Around the World with Women's Tennis: Magda Adaloglou
July 13, 2020 | Women's Tennis
by Py'Necious Cowart, Student Assistant/Communications
Seven athletes who call four countries home make up the Mississippi State women's tennis team roster. Their cultures may be vastly different, but they're all united by one common theme; their love for tennis and Mississippi State University.
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The following is a glimpse into junior Magda Adaloglou's life in Veria, Greece.
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Adaloglou has spent the past two seasons in the top three spots in the lineup and owns a 53-41 overall ledger in singles and 45-37 record in doubles. Adaloglou carries a team-leading seven-match win streak into the 2021 season.
What is the weather like in Veria, Greece?
MA: "The weather is pretty warm in the summer and a little cold in the winter. It's usually warm. The climate in Greece is temperate."
Describe the landscape and nature in Greece.
MA: "Greece has a lot of mountains. The nature is beautiful. There are a lot of trees. We also have many islands that we are famous for. Many tourists want to visit Greece because of the islands. That is what makes Greece beautiful. The combination of the mountains, the sea and the beautiful landscape."
What language do most people in Greece speak?
MA: "Greek is the primary language. Greek is my first language, but I also speak English and a little bit of German."
What is your favorite Greek dish to eat?
MA: "My favorite meal is Moussaka. It's a traditional dish in Greece. It is made with potatoes and beef. It can also be made with plantains instead of potatoes. It's really tasty. Many tourists try it when they visit Greece."
What is your favorite dish to eat in Starkville?
MA: "I really like Pita Pita. It's one of my favorites because it's Mediterranean and has veggies and Souvlaki."
Describe the transition to the United States.
MA: "Adapting was pretty easy. I expected more difficulties off the court, unrelated to tennis, but I think I adapted well because of our team culture. With school it was pretty easy because we have a lot of people that help us — advisors, counselors and the coaches. I had a Greek friend who helped me a lot. I really felt like I had a second family in America. The people in the South are friendly, helpful and really good."
Describe your family. Do you have any siblings?
MA: "I have one brother who is a year older than me. He is 23 years old. He's studying electrical engineering and computer science. He's my role model and my favorite person. We have a special unique relationship and are very close. I'm really happy and proud of it. My father is a tennis coach. He introduced me to tennis. He's been my coach since the beginning. He's there for me through everything. Even though I am in a different country and far away, he is there for me. We communicate and he supports me a lot. My mom is my favorite person too. She's really helpful and I couldn't ask for a better mother and family. We're really close to each other."
Where is your favorite place to go in Greece?
MA: "Every summer since I was little, we went to Neo Pori in Pieria, Greece. We have a house in front of the sea. We can see the beach from our balcony, and it's the destination that I go to relax. I've been going there every summer since I was really young, and I have a lot of memories there. All of my childhood friends are from there so that's my favorite place."
What differences are there playing tennis in your country compared to the United States?
MA: "One big difference for me is I have a specific schedule and I can work with it. I have my day organized pretty well. I know that I have class starting at a certain time and then go to practice. Having everything organized is much different than in Greece. That's what makes me a better person and a better player in Starkville. In Greece, we don't have a specific schedule to work with. Another difference is that we have a lot of fans in Starkville. We play for Mississippi State. In the United States, we don't play for ourselves like we do in Greece. I play for something bigger than me, so I think that's a big difference. I play tennis and represent the university and the people that love Mississippi State."
What is your favorite sport in Greece? Who are your favorite athletes?
MA: "My favorite sport besides tennis is swimming. My favorite athlete is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is also Greek. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari are also my favorites. I really love those three, they're legends."
What holidays do you celebrate?
MA: "In Greece, we celebrate New Year's Eve and Easter. Easter is not on a specific day every year, it can be any day. We also celebrate Christmas. The holidays are a time for my family to get together because we're far apart."
If you were trying to get someone to move to Greece, how would you convince them?
MA: "I would definitely talk about the people and our culture. For many years, we've been famous for how we host people. We want them to visit Greece, and we're open to them. We want them to feel good. We're generous. We have really good characteristics. We're not cold or boring, and we want to have fun. I think that's something good about us. I would also talk about the food. The food is really tasty. I would also talk about the island and all the beautiful environments that we have here. I would also talk about our history. We have a lot of history. We have people like Alexander the Great, the Greek hero. We have so many philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates. We have a lot of history. I'm really proud that I'm Greek."
Tell me what it means being a Bulldog? What does Mississippi State mean to you?
MA: "Mississippi State means so much to me for many reasons. I'm really thankful and blessed to be a part of this program and play tennis for my team and this university. I think it's the best decision that I ever made. I'm really happy because I get to live and have this experience. I will be forever thankful for that. I will always remember all the memories I have for years and years. I've met so many people that I call my friends and I've built friendships that I will have for a lifetime. I think it's really important for every person to be a student, whether that's in Greece or at MSU. I think we become more mature through school. You work for yourself, become more responsible and really grow up through being a student. It means so much to me that I was able to go somewhere far from my home and meet all the good people in Mississippi, the fans and the the coaches. I think that's what makes the experience unique, and I'm really proud of it. I'm speechless. I'm really happy."
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Seven athletes who call four countries home make up the Mississippi State women's tennis team roster. Their cultures may be vastly different, but they're all united by one common theme; their love for tennis and Mississippi State University.
Â
The following is a glimpse into junior Magda Adaloglou's life in Veria, Greece.
Â
Adaloglou has spent the past two seasons in the top three spots in the lineup and owns a 53-41 overall ledger in singles and 45-37 record in doubles. Adaloglou carries a team-leading seven-match win streak into the 2021 season.
What is the weather like in Veria, Greece?
MA: "The weather is pretty warm in the summer and a little cold in the winter. It's usually warm. The climate in Greece is temperate."
Describe the landscape and nature in Greece.
MA: "Greece has a lot of mountains. The nature is beautiful. There are a lot of trees. We also have many islands that we are famous for. Many tourists want to visit Greece because of the islands. That is what makes Greece beautiful. The combination of the mountains, the sea and the beautiful landscape."
What language do most people in Greece speak?
MA: "Greek is the primary language. Greek is my first language, but I also speak English and a little bit of German."
What is your favorite Greek dish to eat?
MA: "My favorite meal is Moussaka. It's a traditional dish in Greece. It is made with potatoes and beef. It can also be made with plantains instead of potatoes. It's really tasty. Many tourists try it when they visit Greece."
What is your favorite dish to eat in Starkville?
MA: "I really like Pita Pita. It's one of my favorites because it's Mediterranean and has veggies and Souvlaki."
Describe the transition to the United States.
MA: "Adapting was pretty easy. I expected more difficulties off the court, unrelated to tennis, but I think I adapted well because of our team culture. With school it was pretty easy because we have a lot of people that help us — advisors, counselors and the coaches. I had a Greek friend who helped me a lot. I really felt like I had a second family in America. The people in the South are friendly, helpful and really good."
Describe your family. Do you have any siblings?
MA: "I have one brother who is a year older than me. He is 23 years old. He's studying electrical engineering and computer science. He's my role model and my favorite person. We have a special unique relationship and are very close. I'm really happy and proud of it. My father is a tennis coach. He introduced me to tennis. He's been my coach since the beginning. He's there for me through everything. Even though I am in a different country and far away, he is there for me. We communicate and he supports me a lot. My mom is my favorite person too. She's really helpful and I couldn't ask for a better mother and family. We're really close to each other."
Where is your favorite place to go in Greece?
MA: "Every summer since I was little, we went to Neo Pori in Pieria, Greece. We have a house in front of the sea. We can see the beach from our balcony, and it's the destination that I go to relax. I've been going there every summer since I was really young, and I have a lot of memories there. All of my childhood friends are from there so that's my favorite place."
What differences are there playing tennis in your country compared to the United States?
MA: "One big difference for me is I have a specific schedule and I can work with it. I have my day organized pretty well. I know that I have class starting at a certain time and then go to practice. Having everything organized is much different than in Greece. That's what makes me a better person and a better player in Starkville. In Greece, we don't have a specific schedule to work with. Another difference is that we have a lot of fans in Starkville. We play for Mississippi State. In the United States, we don't play for ourselves like we do in Greece. I play for something bigger than me, so I think that's a big difference. I play tennis and represent the university and the people that love Mississippi State."
What is your favorite sport in Greece? Who are your favorite athletes?
MA: "My favorite sport besides tennis is swimming. My favorite athlete is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is also Greek. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari are also my favorites. I really love those three, they're legends."
What holidays do you celebrate?
MA: "In Greece, we celebrate New Year's Eve and Easter. Easter is not on a specific day every year, it can be any day. We also celebrate Christmas. The holidays are a time for my family to get together because we're far apart."
If you were trying to get someone to move to Greece, how would you convince them?
MA: "I would definitely talk about the people and our culture. For many years, we've been famous for how we host people. We want them to visit Greece, and we're open to them. We want them to feel good. We're generous. We have really good characteristics. We're not cold or boring, and we want to have fun. I think that's something good about us. I would also talk about the food. The food is really tasty. I would also talk about the island and all the beautiful environments that we have here. I would also talk about our history. We have a lot of history. We have people like Alexander the Great, the Greek hero. We have so many philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates. We have a lot of history. I'm really proud that I'm Greek."
Tell me what it means being a Bulldog? What does Mississippi State mean to you?
MA: "Mississippi State means so much to me for many reasons. I'm really thankful and blessed to be a part of this program and play tennis for my team and this university. I think it's the best decision that I ever made. I'm really happy because I get to live and have this experience. I will be forever thankful for that. I will always remember all the memories I have for years and years. I've met so many people that I call my friends and I've built friendships that I will have for a lifetime. I think it's really important for every person to be a student, whether that's in Greece or at MSU. I think we become more mature through school. You work for yourself, become more responsible and really grow up through being a student. It means so much to me that I was able to go somewhere far from my home and meet all the good people in Mississippi, the fans and the the coaches. I think that's what makes the experience unique, and I'm really proud of it. I'm speechless. I'm really happy."
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