University of Georgia Athletics
A Quick Chat With ... Ellen Perez
March 23, 2017 | Women's Tennis
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
Australia is among the most sports-obsessed countries on the planet and Georgia women's tennis junior Ellen Perez is no different. Before focusing on tennis, she played a wide variety of sports — and still wishes she could give the Georgia soccer team a shot.
The reigning SEC Player of the Week, from Shellharbour, Australia, Perez has played in the past two Australian Opens. She sat down for a quick chat this week to discuss sports, coach Jeff Wallace, two very Australian food items (Vegemite and Tim Tams) and much, much more. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: If you weren't halfway around the world playing tennis for Georgia right now, where would you be and what would you be doing?
Perez: Well my goal has always been to be a professional tennis player, so I'd still be based back in Australia, I assume, with Tennis Australia, training there and probably traveling the world. I was doing a bit of that before coming to school and then obviously made the commitment to come here.
Frierson: What's the best live event you've ever seen? It can be a concert, a sporting event or whatever.
Perez: I always love going to the Grand Slams and seeing those tennis matches. Also, me and [Stephanie Grodecki] went to see The Chainsmokers and that was an unreal concert.
I've also gone to the Tour de France — I was in France, in Chamonix, in the French Alps, and I saw the the last [regular] stage of the Tour de France, and also went to heart of Paris the next day and was there for the finale. That was pretty cool, the way those guys finish those stages, I don't know how they do it.
Frierson: Can you explain the popularity in Australia of Vegemite to me? You probably get asked that a lot, I'd guess. You probably get asked about Tim Tams, as well.
Perez: The team loves Tim Tams. They've got so many different flavors now, I get surprised whenever I go home and there's a new flavor out, which is cool.
Vegemite, I'm not a huge fan of it; I have had it, but you've got to have the right amount of spread on. If you put too much, it's terrible; too little, it's not great. I can't really explain it, it's really salty. Australians love it, but no one else does.
Frierson: I know I've tried it, maybe after my parents went to Australia years ago, and I remember being horrified.
Perez: Everyone tries it with a spoon and you can't do that. It's disgusting like that. You've got to put it with bread, butter and just a light spread of it.
Frierson: What's something from your childhood that you really miss?
Perez: I actually miss playing a lot of sports. Growing up I used to get involved in everything; I used to play cricket, basketball, soccer, I used to run track, oztag, which is like Australian football with tags on the sides [like American flag football].
I used to play everything and I loved being able to do that. I wish I could play on the soccer team here, honestly, but the coaches probably would never let me.
Frierson: Speaking of coaches, if you could spend an afternoon with Coach Wallace doing anything, what would it be?
Perez: Jeff's got a lot of wise words. He's brought up Jarryd who's an amazing kid and honestly, just spending the day getting to know Jeff a little better. We know him great around the complex and I think even off the court we know him great; I think just being around him he could make you a better person, so just bonding a little more.
Frierson: Obviously you were aware of American football before you got here, but what was your first Georgia game experience like?
Perez: I can't remember what the first one was, but I've been to almost every game. Our team loves football and I can't not go because they all go and I have a fear of missing out. I love it and I know quite a lot of the guys on the team now, so I also go to watch them play.
The atmosphere is always amazing and just being one of the fans and cheering is nice. As for the rules, I don't think I follow it as well. I don't know half of what's going on, but it's nice to just cheer on Georgia in anything.
Frierson: What's the most creative thing you do? Or what's something creative you wish you could do?
Perez: I really wish I was good at art and I really wish I was good at singing. Definitely didn't get those talents, that's for sure. I really don't do anything creative, but I love technology and I'm really big with Apple and computers and that type of stuff.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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