Played tennis for years. But you can't improve at tennis after you're 50. You get to be in your 40s, and suddenly you're a doubles player.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
As a kid, I wanted to be a pro tennis player. I was pretty good; at the tennis academies I attended, I always 'played up' against older age groups.
I started tennis around age 2.
I've been athletic since I was a kid. My parents got me playing tennis when I was seven years old and I started to play competitively.
I think I'm realising that careers for tennis players are very short. On the women's side now, players are starting to peak later on, but the average age is about 31, 32 when you finish playing, so I want to make the most of it while I'm young, fit, and healthy. I don't want to waste any time.
Later, I discovered there was a lot of work to being good in tennis.
I was playing good tennis up until 100.
You don't just have to be skilled and talented at tennis, but you have to be so physically strong.
When I was 40, my doctor advised me that a man in his 40s shouldn't play tennis. I heeded his advice carefully and could hardly wait until I reached 50 to start again.
I have been playing tennis for a very long time. Tennis is my life. I see my life in other places, and there are other challenges for me.
I've been playing against older and stronger competition my whole life. It has made me a better tennis player and able to play against this kind of level despite their strength and experience.