A New Age: Young

When I began playing tennis, at the age of 18, I soon realized that I had lost my chance. The great warriors of tennis don't start playing in high school or middle school. The best players are are born with racquets in hand. They are reared on tennis courts; learning precision form and taking lessons from highly qualified instructors. I never knew this was the case til I saw just how good some high school players are. One high school match I went to was right across from a tennis academy and we could see 5 and 6 year olds practicing precision serves and backhands as we struggled to put power into our forehands. It's amazing to watch players who have played since they were that young. They have a gifted flow in everything they do. Theses gifted athletes are also going pro sooner than ever before. Melanie Oudin was only 17 when she turned professional and she appeared in Wimbledon and the U.S. Open as a fierce competitor. This shows that a younger generation is coming through the ranks and this generation possesses the same strengths and skills as the modern stars of tennis.