For all you all who have dreams of being pro

[Sakumo]

My God, I just broke down on the court today, you have no idea of the pressures of this, the grind, and mind you I only play ITF. I seriously just thought about quiting and never looking back on tennis. There's so many ppl out there thinking, ohh man I want to be that person on the TV making millions. You don't want to be that person. The pressures all the people watching them. I feel so bad for people like Donald, he probably feels even more pressure. The pressures of always being good and always playing your best is just, just you have no idea. You pressure yourself because you know this might be your only way to make money in life. Pressure from sponsors, if you don't play well they could drop you. Pressure from school, from tourneys, from just life. Take a look on your life, and feel good you don't have to grind like this. For all the pros out there: I feel for you.

[zcj41]

May I also remind everyone that along with these pressures, on the pro circuit another constant reminder is the money issue. I mean, 9 out of 10 professional tennis players are barely making enough to stay on tour. Becoming a professional isn't all it's hyped up to be.

[Solat]

i work with a guy who had a crack at being pro, with his brother trouping around Europe. Sleeping in his car, the two of them, cant even tilt the seats back coz its a 2 door car and the back seat is full of their luggage (racquet bags in the boot/ basket of balls) so they sleep upright. Have to use public toilets, nowhere to shower until the next tournament. Used to walk to mcdonalds to brush their teeth.

good times....

[Sakumo]

i work with a guy who had a crack at being pro, with his brother trouping around Europe. Sleeping in his car, the two of them, cant even tilt the seats back coz its a 2 door car and the back seat is full of their luggage (racquet bags in the boot/ basket of balls) so they sleep upright. Have to use public toilets, nowhere to shower until the next tournament. Used to walk to mcdonalds to brush their teeth.

good times....

Yea I mean that is not pretty. I assume I will have it better then that on tour if I go, but I don't think it will be good. I really just want to play for later in life to be able to say that I did and it will look better on my resume for coaching.

[zcj41]

Yea I mean that is not pretty. I assume I will have it better then that on tour if I go, but I don't think it will be good. I really just want to play for later in life to be able to say that I did and it will look better on my resume for coaching.

But it's quite an experience. Well worth the struggle, even for a short time on tour. Man, it's brutal though.

[cereal]

mr. sakumodizzle what's the highest ranked player you've ever played?

[Forehand Forever]

It's one loss bro. You'll get over it by tomorrow. Don't quit you'll truly regret it.

[Mikael]

Guys, check out John Valenti's blog to get a taste of life on the US futures circuit... it's pretty fun. I believe Valenti himself manages to "stay afloat" because he rents apartments in his hometown while he travels around the US in his van playing tournaments, and stringing racquets. He's been doing it since 2001. He's DA MAN!

[BigBUBBA]

Alright Sakumo...some people have a stronger will than you! Don't ruin other peoples dreams...it doesn't matter...let them figure out if for THEMSELVES!

[xtremerunnerars]

I think I'd love to give it a try. It doesn't bother me to be away from home and friends. I sometimes don't go to parties just bc I don't feel like it...and I was at tennis camp for 2 weeks and didn't even tell anyone I was going.

I think it'd be seriously fun.

[mJeez4293]

im gonna go for it and see how it works out, if it dont theres always another future... nothing wrong with giving it a shot

[Sakumo]

mr. sakumodizzle what's the highest ranked player you've ever played?

I've practiced with Roger before, but never competitively. He has like 4 people a day practice, I was just a lucky one he asked. Umm but I have played Donald Young before, I played Djokovic a year ago.

Alright Sakumo...some people have a stronger will than you! Don't ruin other peoples dreams...it doesn't matter...let them figure out if for THEMSELVES!

I started being competitive at 11, and I was way behind the National ranked players, so I played for about 6 hours a day, 2 hours ground strokes with my dad and friends, then 4 on serves. Don't try to tell me about will.

I think I'd love to give it a try. It doesn't bother me to be away from home and friends. I sometimes don't go to parties just bc I don't feel like it...and I was at tennis camp for 2 weeks and didn't even tell anyone I was going.

I think it'd be seriously fun.

It's more about the pressure, and the stress that makes it unfun. I mean I am 16 playing on the 18 circuit, so I feel a large amount of pressure to play well, because when I play well I can beat almost anyone on that circuit. So when I turn 17 or 18 it will be easier, or I might go pro, and it will be bad again. Just kind of like a roller coaster.

[fgs]

sakumo,
if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. there is pressure in everything you are going to do in your life because there is always an expectancy level linked to the particular activity - like getting reasonable grades in school/college/university exams, delivering quality work on time, etc. it could be that you don't like the pressure you associate with this particular job - playing competitive tennis, but get accustomed to the idea that there is competition in whatever you will be doing and from this competition you derive pressure.

[Sakumo]

sakumo,
if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. there is pressure in everything you are going to do in your life because there is always an expectancy level linked to the particular activity - like getting reasonable grades in school/college/university exams, delivering quality work on time, etc. it could be that you don't like the pressure you associate with this particular job - playing competitive tennis, but get accustomed to the idea that there is competition in whatever you will be doing and from this competition you derive pressure.

Right, the world revolves around green, so there will always be competition and pressure, but for a 16 year old, don't you think it's a little much. Also, you hear pros talk about the grind. If you put the life of a typical top 150 tennis player's life up to a accountant or my dad does expert witness. I have more pressure then he does, something is wrong with that.

All I am doing is showing the reality of pro tennis to those that think tennis is the easy way out of life. And compared to some people on the ITF tour, I have it easy.

[fgs]

sakumo,
please allow me to quote a line: "do you know why my problems are the most important ones? because they are mine." now, this is all it is about - you feel your pressure which i don't deny exists and it looks like you have a hard time coping with it. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS. and yes, you are right - in pro tennis it is very tough. basically only the top 150 at best can really make a living out of it. but then you have a similar situation in modelling for instance, where those beautiful girls can only earn some money up to a certain age, than they have to look for something different. in pro tennis you have what - if you are lucky a 10-15 years career. in these years you simply have to put in a huge amount of work (practicing, conditioning, etc.), not counting in the years you developed in order to work yourself up to having this option.
but tennis is not a sport you have to stop if you feel that turning pro is not an option for you. tennis can be fun and it can also be fun to teach others or coach others sometime later on. it is an experience and it is worth having tried it. give it a run and don't put yourself under artificial pressure.
i picked up another beautiful line somewhere and i want to share it with you: "life is a gift, talent is a bonus and competition is a privilege". be thankful that you can go out there and measure up with likeminded people trying to determine which one is the best on that given day.

[Sakumo]

sakumo,
please allow me to quote a line: "do you know why my problems are the most important ones? because they are mine." now, this is all it is about - you feel your pressure which i don't deny exists and it looks like you have a hard time coping with it. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS. and yes, you are right - in pro tennis it is very tough. basically only the top 150 at best can really make a living out of it. but then you have a similar situation in modelling for instance, where those beautiful girls can only earn some money up to a certain age, than they have to look for something different. in pro tennis you have what - if you are lucky a 10-15 years career. in these years you simply have to put in a huge amount of work (practicing, conditioning, etc.), not counting in the years you developed in order to work yourself up to having this option.
but tennis is not a sport you have to stop if you feel that turning pro is not an option for you. tennis can be fun and it can also be fun to teach others or coach others sometime later on. it is an experience and it is worth having tried it. give it a run and don't put yourself under artificial pressure.
i picked up another beautiful line somewhere and i want to share it with you: "life is a gift, talent is a bonus and competition is a privilege". be thankful that you can go out there and measure up with likeminded people trying to determine which one is the best on that given day.

Thanks.
(10 char.)

[Chauvalito]

I would say the pressures of some kinds of academic work equal that of any player on or off the tour.

When you are trying to achieve something, pressure is involved, that is just the nature of the beast.

I did 5 years of course work in 4 years while at university (159 hrs.), just think of what that would do to a sleep cycle :)...it was by choice however, and now that I am finished, I can honestly say i could have handled more.

I was burned out and frustrated many times, but the point is that you come back go at it again, you "pick your self up", to give up would be the greater failure.