Around the World with Women's Tennis: Valeria Nikolaev

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.

The following is a glimpse into Valeria Nikolaev's life in Nesher, Israel.

Last season Nikolaev held an overall 8-11 ledger in singles and 3-5 record in doubles in her debut in Maroon and White.

What is the weather like in Israel?
VN: "It's pretty warm during the day but the evenings are pretty chilly. The weather is similar to Mississippi. It's humid but not as humid as Mississippi."

What language do most people in Israel speak?
VN: "Most of the people in Israel speak Hebrew or Arabic. I think more people speak Hebrew, but Arabic is almost as popular. I speak three languages myself — Russian, English and Hebrew."

What is your favorite Israeli dish to eat?
VN: "I think it would be "Shawarma." Americans eat it too but it is different than the kind in Israel. It's meat inside of pita bread and there's hummus inside. It's really good."
Israel

Describe the transition to life in the United States.
VN: "It was different. I had been traveling to tournaments around the world and speaking English so it made the transition easier. I didn't struggle with it. The vibe and the people are different. In Mississippi and Israel, the people are very friendly and kind. I was in the military in Israel so starting college and having to study after three years of not studying was tough for me. I had to get better studying habits. The coaches, my teammates and everyone is super nice. I knew three girls on the team already before coming to MSU, so that was awesome. Everyone is reaching out to help you all the time."

Describe your family.
VN: "I have one sister who is 15. Both of my parents are dentists. My mom watches every game virtually. I was born in Russia and when I was three, we moved to Israel. My sister is the only one that was born in Israel."

When did you start playing tennis?
VN: "I actually learned by accident. When I was in school, maybe in second grade during gym class, a coach came with tennis rackets and we were doing different drills. Later, he asked for my mom's phone number so I could start playing. I was playing in school and now I'm in college and still playing."

Were you excited when you signed to play tennis in the United States?
VN: "Yeah! I thought it was a very good opportunity to play in the U.S., especially in the SEC, and study at the same time. Studying and playing both work together so that is fun. I think my mom was more excited than me. She was the one who was pushing me to play college tennis."

Where is your favorite place to go in Israel?
VN: "I will say Jerusalem. It's a special city. You can feel really good vibes there because it's the place where all the religions are. It's so important to everyone. It's a holy place and you can feel it when you're there. It's about three hours from where I live, so I try to go as much as I can whenever I'm home."

What differences are there playing tennis in Israel compared to the United States?
VN: "We don't have so many fans that come to our matches in Israel. When I'm playing in the U.S., we actually have fans who support us, and everyone is so invested in the sports. It's great. You can feel the support from everyone at State."

What is your favorite sport in Israel? Who are your favorite athletes?
VN: "My favorite sport in my country is soccer. My favorite athlete is Maria Sharapova. She's my role model. When I'm playing tennis, I try to be like her in some ways. I try to mimic the way she behaves and the way she plays."

What holidays do you celebrate?
VN: "We celebrate many holidays. We celebrate Purim which is like Halloween but a less scary version. We all dress up as whatever we want. During Passover, we're not allowed to eat bread so we eat "Mazah." It's dough, but it's not fully baked. During Hanukkah we eat "Sufganiyah" which is similar to donuts. We also celebrate Shavuot and we're supposed to eat cheese during that."

If you were trying to get someone to move to Israel, how would you convince them?
VN: "I would say that there's great weather. The beaches are so nice. The food is great. The people are really nice and most of the people know English so it would be easy to adapt here. I would just talk about the people, food, beaches and weather."

Describe your experience as a Bulldog so far.
VN: "Our team is very close. We're all really good friends off the court. The coaches are really nice and they help us a lot. Everyone at MSU helps us whenever we're struggling. Even the fans try to be there for us. It's like having a second family, which is really nice when you're so far from home. It makes you feel like you're at home."

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Around the World with Women's Tennis: Valeria Nikolaev

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