By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
Sebastian Guo is a senior member of the Green Bay Preble boys’ tennis team.
Playing at No. 1 singles for the Hornets, Guo, who is a three-time WIAA state qualifier, plans to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, this fall and will study computer/environmental science.
Guo is the president of Preble’s academic decathlon team and is also the president of the school’s National Honor Society.
Name: Sebastian Guo
School: Green Bay Preble
Sport: Boys’ tennis
Nickname: Sea bass, Jie
Parents: Jieru Chen and Ziwen Guo
Tell me about your family.
“I have a 20-year-old brother named Spencer who is a junior at Stanford University. My parents were both born in Shanghai, China. They came to the U.S. for graduate school and eventually moved to Madison. That’s where my brother and I were born. When I was 3, we moved to Green Bay.”
Do you come from a sports background?
“Spencer played tennis at Preble, and my parents played tennis with us when we were younger. I started playing in the third grade.”
Have you done other sports at Preble?
“I ran cross country my freshman year.”
Is there a sport you wish you had done?
“Maybe swimming. Sometimes I swim at the YMCA for cardio, so it would have been a good fit.”
Have you always played singles?
“I have been on the varsity team for four years. My freshman year, I played No. 1 doubles with my brother, and last season I began playing singles.”
Do you have a most memorable tennis moment?
“My freshman year when my brother and I won the sectional tournament in doubles – we were the underdogs.”
There are some great tennis players in the Fox River Classic Conference – who’s the most difficult to play?
“Nathan Balthazor [Marquette University commit] from De Pere. I try to have fun against him. I know he is better than me, and I do my best. I can maybe win four games in a match against him. He’s so fast, plays with great intensity and passion and chases down every ball.”
What is your strength as a tennis player?
“My serve – it has some good spin on it.”
Have you played on other court surfaces?
“On vacation in the Dominican Republic, I played on clay – it was fun because you can really slide around.”
Have you been to a professional tennis match?
“We went to the U.S. Open in 2011.”
Who’s your favorite player?
“I like Rafael Nadal.”
Less than .2 percent of all students who take the ACT college entrance exam get a perfect score of 36. Explain how you did that.
“I think I got three questions wrong – they have a little bit of a curve where you can still get a perfect score.”
What three words describe you?
“Curious, conscientious, light-hearted.”
Is there something about you most people wouldn’t know?
“I’m a lefty.”
How will you be remembered at Preble?
“Honestly, probably as the kid who got a perfect score on his ACT (laughing).”
Cats or dogs?
“Dogs.”
Alaska for nature or Florida for warmth?
“Alaska for nature.”
Watch the movie or read the book?
“Read the book.”
Sunrise or sunset?
“Sunset.”
Chocolate or vanilla?
“Chocolate.”
Favorites
Sport to watch at Preble: Basketball
Candy: 100 Grand Bar
Board game: Risk
Local restaurant: Plae Bistro
Food: Spaghetti and meatballs