There is only one way that a sport like tennis can grow.
We
need young people to continue to watch, participate in and improve our sport: so
it’s nice to see on Instagram that there are no shortage of kids and young
adults who love our sport! For anyone who isn’t familiar with the ‘Rich kids of
Instagram’ it is a verified Insta account that gives an insight into the world
of 20 somethings with way too much money (which is often, but not always, from
their parents) and their lavish lifestyles. If you want to check it out then
please do but please,
READ THIS FIRST!
Anyway, it got me thinking I should do
some real journalism for once and that we need to celebrate the stories behind
the hard working, enthusiastic, ambitious and inspiring ‘Tennis Kids of
Instagram’. The future of our sport! Here are the stories of 4 very different
but equally amazing 5-17 year olds who all share one thing: they love tennis.
This article is written in order of age category so please read right to the
end All Images courtesy of Instagram.
Novak Palombo
At just 5 years old and already a tennis ace with ability
well above his years, it’s not hard to guess who little Novak is named after! I
first read about Novak in January in an article for Caters News Agency (which I must credit for
giving me my background information). Obviously having taken to the game so
naturally and quickly, his tennis progress sounds striking! He could probably
beat me already so I decided to check out his Instagram to discover more. Now,
with young players the thought of the pushy parents behind them is never far
away. That’s why I was so glad to see in all his pictures that he looks so
genuinely happy all the time. Loving what you do is exactly what this article
is about so I just had to get in touch to ask some questions, and I am assured
that these answers are 100% his own.
Novak,
you are still a very young player at 5 years old! When did you start playing?
“When I was 2 I started playing tennis, but
soccer was earlier when I was 1.”
What’s
your first tennis related memory?
“Playing with dad and doing smashes: one
bounce and then point the finger at (the) ball and hit with my racket.”
How
did you get into tennis? Did someone in particular inspire you to start
playing?
“I started playing tennis with balloons,
then joined a kids tennis class but became very good very quickly. Then I
started playing with a coach!”
You
share a name with Novak Djokovic but we at tennis now or never heard that your
favourite player is Stan Wawrinka, what do you like about Stan? Do you try to
play just like him?
“Stan is my favourite player because he
does great backhands and because he plays soooo good and I have his signed
tennis ball above my bed”
Do
you think you’ll still be playing when you are older, maybe even as a
professional?
“Yes, because I am really good at tennis
and because I win against 11 year olds now! I play competition(s) and every
Sunday and I win a lot of matches.”
What
else do you like to do when you’re not playing tennis?
“I do swimming, soccer, I go to
kindergarten, go to lots of birthday parties, I go on holidays with my mum and
dad and I love reading books before going to sleep. I also sometimes watch
tennis and animal programmes on TV but not a lot.”
What
would you say is your best shot?
“My secret weapons are my serve and
forehand and my favourite shot is my backhand.”
Finally,
describe yourself in 3 words?
“I’ve been on TV, I always beat daddy, I do
very good tennis.”
Okay, so he cheated on the last one but we’ll let him away
with it! At such a young age it’s hard to tell if Novak has already found his
true calling but for his age the signs are as promising as possible. He seems
like a bundle of energy and enthusiasm which will surely carry him far in
whatever he does. If you want to learn more about Novak check out his Instagram @Novak_Palombo .
Brooklyn Bindas and
Anna Tang
Brooklyn
Anna
At 11 and 13 respectively, Brooklyn and Anna are the closest
in age of the players we spoke to and so received almost identical questions.
Hence, for ease of reading we have combined their answers. But be assured, both
girls have very distinct individual personalities which we hope we captured
here for you.
Don’t ask me why but before I contacted Brooklyn Bindas from the USA, I was expecting a 'girlie girl' - not that there would be anything wrong with that - however, there is definitely depth to Brooklyn. I’m sure she isn’t scared to break a nail when she is battling on court: channeling that inner Ostapenko! She realises the importance of her education and has a love of maths and slime-making. She is a great character and you can follow her Instagram @brooklyntennis .
Don’t be fooled by the sweet smile and angelic blonde hair
of Denmark’s Anna Tang. She is a fiery character! Just take a look at her
Instagram @annatang_tennis and you will see the theme. Anna admits to once
being so frustrated after losing a 3 setter in the Tennis Europe semi-finals
that she threw the trophy away: a true sign of drive and passion. But I must also
stress what a polite girls she was to deal with and so eager to help answer my
questions the best she could.
When
did you start playing tennis and who/ what inspired you to take it to the next
level by competing?
Brooklyn:
“When I turned 8 in the spring of 2014, my mom enrolled me in a tennis clinic
at a local club. That first summer I wanted to play tennis every day. I started
to take private lessons and play in clinics at a local park near my house. I
won my first 12 and Under Singles and Doubles tournament that summer also. I
was hooked and I knew that I loved tennis. In the fall, I started taking
private lessons and competing regularly in USTA tournaments.”
Anna:
“I started tennis just before I turned 9. My dad took my brother and me to try
it out, because he played a lot when he was a kid.
Since I was 5 I played soccer and did
rope-skipping and liked that a lot, especially the soccer, but the tennis got
under my skin in a different way. If find that tennis is difficult and
demanding in a way that suits me, because you need to work both on technique
and mental skills, there is always something that you can improve.
I began competing a few months after my
first tennis lesson- no external motivation needed- I'm very competitive in
everything I do (maybe too much!) and competing is a way to measure progress. I
met the best girl (of my age group) in Denmark in one of my first matches and
she crushed me with her hard hitting. Then I set a goal that I wanted to win
against her. When that was achieved then being (staying) in top 5 in U14 and
now I'm focusing on the senior rank.”
Do
you have an idol? Any professional players that you aspire to be like?
What
do you like about this person?
Brooklyn:
“Oh course my idol is Serena Williams. I don’t know a single tennis player
that doesn’t think she is the greatest of all time. But I would have to say I
really love Jelena Ostapenko, she is only 20 years old. I love her backhand and
the way she plays. I try to play a similar style of tennis. I even wear my hair
like her. I try to bring out my ‘inner Jelena’. It’s my thing that helps me get
pumped before I play.”
Anna:
“I don't have an idol in particular. I like watching the different players and
get inspired both by their technique, approach and the way they handle
themselves on and off court (Nadal after losing in Wimbledon, waiting for
Muller to receive applauses from audience and then walking out together instead
of just leaving the court- that really inspires me and make me proud to play
tennis). Right now I am inspired by Ostapenko, I love her aggressive play and
she looks like she loves being on court. I play aggressive to so it is great to
see that it is possible to make it all the way.”
You
are still very young but we know you girls have got fire! Do you see yourselves
still playing competitions when you’re older? Maybe even travelling the world
on the pro tour?
Brooklyn:
“I know I am young but my dream is to play professional singles or doubles
when I am older and tour the world.”
Anna:
“I hope that it is possible for me to keep playing all my life. Playing on the
tour would be a dream coming true. I'm working hard to make it happen and even
if it doesn’t happen, I have already got many amazing experiences and made
friends for life, and love being on court both for training, match and coaching
others.”
What
is your ultimate goal as a tennis player?
Brooklyn:
“My goals as a tennis player are to first play in college. My parents
believe academics come first. I love to learn and love math and science. But of
course the ultimate goal is to be a professional tennis player. Why train so
hard.”
Anna:
“Ultimate goal...that is tough. I want to be the best possible tennis player on
and off court, I would love to inspire others, meet interesting people and
winning grand slams....”
Do
you ever find it hard to juggle training with your schoolwork or going out with
friends?
Brooklyn:
“I am home schooled, so juggling school, tennis and friends are never an
issue. I always try to make time for sleepovers and hanging out with my
friends. I think this is very important. My academic schedule is built around
my tennis schedule and I also get to sleep in most mornings. This fall, I plan
to step up my training to 15 hours a week (on and off court) so it may be a
challenge to balance everything but we are going to make it work.”
Anna:
“My old school was extremely supportive, and I am beginning a new school this
august for kids doing their sports on elite level. I'm super excited about
that. Friends... that is the tough part....I'm normally never able to go to
birthday parties, hang out in the evenings or that sort of things. But I have
close friends who understands and supports me, and we have insta, snap chat,
FaceTime, messenger - and I have the best of friends who also play tennis. It
can be difficult because we are friends and competitors at the same time. But
we manage and they mean the world to me.”
What
do you like to do best when you’re not playing tennis?
Brooklyn:
“When I’m not playing tennis, I love just hanging out with my friends. I
also have a slime obsession. I make slime almost every day and experiment with
different recipes.”
Anna:
“When not playing tennis I like to coach others, I'm together with my family
and friends and I'm doing all sorts of DIY, love creating things, sharing ideas
with my friends- you should see my room”
What
shot is your secret weapon?
Brooklyn:
“My secret weapon is my backhand. I get most of my winners off my backhand.”
Anna:
“Secret weapon.... when it is working, then my forehand. Working hard on that
serve, but that is definitely not a weapon yet 😂”
Finally,
could you describe yourself in 3 words?
Brooklyn:
“Kind, smart and determined.
Kind, I’m always kind to my opponents and
everyone I meet.
Smart, I am a math geek.
Determined, I am determined to be the best
I can be.”
Anna:
“Me in 3 words... perfectionist, curious, determined”
What is so clear is the drive and ambition these girls share
and it’s hard not to see them succeeding in whatever life paths they choose. If
all goes well, I wouldn’t be surprised if they become rivals on the senior tour
some day!
Magdalena
17 year old young lady Magdalena from Austria found her
passion for tennis later than most, but that doesn’t mean her story is any less
worth telling. In fact, her message is as poignant as ever: Maggie just wants
to express and share the enhancement that all sports can have on everyone’s
lives – especially tennis. She comes across as a very down to earth girl. In a
time where some professional players (like Kyrgios and Tomic) seem to have lost
the true passion behind being on the court at a relatively young age, it is so
refreshing to speak with a girl who so obviously loves tennis and what it has
done for her.
I was
going to ask you who inspires you but looking at your Instagram I can see that
Victoria Azarenka is a big role model for you. What was it about Vika when you
first saw her that got you interested in trying out tennis?
“Yes, Victoria Azarenka is a big
inspiration for me. In fact, she was the indicator that I actually started to
play tennis. The first thing I ever saw and heard of her was a video of her
playing. I didn’t know anything about her ranking or the game. Here and there I
had watched a bit of tennis before but there was something in her game and attitude
which caught my attention and interest. I saw how much joy she has being on
court and playing. I can’t even say exactly what it was but it fascinated me.”
Could
you explain a little how tennis has helped you on a personal level?
“Even though I haven’t been playing for too
long, tennis plays a key role in my life as well as my development as a person.
I used to be a rather chubby child. I didn’t have a lot of self-confidence and
there were times where school wasn’t a lot of fun due to some kids who didn’t
know the border between fun and hurting. Tennis created this (let’s call it)
‘safe space’ for me: where I could just be myself. I found something I
absolutely enjoy doing. Through the feeling on court and the development I did,
the feeling of a team, my tennis page and the feedback I get for this, as well
as mind set around tennis all helped me to be more happy with myself and also
gain more self-confidence. ”
What
is your ultimate goal as a player and as a person?
“My ultimate goal is actually a combination
of my goals as a player and person. I would love to spread the joy and
importance of sport. On one hand, continuing doing this through Instagram and,
on the other, hopefully also some time interactive with other people/ players.
Besides that, I want to bring my game to
the best possible level for me and see where that will be and take me to.”
You
are 17, are you starting to think about playing as a senior? Do you see
yourself in this sport when you’re in your 20’s in a competitive capacity?
“Here in Austria we sadly don’t have school
teams for tennis, at least not at my school, and the system is also a bit
different. I have thought about doing college tennis but, again it depends on
how my game develops in the next year and what I want to study (which will
decide over my location). I definitely see myself competing I my 20’s, I simply
love the feeling of matches too much, but I will see if I’ll do that
professionally, as a team sport combining study and sport or local hobby and
club matches.”
As a
teenager, has it been hard to juggle friendships and school work with your
training and competitions?
“I must say it is not always easy. There
are a lot of people and friends who try to understand and who are incredible
respective regarding my tennis, but at the same time often people assume you
can’t join anyway before they ask. But I must say I am very lucky to have a few
friends who absolutely understand my situation and support me in any possible
way.
Combining tennis and school is not always
easy. Some days you are tired after a long day full of school and training but
still got to finish school work. Sometimes I unfortunately have to put tennis
behind school, which means in worst case scenario less or no training that
week.”
What
do you like to do best when you’re not playing tennis?
“I love taking pictures. From friends,
nature or pretty much everything that comes in front of my lens.”
What
would you say your best shot is? Would you say you play similar to Vika?
“My best shot, and at the same time
favourite, is the approach shot before the volley. Second favourite is backhand
down the line. I actually don’t think mine and Vika’s game is too similar but
it’s hard to say since I’m still testing/developing and finding my game. Vika
has a few more years of practice to know what suits her best.”
Finally,
describe yourself in 3 words?
“Joyful, interested, thoughtful.”
I’m sure many of us can relate to the feeling of finally
finding something that provides us with comfort when we really need it most – I
know I can. I think you’ll agree that Maggie is quite inspiring and I hope that
by sharing this everyone (particularly young girls) can see that the media
doesn’t always have to share negative views and images. We all deserve to be
happy with ourselves and to love what we do! Follow Magdalena on her journey on
Instagram @maggie.tennis .
Hope you enjoyed reading this article - I definitely enjoyed
making it perhaps more than any other!
I might do more like these in the future
so if you know someone who you think should be featured get in touch through
email: tennisnowornever@outlook.com ,Insta: @tennis_now_or_never or Twitter: @tennisnowornevr .
Only criteria:
1 Between ages of 4-18
Loves everything about tennis!
Comment and share please!!!
