On tap with ... Peter Capkovic

Q: What was your welcome-to-college moment?

A: In [Freshman Scholars Institute] our history professor told us to read a book for precept the next day. My natural reaction was to ask him which chapter he had in mind, to which he responded, “The whole thing.”

Q: What has been the greatest highlight in your sports career?

A: There were a couple memorable moments, but winning a bronze medal in singles at the European junior championships was very special for me.

Q: What’s your funniest story about a coach?

A: There are too many to name, but the majority of them involve me or one of my teammates saying or doing something which is not publishable anyway.

Q: Quirkiest teammate? Why?

A: It must be [junior] Charlie Brosens. That kid is from a different galaxy or something. He smiles all the time, is always happy and has these phases which are just ridiculous. Sometimes he decides that he wants to run a lot and then runs every evening until he throws up, other times he eats nothing but desserts for all his meals, including breakfast.

Q: What has been your most embarrassing moment with the team?

A: Probably when I told the guys on the team that I won a bronze in the Slovak under-14 basketball championships. Then I proceeded to throw the ball at the basket and completely missed everything (in my teammates’ version of the story, I threw the basketball out of a window in Dillon). The team always gets a good laugh from my non-existent basketball skills. In my defense, I haven’t played basketball since I was 14.

Q: What’s the best part about being an athlete on campus?

A: Having a team that has your back all the time and teammates that are your best friends.

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Q: What’s the worst or hardest part about being a varsity athlete at Princeton?

A: The hostility from some professors when they hear that you have to miss their lectures, precepts or seminars for an athletic event. Luckily, the majority of professors are not like that.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do when not practicing?

A: Hanging out with my team, my roommates and chilling with “the Dudes” in Cap & Gown.

Q: If not tennis, what other sport would you be most likely to play at Princeton?

A: It must be squash. I have some good friends on the team, and they all seem like a bunch of nice guys. It also helps that I am sick at it.

Q: If you were a coach for a day, you would…?

A: Organize a soccer or frisbee game as a workout. I love competing in anything, and I hate working out on my own in a gym.

Q: Favorite class taken at Princeton? Why?

A: Probably one of the finance classes I am taking this semester. I love finance and thinking about markets, especially in the current environment, and our finance department has some baller professors. They are a big deal in the field and are experts on the crisis environment like we have right now.

Q: Who gets the most guys/girls on the team? Who has the most game off the field?

A: I am not going to tell you who gets the most because I don’t want to ruin anyone’s reputation. But I can tell you that no girl’s eye stays dry when they see KY’s — [senior] Alex Kruger-Wyman’s — underwear model’s physique.

Q: Do you have a regular pre-game ritual?

A: Nothing unusual in singles, but in doubles I always tap my partner’s — [senior] Alex Vuckovic’s — ass just before coming to play the first point of the match. It seems to be working pretty well.

Q: Most embarrassing song on your iPod?

A: O-Zone’s “Dragostea Din Tei.” It is a terrible song. But for some reason, people like to listen to it, and I don’t have the heart to delete it because I danced to it way too many times in the past.