Freshman Joe Di Giulio reinforces men’s tennis lineup

He may not get the level of attention that his other teammates do – which is understandable, considering he plays in a lineup that boasts the nation’s No. 1, No. 5 and No. 31 singles players. But it would be a big mistake to use this as an excuse to underestimate Joe Di Giulio.

Grinding away match after match on courts tucked away in the back, the freshman is quietly putting together a solid season, and has developed into a steady anchor at the bottom of the Bruin lineup. His play has been crucial to the team’s ability to maintain a high level of play despite the early-season loss of senior Adrien Puget to a knee injury – providing the Bruins some peace of mind, according to coach Billy Martin.

“The good teams are really those who have the strong No. 5 and 6 players,” Martin said. “No. 6 means just as much as No. 1 in terms of points and contribution to victory. So when you play a team like USC or Cal, in those close matches, the ability to come up at the bottom of the lineup makes you that much more comfortable.”

Perhaps the best example of this was UCLA’s match against No. 4 Georgia on Feb. 2, when, with the overall score tied 3-3, Di Giulio’s match proved decisive. Playing against senior Hernus Pieters, Di Giulio didn’t flinch, steadily dispatching his opponent 2-1 to secure victory for the Bruins.

It’s such performances, as well as his solid play alongside senior Clay Thompson in doubles, that make Di Giulio so valuable to UCLA. Thompson agreed, citing Di Giulio’s improvement as one of the most encouraging factors for the team heading down the season’s homestretch.

“Joe and (fellow freshman Gage Brymer) have done an amazing job, found their strides at various points this season, and I hope that all comes together going forward,” he said.

One of the reasons that Di Giulio has been able to get into such a groove has been the steady changes he has made in his game. When he came into college, the majority of his game was predicated around ground strokes and baseline movement. Over the course of the season, with Martin’s encouragement, Di Giulio has worked to become more aggressive and play more at the net.

“Usually I’d step back on (most) balls, but now I’m coming up and driving (them) more,” Di Giulio said. “Everyone on the college level is a great player, and to beat them you have to go out and hurt your opponents rather than just (sit back and) hope they miss shots.”

It hasn’t been easy, however. After playing – and succeeding – for so long as a consistent baseline player, it was initially difficult for Di Giulio to make the adjustment to this more aggressive style of play. However, he has remained committed to the change – and the success has steadily come with it.

And witnessing the strong role that the rise of Di Giulio has played in the Bruins’ success thus far, it will be a compelling story indeed to see how his solid presence deep in the lineup will help them late in the season.