Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Junior Player Spotlight: Zain Ali … A Family Affair

Eighteen-year-old Zain Ali is an incredible tennis player, and if you saw him at work, you’d remember his game for a long time. But if you take the time to sit down and speak with him and his father, you’ll remember more than just his tennis game. Zain and his father, Afzal Ali, are an example of what it takes to produce a champion and having the chance to speak with them both revealed the secrets to Zain’s success.

Getting to know him
Zain is a senior at Half Hollow Hills East High School. He has played number one singles for his school team since the eighth grade and has been All-State since the eighth grade as well. He has won an L1 tournament in every age group, and 2013 saw him become Suffolk County Champion and he took third place in the state tournament. Watching him play is inspirational. A rare breed of young tennis player, Zain enjoys being aggressive, not just from the baseline, but also on the approach and at the net, where he plays his best. He’s always looking for opportunities to go forward. Zain displays no signs of flash or bravado, and lets his skills do the talking.

Zain is not just about tennis though. His successful mindset is also reflected in his schooling as a straight-A student. Zain, like most teenagers, enjoys spending time with his friends and playing video games. XBOX is his console of choice, along with long bouts of NBA 2K. His love of basketball comes through if you talk to him long enough as the New York Knicks as his favorite NBA squad.

A family affair
When you step onto the court with Zain, you’re stepping on not just with him, but with his entire family. 

Zain comes from a tennis family. His brother plays tennis, his father plays tennis, his uncle plays tennis … his cousin plays tennis. That’s not unique in itself, but it is when they’re famous for it. The Ali Family’s roots are in India where they are known for tennis. His uncle Akhtar was a member of the Indian team that went to the Davis Cup finals in 1967 and he went on to coach the Indian Davis Cup team later in his life. His cousin, Zeeshan Ali, is the current Davis Cup coach, keeping the position in the family. His father, Afzal, has been playing tennis for more than 50 years and has coached in Belgium, Holland, Czechoslovakia, at the Port Washington Tennis Academy, and now, at Deer Park Tennis and Fitness where he serves as director of junior tennis and head pro. With such a strong tennis pedigree, it’s no wonder Zain is so good.

Making a champion
It’s not always easy being coached by your father. I have, in my life, been privy to several father-child coaching relationships that have gone sour, draining the joy of the game from the youth and failing to produce success. So what makes Zain and his father the exceptions to the rule?

It would seem difficult not to push your child into tennis when the family has such a strong history of it, but that’s exactly what Afzal did. Zain remembers playing tennis as young as four-years-old, but at first, it was just for fun. He was never pressured to play and technique or mechanics were never really the focus. Because he was having fun, he developed a deeper interest and desire to play competitively in a natural way.

When Zain did decide to become more competitive and invest his time deeper into improving, his dad was there to help him. His father keeps an open mind and is always supportive of his son. There is a level of trust that allows Zain to ask his father anything and they work through issues together as a team. In the end, it’s a perfect union as Zain loves to play and Afzal loves to teach. Zain says he would never want another coach but his father. He attributes all of his success to their combined efforts.

Getting Zain to the top means doing more than just playing tennis. He works with a fitness trainer a couple of times a week. They’ll work in the gym to get Zain stronger and work on the court to increase his agility. Zain also makes sure to eat well, although he doesn’t have a specific diet.

What’s next?
After graduation, Zain plans on attending Tufts University where he will also play on the tennis team. Although he doesn’t know what he’ll end up majoring in, he’s starting out with the intention of pursuing engineering.

Prom is also on the champion’s mind. Between drills, you’ll hear Zain talk about his plans to ask a girl out to prom. Tradition dictates that he do something special, he just doesn’t know what yet. A large teddy bear and a trip to MSG to watch the Knicks are under consideration.

Lessons
Zain Ali is a great individual and a great tennis player. Champions are hard to create, and a balance of variables has to be struck in order to produce results. The Ali Family and its strong tennis-rooted lineage certainly has a knack for finding the right formula.