Local youth looking forward to tennis career

Jasmine Minor, a senior at Carmel High School in Mundelein, is playing in the USTA Girls 18 Clay Court Championships in Memphis. Minor, 16, is ranked fifth in Illinois.

by Real Times Media Service

Jasmine Minor, a senior at Carmel High School in Mundelein, is playing in the USTA Girls 18 Clay Court Championships in Memphis. Minor, 16, is ranked fifth in Illinois. The winner of the tournament will receive a wild card entry into the qualifying rounds of the Cellular South Cup, a WTA tour event held at The Racquet Club in Memphis in February. Minor is aiming towards a collegiate – and possibly professional – career. About 90 percent of the young women competing will receive a college scholarship. Most young women are home-schooled, choosing this option in the face of the demanding travel schedules involved with competing in tournaments and practice regimens of four to five hours daily. Q: How long have you been playing tennis?   A: Since 4 or 5 Q: Are you homeschooled or do you attend a regular school? If you attend a regular school do you play on the team? A: I was homeschooled junior year and will be going back to Carmel Catholic. I’m not sure if I will play on their team. Q: How often do you generally practice when you are preparing for a tournament and when you’re not? A: I generally practice every day, may take a couple days off after tournaments. Before tournaments it’s two-a-days, as it gets closer one-a-days.  I’m practicing at least 4-5 hours a day. Q: How many tournaments do you normally play a year?   A: At least two a month. About 10-12 a year. Q: Do you generally travel alone or with your parents? What’s that like? A: I generally travel with someone – a parent or a coach. I have a good time and it’s nice. I try to play at a high level. Q: Do you stay with host families or at hotel usually?  What’s that like? A: I usually stays at a hotel, but I have stayed with host families. Families are generally big fans of tennis, they come out and support me, see me play and get to know me as a player. Its always fun you learn how to work with new people and learn how to be respectful to different cultures. Eventually you learn to grow up a little bit. It’s nice to learn something every time come back with great life lessons. Q: What is your schedule generally like when you arrive at a tournament? Take me through a typical day? A: Usually I wake, do my hair, and get a lot of carbs at breakfast. When I have an early match time, I put down a lot of food. Later in the day, would be a small breakfast. Before leaving the hotel I do some yoga, stretches, then warm up, practice. Do dynamic routine before matches. Come back, after matches try to do homework during the school year. Sit around watch TV. I like to get take out dinners. I eat the same thing the whole week (superstious). Get to bed early. Q: Do you play both singles and doubles? A: I will play both singles and doubles. Emina Bektas is my partner. Emina is from Indiana where many in my family are from. Q: Do you play your match and then go back to your hotel/home base or are you friends with any of the other girls that you see at tournament?  Do you know any of the other girls at this tournament?   A: I’m the person who knows everyone. If there is time, I’ll see a movie. At these tournaments there is not a lot of time to do other stuff.  If there is the rest of the day to do nothing, usually there is practice. After San Diego I went parasailing with my mom. Q: Do you enjoy your experience at tournaments or is it mainly stressful?   A: It’s a competition. I love to travel. I love the sport. Every tournament is a new learning experience even if you win the tournament. I’ve played opponents and gotten beaten by them and they became my friends. Q: How far would you like to take your tennis? College? A: My goal is to be a professional. It’s difficult to get started. It’s about getting luck and getting a good draw. There is a different level of maturity. There is a huge difference in how people act on the court. You learn to be more independent, be very detailed about preparing for a match, going to bed on time, learning how to get around from place to place. Q: What parts of your game would you like to work on? A: I want to be an all court player, finishing at the net, using serve as a weapon, getting better fitness wise, working on footwork. Managing all of the tools in her game better. Q: What do you think most people who don’t play tennis don’t appreciate about your lifestyle as opposed to the lifestyle that other athletes and non athletes lead? A: The amount of travel it takes to be a tennis player.  Tennis is the only sport that doesn’t have an off-season, we go all year around. That is definitely difficult. Sometimes I have to miss 2-3 days a week and still get good grades at highly qualified classes and then go back to another tournament. This happens all year around so there is no time to be a normal teen. Sometimes I go months without seeing my friends. That’s the toughest thing about the sport—there is no break to rest your body and mind and be a normal person. Copyright 2010 Real Times Media Inc.

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