Tom Berry, a 6’2” native of Toulouse, France, arrived at NKU to live out his tennis aspirations. As a junior international business major and entrepreneurship minor, he has tackled a new culture and language. Meet Tom Berry, one of NKU men’s tennis’ future leaders.
Q. What brought you to Northern Kentucky University?
A. “I have been at NKU since my freshman year. What brought me here is my tennis and the desire to discover something new. I am from France, and I wanted to learn about a new culture and have the opportunity to meet new people,” Berry said.
Q.Going back to France, tell me more. Where were you born and raised? Tell me about your family.
A.“I was born and raised in Toulouse with my parents Antoine and Philomène. I have one brother called François who is twelve and a sister Chloé who is nine.
Toulouse is in the southwest of France and is a very young city with lots of students. It’s a very cool place to live, a big rugby city with lots of sports bars and a great atmosphere,” Berry said.
Q.How did you find your love for tennis?
A.“When I was younger, I was involved in so many sports–soccer, judo, tennis–and I also played music. At the age of seven, I had to choose my favorite and I went with tennis as my main sport. I had a cool group of people that I played tennis with, which is why I think I chose it over soccer,” Berry said.
Q. February is Black History Month. Have you noticed a difference in your experiences between France and the U.S.?
A.“I would say that the U.S. has a stronger sense of black culture, and in France, I never saw myself differently than others. I was raised with a diverse group of friends, and we don’t really celebrate anything like Black History Month. When I came here, I noticed a difference with the culture, but I think it’s important that they celebrate the history that they have,” Berry said.
Trevor Ball, a senior global supply chain management major and captain of the NKU men’s tennis team, is Berry’s doubles partner and close friend. Ball is also a member of the Pi Pi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., an African American fraternity on campus.
Q.What is your favorite memory with Berry?
A.“It would have to be when I visited him in Toulouse, in France. It was my first time ever in Europe, and it was amazing. We were able to go to his grandparent’s farmhouse just outside Toulouse and explore the city. The baguettes were unreal,” Ball said.
Q.Tom is your doubles partner, talk me through what it is like to play with him.
A.“It’s great. We have different styles, so sometimes we butt heads, but we make it work and always have a lot of fun. His backhand down the line is his go to signature shot. You can ask anyone on the team, and they’ll mention his backhand. If it’s sitting up right, you know exactly where he is going,” Ball said.
Growing up in France, Berry had his fair share of tennis role models to look up to.
Q.Who is your favorite tennis player?
A.“My favorite player has always been Nadal, but my friends and coach always gave me the name “Tsonga.” This is after my favorite French tennis player, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. I like to support the French tennis players like Gaël Monfils, Richard Gasquet, Arthur Fils,” Berry said.
Q.Describe your tennis style.
A.“Tennis is all about confidence, it depends how I am feeling and who I am playing. I love both defense and offense, I would describe myself as an all-around player who can adapt well,” Berry said. “My favorite shot to hit is the backhand down the line. Whenever I make it, I am yelling, ‘Backhand down the line!’”
Q.What are you currently working on improving?
A.“I would say my mental game, it’s the aspect that needs to be constantly worked on. With tennis I think it’s 50-50 between mental and physical skills. In terms of physical skills, I want to improve my technique with my volleying,” Berry said.
Q.NKU was polled second this season for the Horizon League. What are your goals personally and for the team?
A.“Personally, I would like to have fun with the guys and not put too much pressure on myself. I am someone that sometimes struggles with putting too much pressure on myself, so I just want to enjoy and smile on the court so I can play as well as possible. Not everyone gets the opportunity to play Division I tennis, so I need to remind myself of that,” Berry said. “In terms of the team, I would say we have a very experienced team with three seniors and no freshmen. I think we have a chance to go for the title, we have the team, and we will give it our best.”
Alyssa Cameron is a sophomore exercise science major on the women’s tennis team. Cameron, a native of Sydney, Australia, transferred to NKU from the University of Charleston, West Virginia.
Q.What were your first impressions of Tom?
A.“The first time I met Tom was at a morning team practice, he came right over to introduce himself and give me a hug. My first impression was that he was awesome, super supportive and he’s obsessed with Australia so asked me a lot of questions about that,” Cameron said.
Q.What is the international community like within the tennis teams?
A.“As internationals we just get each other. We don’t have cars, we are far from home and don’t see our families every other weekend. We always try and do something together,” Cameron said.
Berry plans to graduate in the spring of 2025, and with time ticking by quickly he is starting to think about his future.
Q.What are your plans once you graduate?
A.“I need to think about it as I have a lot of options. There is the possibility of going back to France to do an M.B.A. or I could also stay in the United States for either a job or an M.B.A.,” Berry said.
Q.Will tennis still be a part of your post-graduate life?
A.“Yes absolutely, but I’ve also been thinking about adding another sport. I have only played tennis for years, so I would like to learn how to surf. It’s totally different, and I am someone that likes to try different skills,” Berry said.