Northwestern University Athletics
Get to Know Mihir Kumar
2/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Northwestern men's tennis is introducing a new weekly series called Get-to-Know-You! Today's feature is all about junior Mihir Kumar.
Hailing from Carmel, Ind., Mihir is currently 6-8 in singles overall and 5-5 in dual match competition. Presently on a doubles winning streak, he has achieved six straight victories with partner Alp Horoz. The pair boasts a 7-1 season record.
Describe briefly your recruiting process/how you ended playing here at Northwestern:
I ended up at Northwestern because of Coach Arvid Swan. He really impressed me with his dedication to winning and his work ethic. I knew I wanted a great education and was looking at a lot of the top academic schools in the country. In the end, the lure of the Big Ten won me over. I am from Indiana, so I love Big ten sports.
What advice will you give to kids wanting to play your sport in college?
I would say the best advice is to work hard, but also be smart about what you do. Focus on getting better and not just winning, and make sure you are a coachable and open kid. Don't have an ego.
What is the greatest lesson in life that you've learned so far?
Tough question, I can't really think of one lesson that has overpowered every other lesson I have learned. I would say something I try to do and try to embrace is to stay hungry and stay humble, and always try to outwork my competition.
Describe a humbling experience in your life.
A humbling experience in my life was when I was injured the spring of my junior year, which caused me to have up and down results over the summer that is the big recruiting summer for tennis. I knew I was better than how I was performing, I just couldn't because of my injury. However it helped me in the long run because Arvid gave me a chance, and I have used that as motivation.
What do you consider your greatest achievement so far?
That is tough as well. Any match I feel like I play well and win is a pretty good moment for me. I guess attending Northwestern and helping the team every year is a great achievement for me.
Favorite class at Northwestern and why:
My freshman seminar fall quarter was saber metrics, which I love because I love stats and sports. Everyone in the class liked sports and was very smart, so we had great discussions about everything from WAR to 2nd serve points won percentage.
What's your dream job?
I have a few dream jobs. One is to be the host of a comedic talk show because I would get to meet so many amazing people and entertain. I also want to be a studio executive, or anything like that because of Entourage. I also want to be AD at Northwestern, which is something a lot of people probably say. But it would be amazing to lead the school I love and help it achieve new heights in athletics.
The person/s that inspire/s you the most:
I am very inspired by my junior coach at home because of the success he has attained without having much of a means to achieve it. He has had a lot of things go against him, and has still produced single-handedly - without a facility and with barely any money - some of the best juniors in the country, and even the world. Something that motivates me to be successful later in life is thinking about him and wanting so badly to give him all the resources every other coach in the country has so he can basically take over the tennis world.
If you were given a chance to dine with anyone from any period in history, who will you choose and why?
I would choose George Washington or someone from the revolutionary time. They started this great country so they obviously knew what they were doing.
Who/what did you pretend to be when playing as a kid/growing up?
I used to pretend to be Kobe and Reggie Miller because I loved shooting around on my driveway. I would pretend to shoot like them and do all their rituals and copy their free throws.
What is/are your favorite song/s or best concert ever attended?
My favorite song changes pretty often, but Lollapalooza was incredible last year. Also I love Dave Matthews and he tours in Indy every summer so I have been to a few and he kills it every time.
Best book you have ever read?
The Westing Game was a classic. Also Harry Potter 7 of course. I used to read a lot.
What is/are your favorite place/s to visit?
I really only visit home now, so that is always fun to go back to Carmel from the craziness of Chicago. Also I love New York City, we go for the U.S. Open almost every year.
What is/are your favorite food/s?
Pizza is my favorite food for sure. Also I love a peppery croutony not too much dressingy Caesar salad.
Hobbies or favorite activities during your spare time:
I read a lot of stuff online, and listen to music.
Describe your pregame ritual:
Pretty standard, we hit once as a team, then I will shower and eat one and a half egg and cheese sandwiches on an everything bagel. I drink water and then lace my shoes up and get ready to go.
What talent/s do you have that you would like to showcase in a talent show?
I think I am a decent singer, and when I sing a lot I start to sound pretty good. I would like to sing for people, as long as I actually sound good of course.
How do you want people to remember you as a person?
I want people to remember me as a competitive and hard-working person who did well. I don't really think about legacy too much in college.
What is/are your favorite sports team/s growing up?
Colts and Pacers.
Who is/are your favorite athlete/s growing up?
Reggie Miller and Peyton Manning. I went to Reggie's last game and cried the whole time.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, subscribe to the NU Sports Express e-newsletter and sign up to receive promotional text alerts for the latest news, schedule updates and video and to interact with NU. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!
Players Mentioned
