No, this is not an ad for Chik-fil-A.
It’s a grueling Friday for players at ITA All Americans. Competitors are two wins away from reaching the semifinals, but must first endure two matches in the span of a few hours. It’s especially tough if you have to play a three setter.
No. 3 newcomer Mimi Xu did just that en route to the semifinals, where she took down No. 39 Nao Nishino 6-1, 7-5, looking as fresh as ever. That may have been (in part) due to an American staple — the Chik-Fil-A chicken sandwich.
“I went to Chik-fil-A last night,” Xu said. “I needed something that was high calorie [after two matches].
“It was my first proper Chik-fil-A experience, and it was really good… It was just the classic chicken sandwich with waffle fries. I got a small milkshake, it was so good. I also tried the chicken and waffles, and that was really good.”
Xu recently got to campus at Duke for the start of the semester last month. The Wales native has gotten her first taste of an American fast food staple, and also has gotten her first taste of college tennis. Neither have disappointed.
She has blown past the competition in her first five college tennis matches with wins versus No. 30 Gabia Paskauskas (Florida), No. 2 Carmen Herea (Texas), former No. 1 Nicole Khirin (UNC), No. 12 Amelie Van Impe (SMU), and now No. 39 Nishino.
She will face Perry some time tomorrow at Cary Tennis Park for the title.
