Some athletes travel across hundreds of miles or a couple of states for an opportunity to play at the collegiate level, but one Penn tennis player has moved across an ocean.
For junior tennis player Matthew Rutter, the transition from the courts of the United Kingdom to collegiate tennis in the United States has been nothing but transformative for him both on and off the court. From adapting to American traditions to balancing Ivy League academics and sports, Rutter has flourished in America’s courts, chasing his tennis dreams far away from what he calls home.
His road to NCAA Division I athletics started at an early age.
At three years old, Rutter started to play tennis and most enjoyed the active lifestyle and the independence of “figuring things out on the court" of playing tennis. Rutter wasn't only drawn to the yellow ball though. Rutter found steady success in both soccer and tennis — eventually choosing to solely pursue tennis at 13 years old after gaining more confidence in the sport. He still believes his early childhood of playing soccer has helped him now, especially with ball perception and coordination.
When asked if he could still dominate the sport of soccer, Rutter laughed.
“Dominate? I'm not 100% sure, but considering it's a sport that I've played for a long time," Rutter said, "Like if you gave me some football boots and a football, I felt like I'd do pretty well.”
Growing up, Rutter has drawn from various inspirations like Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, and Jonny Wilkinson to help him both on and off the court. Rutter cited Murray’s determination even after countless failures, Nadal’s consistent intensity every moment on the court and in practices, and Wilkinson's extra dedication to the sport qualities he sought to incorporate in himself.
“That sheer level of discipline, to me, was just outstanding," Rutter said, "That sort of dedication, commitment is second to none. That to me is something I try to embody. To try and make me a better person on an optical.”
Rutter began to consider collegiate tennis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Driven by his academic aspirations, Rutter chose Penn in hopes of embracing both his academic and athletic potential.
“I've always been an academic person, so I was very much more inclined to go to an academic university. I knew I was going to a place, going to a program, able to attract the type of people, which are, you know, have a great work ethic, very driven, very disciplined," Rutter said, "I want[ed] to be going to a program that's going to be successful and … gonna make me be inspired to be better a person.”
One class that has resonated with Rutter is a sports law decision processes class because it explained the rationality behind a lot of the business-focused decisions in sports, which “gave [him] a little sense.”
Having adjust from living in the U.K. to living in Philadelphia, Rutter notes that there are several differences between his hometown to his current home, but he has grown to embrace it.
On the courts, Rutter reports a noticeable difference in the energy on the American tennis courts compared to U.K.'s.
“[The U.K.'s] spirits being slightly quieter,” Rutter said with a laugh, "[American college is a] pretty, pretty, rowdy game.”
Rutter has come to enjoy the high energy and proud interactions in games — embracing this new level of liveliness.
“Having those moments of big energy and proud interactions, and firing everyone up is something which I love,” Rutter said.
Last spring, Rutter recorded a team-high 18 singles wins and nabbed 13 nonconference singles wins.
Beyond the court, Rutter has found himself missing the familiar comforts of home. One of Rutter's beloved British meals that he hopes to see at Penn is the Sunday roast. He often remembers his sister and parents having a delectable Sunday roast on a Thursday, which he thinks would be a “nice taste of home” if brought to Penn.
With a five-hour time difference and roughly 3,402 miles from his home, he says the independence at first was “not easy.” Most of his friends are still in his hometown and knowing his parents are an international flight away is not the most comforting feeling, but he feels that it is part of his growth as a person.
“I miss them a lot, but you know, if that’s the case, give them a text, give them a phone call, check everything’s okay.” Rutter said.
Through every challenge he has had adjusting to a new life in a college across the world, Rutter’s mindset has helped him navigate through most.
“Honestly, just keep trying to do your best, like you’re going to make mistakes, own it, and then learn from them," Rutter said, "I was 18 when I came in … I’m 21 now, and you’re going to make mistakes. It’s part of your life. But, you know, [you] own it. You learn from it and move on.”
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