Tishler leads Rebels into NCAA tennis regional

Tim Graham

Thursday, May 14, 1998 | 9:38 a.m.

Asaf Tishler plays tennis as if he knows something his opponents don't.

Usually, he does.

UNLV's No. 1 men's player has experienced so much more than the average college student, but that's not because he's older than most of his classmates.

"I'm 24," Tishler said. "That's pretty old for a junior."

The Tel Aviv native didn't start college until he was 21 because of three years of mandatory service in the Israeli Army.

He since has traded in his M-16 and now fires volleys only with his racket.

Tishler, ranked first in the region and 41st in the nation, will lead the Rebel tennis team into the NCAA Regional today. The tournament also features No. 9 Pepperdine, No. 16 Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State and New Mexico. It runs through Sunday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex on the UNLV campus.

The women's NCAA Regional starts Friday at Fertitta. UNLV's women will compete against No. 12 Pepperdine, No. 21 Southern Cal, San Diego, Fresno State, Washington and Washington State.

Tishler, UNLV's only returning starter from last year, already has locked up a spot in the NCAA singles tournament, which runs May 27-31 in Athens, Ga.

During his army days, Tishler didn't see combat. He worked in intelligence, a sensitive area he speaks of cryptically. He does admit, however, that his military service was a major impact on his life, both on and off the court.

"You can feel the pressure in the army," Tishler said. "You have to feel more responsible. You have to think twice before you do things.

"Being a soldier, that's a pretty tough thing to do. You just finish your finals in high school, and then you're putting on a uniform and they give you a gun. It's a sharp (change)."

Tishler plays tennis as if he's a soldier. He is stoic on the court, rarely showing his emotions.

"That's what the army gave me was maturity," he said. "That's where the army helped me a lot.

"Sometimes I can see, when I play players who are much more talented than me, that I can out-tough them mentally."

UNLV men's coach Larry Easley points to Tishler's even keel as his main weapon.

"He has that mentality," Easley said. "His game is right there, he's going to play it and play it well. He doesn't make mistakes."

Tishler is not a power player like previous No. 1 Rebel Luke Smith, who went on to win national titles last year in both singles and doubles. But Easley claims Tishler still can reach those plateaus.

"There are some guys out there who probably are too talented for him," Easley said. "But if his opponent is nervous or not playing well, he'll beat the No. 1 guy in the country."

Tishler is fully aware of Smith's improbable run last year. Smith went into the tournament ranked 65th after Easley lobbied for his inclusion in the field.

But Tishler did not need Easley's assistance as an automatic qualifier.

"When you come to nationals, a lot of guys are nervous in the first two rounds," Tishler said. "If you can get matches under your belt you can get loose and play better.

"I'm just going to go out there and concentrate on playing each point."