Federer and Nadal play in the 2017 tennis finals in Miami at the Miami Open.  
 

KSUOWLS.com: Where is one place in the United States that you have on your bucket list of places to visit? 

Raul Garcia: I would like to visit New York. 
 

The Owls set the school record for most wins in the season (15) and finished the historical season with the ASUN regular season title.