Category: Story

May 21, 2021

“I started playing tennis at age seven. I grew up in a rural country town in New South Wales, where there were not many opportunities to face good players. I went to a school that did not offer much support for my tennis. At age 10, I got spondylolisthesis, stress fractures in the back that never heal. I had two right wrist surgeries and left elbow surgery. I also had appendicitis and glandular fever. On top of all that I had a fibular stress fracture and bilateral achilles surgery, which made me miss my chance to play my last junior grand slams. These injuries gave me the resilience to fight and come back. Positivity is who I am. For me, it’s about being on the court and being able to compete. I feel very fortunate. At age 16, I made the decision to take tennis more seriously, so I moved to an academy in Melbourne and shifted to distanced learning. Two years later, I went to college and played for the University of Georgia. In Australia, at the time, going to college meant that you did not make it on tour. I went to college to play professionally after one (more…)

May 13, 2021

“Tennis has had a huge impact on my life, starting when I discovered wheelchair tennis and the possibility of exercising while in a wheelchair. In 2017, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I underwent 25 rounds of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and had major surgery. Despite all of this, I still played tennis once a week, even if I could only practice for 15 minutes. Tennis was that important to me. I genuinely believe tennis saved me. Last year, I won the US Open. I had received a wild card because it was the first Grand Slam I had ever played. This win solidified my place at the top of wheelchair tennis and got rid of my status as an underdog. Now I know I can win, as long as I am physically and mentally at the top of my game. Therefore, I have been putting more emphasis on meeting with my mental coach. On the court, I stand out because I’m able to play defense while looking for that small opportunity to bend the rally into a play where I can be offensive and finish the point with a winner. I stand out because I am the only top-ranked player (more…)

May 6, 2021

“At age 5, I watched Miloslav Mečíř represent Slovakia and win gold at the 1988 Olympic Games. I asked my parents to buy me a tennis racquet so I could compete in the Olympics too. At a young age, it can be painful to face public scrutiny. I would read gossip magazines about myself and this taught me tough lessons. I was in a serious relationship and it was difficult to spend months apart. This lowered my motivation to train and compete. I wish I had enjoyed more of my time on tour instead of constantly putting pressure on myself. The pressure from within was larger than the external pressure and took my joy away from the game. Young players should never lose sight of why they originally picked up a racket… to find joy. It is a natural inclination to want to be the best and sometimes that desire leads to disappointment. Success is knowing I gave 100% effort. Effort does not always yield results but the process makes us humble and strong.” Daniela Hantuchova (@danielahantuchova) (more…)

May 2, 2021

#MyBTR– “I am a triplet. When my siblings and I were 5 years old, our parents told us to pick different sports to avoid competing against one another. I chose tennis. Neither of my parents played so I am not sure why I chose the sport… But I am glad I did. It is hard to articulate how I feel about tennis because the sport is deeply personal. Tennis has taken me to places I never thought I would go and introduced me to nearly everyone in my life. The sport has impacted me in extraordinary ways through surprises, opportunities and relationships. As a top junior player and nationally ranked Division I tennis player, I learned many key lessons. Hard work, discipline, dedication, patience, strategic thinking, confidence, and composure. I am grateful to use these skills in my professional career as a media host. I always had an urge to make tennis more mainstream and relatable so the sport could be cool. I wanted fans to see the other side of tennis that revealed amazing stories and enticing personalities. The iconic court fashion makes tennis unique. I owe everything in my life to tennis. I never forget where I came (more…)

April 29, 2021

“From a young age, my dad was my coach. He wanted the best for me and gave his all to teach me the sport. It was a pleasure to spend time together but it was tough for our father-son relationship. My dad pushed the limit out of me. I worked very hard to improve on and off the court and this period made me the person I am today. I trained in Germany until age 14. At some point, you grow up and develop your own opinions. I started to question my dad on court and looked for another coach. I practiced at the German Tennis Federation then moved to Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in France. I was hailed as a rising talent in Germany. There is so much pressure from brands and agencies. Playing junior events was horrible. I won a challenger title a week before playing Junior Roland Garros so everyone expected me to win Roland Garros. It is difficult for young, promising players because you have to show everyone you are special. We are young but people already expect good results. In 2019, I lost sight of the path to become a professional tennis player. I stopped enjoying (more…)

April 22, 2021

“At around 14 years old, an important moment for my growth, I needed a lot of affection and love. The people close to me only saw Martina “the tennis player”, and not the girl who was growing up with her own needs. I think this made me who I am today. I am different from others because of my sensitivity.  I am a very sensitive person and really enjoy listening to people. I am not afraid of failure. I wake up every morning and do my best. I am always learning new things to improve as a woman and an athlete. If I do not succeed, I have no regrets because I give my full effort. I’m learning to not be impacted by judgment of others, but to care about what I think first. I am walking a path for myself, to improve myself and become a better person. I am working hard and this is the most important thing. I accept that you can fail, but I always o leave the next morning with my head held high. You have to follow your own path because everyone has their own. Tennis changed my life. There have been many positive (more…)

April 18, 2021

#CelebrityBTR– “I grew up in Plano, Texas. At age 11, my mom started playing at the local tennis courts. She said, “Oh my gosh, I love this sport. I’m going to bring my kids one day.” Then my brother and I fell in love with tennis. I played team sports and individual sports. I was quarterback of the football team and played baseball. I was big into a lot of sports, but tennis became my favorite because it was a solo sport, so I did not have to rely on anyone else. My best friends came from my time competing in Texas. I was captain of my high school tennis team. The team was my main friend group because I was playing five days per week, tennis was my life. In college, I played club tennis which was a good way to travel and make friends. My current roommate is one of my best friends. He was my teammate in high school before he played at Texas Christian University. We play all the time here in Dallas. It’s a great sport to stay active and play year-round. After college, I stopped playing for three years. When I picked up a (more…)

April 15, 2021

“My father died from a heart attack when I was 15 years old. I am not from a wealthy family. My mother supported school while my father supported tennis. My father loved all sports and worked with a national dance crew. I was in the middle of puberty when he passed and I lost my court title. I stopped playing tennis and started hanging with a bad crowd. I wanted to be part of a group. I searched for an adrenaline rush to replace playing a sport.  I had to start working as a coach. My uncle heard I was planning to quit tennis because we had no money. He contacted the owner of ISP Tennis Academy in France who looked at my results and offered me a full scholarship. At age 18, I won my first ATP point. I made the quarterfinals of the strongest futures events in the country. Nike approached my sponsor and I signed my first contract in France. My sponsor paid for everything. I did not want to spend his money for plane tickets to go home so I spent the holidays with his family. We had a father-son relationship. At age 20, I broke into the Top 400 and (more…)

April 8, 2021

“For a long time, I did not give 100% so I would have an excuse when I did not fulfill my dreams. I realized I was scared to fail. I had to accept this fear and mature to find my way. It took me a long time to encourage myself. My girlfriend and coach were very important during this time. In 2019, I decided to fully commit to my dreams and prepared for the season like never before. I trained hard and with maturity. But I had bad results and questioned my path. I felt like tennis was leaving me. Without results, the bank account turns red. Years go by, you endure more blows and patience runs out. At 27 years old, I thought it might be time to end my career. I decided to give myself one last chance and played the Savannah challenger. I did not have any expectations and won the tournament. After nine years on tour, I captured my first challenger title. I have dealt with pressure my whole life. I began competing at age 12 when my brother Guillermo was ranked 3 in the world. Wherever I played, people came to see Guillermo’s younger brother. (more…)

April 1, 2021

“I was born with a racquet in my hand, figuratively speaking. My sister was one of the best U14 in Sweden before she got injured and decided to play college tennis. My family is from Estonia, and my dad grew up competing in the Sovjet Union. He started working as a tennis coach in a local club when my family moved to Sweden.Tennis came naturally for me, and I remember being around the courts and developed a big love for the game from a very young age. I loved everything about the sport, playing with my dad and friends, hitting against the wall and even watching people practice. I was constantly holding a racquet in my hand. I basically lived in the tennis club, and it was the place I felt the most joy. I have never been forced to play, and it has always been my choice from the beginning. I remember my dad always telling me to play as long as I wake up and love what I do, but that is always up to me how hard I am willing to work for it, because life is not easy. My family has always been my inspiration for (more…)