MELBOURNE, Fla. — Holy Trinity's Fred Tu accomplished a lot last year with a deep run at a state title. But the senior wants to continue making history for the Tigers before he graduates.

What You Need To Know

  • Holy Trinity's Fred Tu is working to try to win a state tennis championship before he graduates

  • The senior's first loss of the season last year came in the state tournament, and he is using that as motivation

  • After he graduates from Holy Trinity, Tu will head to Embry-Riddle to study and to play tennis

"I love the fact it’s an individual sport unless you are playing doubles," said Tu, who has been training on the courts since he was 8 years old. "If you win or lose, you have to blame yourself for losses, and you can celebrate yourself in a win."

Tu did a lot of celebrating in his junior year. He went undefeated during the regular season, which included a district championship. His first loss of the season didn’t happen until the state tournament, which he is using as motivation for this season.

"Definitely made me hungry for more because I was pretty close to winning it," he said.

Whether it's winning states for himself or a team championship, he is looking to make history in his final year at Holy Trinity.

"It would mean a lot. It would be the first state championship we ever got here," Tu said. "It would be like the perfect way to finish my high school career."

But Tu won’t be finished competing on the tennis courts after graduating from Holy Trinity. He will continue playing tennis about an hour north on Interstate 95 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach.

"The team is pretty strong, and I feel like it was a good match for me," he said. "I also felt like I can make an impact on the team in my freshman year, but also the academic side. I have always been really passionate about aviation. So that is the perfect school, trying and become a pilot."

Tu said choosing Embry-Riddle was an easy decision.

"The coach there really made it work for me, and I get to stay in Florida and I get to study what I want and I get to keep playing tennis at a level that I like," Tu said.

He said he hopes to pursue tennis at the professional level after college, but he is preparing a career off the courts.

"I mean, if I have the opportunity to keep competing, I definitely would, but career-wise, I’m looking to become a pilot after college," he said.

The Florida High School Athletics Association's state championship will be held April 28-30 at various locations in Seminole County.