Cornell University Athletics

Fife is one of the best athletes on the team. He possesses a big serve, good backhand and can hit a big forehand, and he has the potential to play at the top of the lineup and be a force in doubles. He is also considered one of the best clutch performers and the coaching staff argues that he is probably the hardest working player in the Ivy League. An All-Ivy end of season honor is definitely a possibility for Fife this season.

2008- 09 Season
Starting for the second year as the No. 3 singles player on the Big Red, Fife really showed his potential beginning the 2009 spring season. Fife was victorious in eight of his first nine matches for the Big Red. Fife earned a reputation as a clutch competitor, going 3-0 in three-set matches during that stretch. Fife had a very successful fall, beating Columbia’s No. 1 player, who was also last year’s Ivy League Player of the Year, at the Princeton Invitational.

2007-08 Season
Playing most of the spring season at the No. 3 spot, Fife tied for second on the team in wins with 11. His thrilling three-set win against Penn helped Cornell secure a victory in the last home match of the season. Fife also picked up singles wins in matches against No. 67 Michigan State, No. 53 Stetson and against Army, where he played at the No. 2 singles position. To open the season, Fife advanced to the finals in the Flight B draw of the Columbia Classic. He advanced to the semifinals of the Cornell Fall Outdoor Invitational in the fall, losing a tough three-setter to teammate Kyle Doppelt. At the ECAC championships, he won two big matches against St. Joseph’s and Boston College at No. 5. Fife paired with teammate Jeremy Feldman to make the finals in B doubles at the Farnsworth Invitational. He had a solid 7-5 fall record. 

At Scarsdale
Fife was a semifinalist at the New York state high school tennis championship and was ranked No. 10 in the ETA and No. 114 nationally. A graduate of Scarsdale HS, Fife received his school’s Scholar Athlete Award.

Personal
Jonathan D. Fife is the son of Howard and Jill Fife and has two younger brothers. He is enrolled in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences.