Month: August 2024

August 25, 2024

“Going into the final, I wasn’t sure I felt like the underdog…I think I felt more overlooked. I think that the expectation of myself to do something really great weighed on me heavily. It was tough switching my mentality, being down a set, 3-1 in the final. But also, I think that’s probably the reason I’m the most proud of myself coming out of that match. If I would have continued to play the same way, I would have been off the court in 20 minutes, because my opponent was a really great player. Having to take initiative is not something I’m comfortable with, but I had to flip the switch and I had to make it fast. I just had to take that chance. I think a lot of players go through a similar thing in their development. They have a point in time where they realize if they want to be successful, they have to make a change. It’s not easy, especially when you’re so used to winning a certain way. The whole match at this point is a blur. I think what helped me pull myself out was my self-talk. It wasn’t necessarily one phrase or mantra. (more…)

August 15, 2024

“Honestly, tennis has been in my life ever since I could remember. Some kids have a lullaby – my dad took out the toys and tied tennis balls around the mobile. From the beginning, I always wanted to be a pro. My heroes were Rafa, Roger and Novak. I was always the biggest Rafa guy, and my brother was always the biggest Djokovic fan. I remember making our own posters to watch their matches in the living room that said, “Let’s go Rafa,” or “Let’s go Novak.” I would wear all the Rafa headbands and do his routines, mimic his strokes, I had the bag… From a young age, I think I was pretty gifted with hitting the ball. However, there was a time when I was probably 15, where I was just losing more matches. That was also the only year where I felt like my brother was a better player than me. I was just struggling, struggling, struggling. Some of it had to do with my game, some of it had to do with me growing. That’s the only time I can remember where I was not the happiest playing. I still loved it, but I had to (more…)