Category: Story

March 28, 2021

#MyBTR– “I started playing tennis at the age of 6 in Lesotho, Africa. I was a swimmer first but they were charging 5 cents and my family lived off an $80 salary for a group of 5. My older brother started playing tennis and I was fascinated by the fact that he would bring tennis balls back and sell them in my village. I only got a pair of shoes once a year, and that would be on Christmas. I competed for years barefoot and my feet would tear until I started bleeding.  I would take a few days off, then when I felt better I would go back again. At the time I was only 8/9.  When I turned 10, I quit playing to help my mom start her business selling clothes on the side street so I can contribute to helping my family.  I had to grow up and basically be a man at 10.  One of my coaches (Letona Mokhitli) came to my house and talked to my parents about how much talent he thinks I have.  So my parents let me go back but I had to sell oranges from office to office so I can (more…)

March 25, 2021

“In 2001, I moved to Paris at age 15 to follow my dream of becoming a professional tennis player. My parents made this possible and I did not want to disappoint them. I trained full-time at an academy but struggled with solitude. I traveled alone for years without a coach. In 2006, I injured my knee and my tennis career became uncertain. Hard times prepare you to enjoy the good times. Four years later, I broke through at the US Open. I won five matches and faced Venus Williams on Arthur Ashe under the lights. I realized the huge impact of tennis as entertainment and I could not believe I was one of the players in this world. I gained motivation because I wanted to spend more time on the biggest stages. If you put in the work, it is in your hands whether or not you achieve success. My results improved and I started to earn a living as a professional tennis player. In 2016, I struggled from an injury that prevented me from achieving results. I felt like I forgot how to hold a racquet. I could not put one foot in front of the other and my (more…)

March 18, 2021

“I have been very fortunate with almost everything in my life. But there are certain things that make you think differently. My former coach was convicted for the murder of a friend of mine in 2016. He is still in prison. Dealing with that situation was like being in a strange, bad movie. It was very tough to handle the press. I had nothing to do with the situation but every article used my name in the headlines. I had emotions as well but was suddenly put in the center of the story. This lasted until nearly two years after the murder. The press told me they used my name because it sold more news. During this time, I did not leave my house for two weeks. Then I went out for lunch and people recognized me so I walked with my head down. I was almost embarrassed to be there because I did not know if they knew me from the tennis court or press from the murder. What did they think of me? This was not an easy time in my life. I always enjoyed playing tennis but during this time, I did not want to be on (more…)

March 11, 2021

“My life has always been sports. My father was a professional basketball player in Argentina and won five National Basketball League championships. I have been in a wheelchair since I was one and a half years old. I have always loved sports and I tried every sport. I played basketball and golf. Then I tried tennis because my mother played tennis socially. I have always loved to compete. Once I got into tennis, I realized I had a high chance of being a professional player. Over the course of days and years, I improved and became a tour player. My motivation comes from my passion for the sport and the ability to compete. I have a natural competitive motivation and have developed a way to perform under pressure. I have also worked hard and put many years of my life into the sport. I have always loved to practice. It might sound crazy, but I enjoy the bad times as well because they make you stronger. They make you grow and improve every day. If you combine these things and work hard enough, you will probably be successful in anything you do. When I was 11 years old, I said (more…)

March 7, 2021

#MyBTR– “I can’t imagine a life without tennis. Tennis is the drug you love and hate at the same time. I had a very difficult path getting to where I am today. Several times in my life, I was bullied because I was different. I felt lonely and cried many nights. When I stepped on the court, I forgot reality and felt safe because I was doing what I loved. When I was ten years old, I had knee surgery. I got through this time with the help of my incredible family that believed I would be victorious on the court and in life. I never got anything for free. I’m from a small city so I have not gotten help from others. As I grew older, I felt that people were talking about me. I stopped enjoying tennis. Then I realized I had to play for myself and not for others. I was determined to sacrifice everything to be the best. If I could do this, I thought there would be no more pain. I chose a new coach and went through six months of hell without my family. I suffered from a lack of food, sleep and joy. (more…)

March 4, 2021

“At age 15, I won a wild card tournament and earned a spot in a futures event. I drew the number one seed in the first round. I did not know what to expect and just wanted to see what would happen. I won in straight sets and got my first ATP point. This moment changed everything and my coach saw I could hang with highly ranked professional players. This match was a big step forward and gave me confidence. I never thought about going to college because I always wanted to play on tour. In 2018, I started thinking about turning professional. The next year, I won the USTA Boys National Tournament and earned a wild card into the 2019 US Open. I did not know what to expect and just wanted to win a few games for myself and the crowd. I thought, “Hopefully, I don’t get destroyed.” I went up two sets to love in the first round. The atmosphere was amazing. I thought, “Wow, I can hang with these guys.” Then I cramped. I was not physically present in the third set but I finished the match and lost in five sets. I told myself this (more…)

February 25, 2021

“I started playing tennis at age six. I would interrupt my older brother and play during his practice. My parents dedicated their lives to my tennis and my dad drove me to practice every morning before work. I fell in love with the feeling of being on court and winning matches because of your will. But I grew up in a society where people appreciate you only when you win. They do not realize how much work goes into each victory. You also have to work on other aspects to become a complete person. Each life experience defines me but there is still a long road to develop. Perhaps I am halfway there. At fifteen, I traveled to Thailand for a tournament. Before my first match, I felt very tired and sick so I went to the hospital. I was diagnosed with mononucleosis. I was very angry and disappointed. I stayed in the hospital with an IV for weeks and could not move or swallow because of the pain. My body was covered in rashes and I lost over 20 pounds. I thought I was never going to get back on the court. My dad slept on the hospital couch (more…)

February 21, 2021

#MyBTR– For 40 years tennis has been a part of my life including a tennis journey with my daughter Sadie. Sadie, ranked UKs no1, a huge potential, winning over 40 competitions across the UK at 9. Sadie’s passion is tennis; life with only tennis in our minds.A few days after Sadie died I needed to return to tennis; to my community, to what we both love so much. Tennis helps me cope. The mental battle is immense; the only way I can handle it is via tennis. The trauma of the day Sadie suffered a sudden and unexplained anaphylactic shock; constantly at the front of my mind. What’s stopping it from exploding is tennis.As a family we started a foundation. Its aim to reach children in schools and clubs, giving them the chance to be introduced to the sport no matter where they are from, become more athletic in day to day activities. Providing opportunities and pathways; being inspired. Sadie inspired me and people she met. During a national competition; reaching the final, between matches doing anything to keep moving and focused. Passing her opponent, Sadie stopped, ‘Come and warm up with me. Let’s get ready together, it will be (more…)

February 14, 2021

#MyBTR- “Tennis has changed my life, in a great way! 2013 was somewhat a big year for me, full of events of both good and bad. It pretty much reaches from getting bullied, to finding the sport I love and my dad receiving a cancer diagnosis. A year full of emotion and growth. Back then I was a very overweight teenager, I was shy and afraid not to “fit in”, yet I considered myself as happy and always tried my hardest to stay positive. My tennis journey started at the beginning of that year with watching a video of @vichka35 , on my search for a sport I would enjoy. Something about her positive attitude I could relate to and her game that fascinated me, that gave me the motivation to try tennis myself. But it wasn’t until about 6 months later until I was on court the first time because an unfortunate incident came in between. A series of teasing and bullying hit me and my last bits of self confidence were destroyed. My constant fear it could happen again anytime and anywhere kept me from starting. So finally after a few months I managed to gather all my confidence and (more…)

February 11, 2021

#LegendaryBTR- “At age 4, I watched the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and said I wanted to win a gold medal. I played soccer and tennis. My grandfather put tennis on me and I decided to dedicate myself to the sport. I started to play well. At age 15, I earned my first ATP point. I was called to play the Davis Cup and the next year, I made my debut. My fellow countryman Marcelo Rios was number one in the world at age 22 so my country had high expectations for me. I was playing my last year in the junior circuit and felt pressure from 17 million people in Chile. I like it when I feel pressure. By age 19, I was already in the Top 100 after only one year on tour. I was very young to be having good results. These results made me believe that I could do something big in tennis. But every year is different and you start to ask how good you are or where you are going to be in the future. Could I be so good that people think about me? Questions pass through your mind and you need (more…)