The sport of tennis is known more for its unique characters on the court than ones roaming the seating areas. But World TeamTennis is a different animal, so to speak. That’s where “Tennis the Menace” comes in. And for college senior and aspiring astronomer Joel Peralta of New York, climbing into the furry green bear-like mascot of the New York Sportimes has been a new experience.

“I’ve never been a mascot before, but I saw an ad on Craig’s List and thought, ‘Hey, I can do that,’” said the 20-year-old senior at Stony Brook (N.Y.) University, whose sports teams are nicknamed the Seawolves. “I’ve seen the wolf mascot at our college games a lot, and of course others, so it looked like a lot of fun.”

Peralta was born and raised in Washington Heights in Manhattan, just a few miles from the Randall’s Island home of the Sportimes, whose captain, John McEnroe, knows a thing or two about being a ‘character’ on the court. Unlike the Seawolf or some other animal, there is no pre-determined mannerism for a “Menace” – or, for that matter, a “Sportime” – so Peralta has been able to use his outgoing personality to bring life to “Tennis the Menace” in his own style.

“I just like to go out there and be really silly,” said Peralta, who has been a bit hit with fans and players at the team’s first two matches, even enduring a playful shove by one of the team’s stars, Robert Kendrick, in the pre-game introductions in Monday’s opener. “The kids like to stop me to take pictures, and I try to pump up the crowd, dance a little to the music. I basically want to make the experience a little more fun for everyone.”

World TeamTennis, which is celebrating its 35^th anniversary in 2010, is the brainchild of tennis legend Billie Jean King, who developed the format and rules to encourage fan participation and a more raucous atmosphere than the pro tour, which adheres to century-old procedures and often staid conduct. The Sportimes, in their second year in the new Sportime complex on Randall’s Island, have five home matches remaining in July, with names like McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis among those competing.

As for Peralta, the astronomy major has his sights set high, to one day work for NASA. But for now, while he takes a break from his rigorous studies, he’s taking some time to spread some fun around the tennis universe.

“If kids and other fans remember ‘Tennis the Menace’ as part of a great time they had while watching tennis,” added Peralta, “I consider that a pretty good night.”