Many kids play a sport when they are young, but not many can say that at the age of nine they were already ranked in the top 50 in their state for that sport. One person who is able to say that is University of Alabama men’s tennis player Harris Barnard.
Barnard credits his family for getting him interested in tennis as a young boy. He competed in USTA Junior tennis since the age of nine, and at 16 he was ranked No. 1 in the state of Alabama. In 2009, he won the 6A high school state title in the No. 1 position.
Before deciding to attend Alabama, Barnard said the only schools he had considered were LSU and Samford. Since joining the Tide, Barnard has had an overall successful career so far. He won his only singles match of the spring over Eastern Kentucky at the No. 6 position, 5-7, 6-0, 6-3. He went on to win four singles matches in the fall, three of which were in the Crimson Tide Fall Championships.
Barnard did not compete during his sophomore year but managed to be named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Barnard has not been able to see much playing time this year, but that does not mean he has not seen success. Barnard had a great performance at the Crimson Tide Fall Championships this year here at home.
He and freshman Stuart Kenyon defeated Samford’s doubles team of senior Joe Hunsicker and sophomore Garrison Laduca, 8-6. The duo then followed up that win with an 8-1 win over Boston College’s pair of senior Rob Ankner and freshman Joe Davison. Barnard would add a singles victory against Middle Tennessee State’s Marlon Brand 6-3, 6-1.
When looking back at his entire tennis career, he believes his biggest highlight would be a tie between winning state in high school for both doubles and singles and his first collegiate match. Barnard said that if he did not play tennis he would play baseball.
“It was a big step from high school,” Barnard said. “I was pretty good at it. I played it up until I stopped in 9th grade.”
Barnard and the men’s tennis team finished fall play this week and will resume competition after the New Year. The men’s team will then compete in the Central Florida Invitational from Jan. 6-8 in Orlando, Fla.
