I'm 12/just started playin Tennis-is there a chance i can turn Pro...(Help!)

[Madison]

I'm 12 and i just started playing tennis at the beggining of the year. i took camps, lessons, a few things that my parents would pay for. I moved up quickly in lessons and my Coach reffered me to higher lessons then Basic. I know that Maria Sharopova started playing when she was 4, but i'm a homeschooler and i have lots of flexibility in life and i'm very, very fit. I'm trying to get more serious about tennis and my parents are OK with that, so i'm trying to look into some academy to go to, maybe when i turn 13 (which is in october) to 15, and then at 16 i could turn pro? the sooner the better-but i want a year or more in practice, too, but all my coaches around where i live suggest i look for an academy or somthing. IS this how Maria S did it? (how would her mom let her go to 2 years in FLORIDA!) (How do i even know if i'm good enough?) I don't know much about Junior tournaments, or if i'm too late or if i don't know how they play, so i need the Low-down, and my email is Madison@musician.net , All i know is that i have the determination and feet-and speed. and flexibility... :)


Thanks..??? : uk1

[Jay87]

To be honest i don't know exactly how Maria Sharapova did it. It probably would be in your best interest to go to an academy if you're really serious on turning pro and the academy would probably be able to help you and get information for you to join junior tournaments. They would probably know when you are ready to enter a tournament. In my opinion, it's probably not to late for you but don't expect to be pro by the time your 18 or as soon as most tennis players, it will probably take you longer just because you haven't had long years of experience with tennis. As you probably know tennis is very difficult and even though you say your fit you will need to work very hard and commit a lot of your time to tennis over the next few years.

Good luck little man! :cool:

[ozopenfuture]

im almost in a similar situation i guess- i have been playing since i was 7, now im 16, and im pretty confident i can step up- because i definintely want to. the trouble is, im not quite sure how to "break into" it- do i talk to my coach and see what he says? then i wonder if it is too late for me? have i let the opportunities slip by?
but medison- definitely stick with it- the earlier the better!

[Jay87]

yeah man... talk to your coach and see what he can do for you or trying finding tournaments that you could enter. You have to determine if you believe you have the game to be on the pro tour and determine if you are ready to work hard at making it to the top. :cool:

[PierreC]

Everything is possible indeed...but it's true that you need to give yourself some direction very fast!