Christian finds Creighton a fit

J.T. Christian needed a pick-me-up.

Christian, a 2008 graduate of Olathe Northwest High School who won the Kansas 6A boys tennis state crown as a sophomore, had a rough first year in college tennis at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

He had a combined record of 21-8 in singles and doubles, including a doubles title in Flight A at the Missouri Fall Invitational in Columbia.

But he wasn’t happy.

“The school was fantastic, and the program was great, but the coaching philosophy didn’t fit my game very well,” Christian said. “My game just didn’t fit very well into their system.”

In his high school career, Christian, who also placed third in 6A as a junior, had established himself as one of the top talents in the Midwest. He had a 75-11 record in singles at Olathe Northwest.

At Marquette, however, he felt lost in the shuffle.

An injury cut short his fall season, and Christian struggled to crack the lineup during the spring. Frustration set in.

Thus, Christian decided to transfer to Creighton University in Omaha.

“They need some help,” he explained. “They haven’t been very good for a few years, so it’s a huge opportunity. I will play very high in the lineup, so I’ll be playing against some of the best players in the nation.”

Immediately after the spring tennis season ended, Christian needed a confidence boost, and he got it at the KC Open. The hosts were the United States Tennis Association Heart of America division and tennisset.com.

Christian won the men’s singles June 14 at the Overland Park Racquet Club.

He cruised through the first two rounds before toppling Giovanni Auricchio, a Brazilian who plays at Northwest Missouri State, in the semifinals. He capped his championship run with a 6-4, 7-6 victory over Grant Fleming, who is bound for Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif.

“That was a really good win,” Christian said. “I hadn’t beat him in a while.”

Now, he’s ready for the next chapter of his tennis career at Creighton where he says he will feel needed and wanted.

“That’s absolutely the center stone for me, because if you feel wanted and needed, you’re going to play better,” Christian said. “I’m not going to be able to relax too much, but I won’t have to worry about if I’m going to play tomorrow.”