I'm So Sad Today
A sad day today... Not on the scale of anything I read here that happen to people but on my scale, its a frustrating disappointment for a tennis playing mom.
As you know I live in Spain with my son who is a junior international tennis player. We have been out it Spain for the last 6 years so he could train at a tennis academy full time. He is schooled online and is sitting on a 4.0 GPA
He works hard on and off the court... He needs more development yet, so still more work to be done.
Its all very expensive, he has no sponsorship, well except the one big sponsor he has - HIS DAD ! He works tremendously hard back in the UK to afford everything he needs, not only in equipment and educational tuition but in on court training, gym training, physiotherapy etc.
My boy appreciates every last thing and works tremendously hard too doing something he loves. He eats healthily, balancing his nutrition etc, doing the stuff to make sure he is fit and ready for every match....
So yesterday was a tremendous disappointment for him.... He was competing in Portugal in a high level tournament, battling with another boy in a match who was ranked significantly higher than my son. My son took the first set 7-6 so a real battle.... His coach, who was with him, said he has never seen him play this well, he had everything on court and was really enjoying the match...
Then disaster struck...
He had had a niggling ache in his stomach, nothing serious and in training last week he had said it felt tight so he was doing all the usual things.
But during the match, with the exertion of the battle, the tightness had got worse and at the end of the set, he could not serve. The physio came on but he couldnt do anything that would improve the situation so my son had no alternative but to retire from the match...😓
I feel gutted for him. His coach said he was 'playing his socks off' and the level they were playing at was very impressive.
So, tournament next week in Casablanca cancelled, flights changed and we fly back to the UK for physio. Yes I know what you are asking... there are physios in Spain but like any other athlete, once you get used to one physio who understands your body and gets recovery from issues rapidly, no one else will do! So hes back from Portugal today and we fly back tomorrow.
We have two weeks then he has to play.. there are coaches from schools in the USA coming to watch him and he is desperate to make sure they see the very best of him... another reason hes so disappointed about yesterday. It would have given him a lot of international points and been a really good development in his journey.
But I suppose in the grand scheme of things, looking back in months to come, this will be a very small bump in the journey.
We all have these bumps in what we do and at the time they seem so huge, like mountains, that we cant overcome but putting them in perspective and appreciating that all the adversity we face, makes us stronger in what will come that, yes there will be more bumps along the way but they will not affect us as much because we know we have the experience behind us to draw on.
Thanks for reading, feels better to share.....
Recent Comments
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Sorry to hear of your son's difficulty. While I was reading it, I thought you were going to say he was having an appendicitis attack. Thankful it wasn't that...he would have been out of commission a lot longer. Hope he's healing well.
Yes and you have made me think that it could have been sooo much worse ! That is such a positive !
It sounds like he pushes himself to be at the top of his game!
I hope he recovers quickly!
S
He does... he loves the challenge of the match and hates to withdraw. he was winning so the pain is greater...
Your child's career is not easy, especially because of the level of competition in tennis. Of course, all the support that the family provides is essential. Strength and move on!
Thanks Claudio... One step we have made is that when an injury gets too painful, he actually says something and stops playing... he has in the past, carried on and refused to stop, doing more damage... so now he has learned that if he stops, he recovers better and more quickly. So thankyou for your kind words.. !
Its a bummer Helen but all types of successful people have ups and downs. As you say this will make your lovely family unit stronger - Upward and onwards.
Best Regards Mike
Thanks Mike... hes on his way home right now from the tournament and we have the physio all booked ready for him. Just feel for him...
Oh Helen, you are both being very sensible and brave about this. Such a big disappointment. Your great attitude will help. It is only a bump in the road.
Wishing you both success.
Lily 😊
Thanks so much Lily... I know its not serious and he will be back competing soon but its whats perceived as a missed opportunity and I have to not think about that but about the positives. He's not broken a leg or torn a shoulder, and the time he's off will be short, and he can use it wisely revising for his ACT that is as important but he lives to play... its only a bump... 😁
Take heart Helen. It shall pass.
Bumps make traveling not just a routine task but also an experience. What matters is how you navigate and not let the bumps throw you off.
Hold on tight.
Can’t wait to see your son as a big tennis star 💫!
Thankyou Jane !! He dreams of the day hes walking on court at Roland Garros and Wimbledon... It will happen and I will share it here !
He's got an important tournament in 2 weeks then another couple of weeks training then 3 weeks in Kenya so really wants to be ready for those.
Sometimes it’s really hard to put perspective on things, and no matter how you stack the answers you still feel sad, For me what works is gratitude, being right here right now in the moment and saying out loud the things today I am grateful for.
sometimes it’s easy to forget and sometimes we may even feel a little resentful, but once gratitude comes knocking at your door, and you invite them in for coffee, you tend to find the other negative feelings leave the party.....
Good luck with everything and hopefully your son will make a speedy recovery ...xxx
Thanks so much Cordelia ! You are right.. I'm not resentful of anything my son has done but that is the feeling I have, resentful that this has happened to him right now, at an important moment. But... I am grateful that its nothing serious. Its not something that will keep him out of playing longterm. He had had one or two minor bumps along the way which he has bounced back from but nothing at a point quite so important to him as this tournament.
My boy is very magnanimous though. He wished his opponent the best of luck in the rest of the tournament and and messaged me saying 'its okay mom. I was playing so well, so focused and it felt great.. I was calm and really pleased with how I played.'
Your son is indeed a good sportsman and with his mature and calm mentality heading for far greater things... good luck 👍
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Hi Helen,
As a parent myself and having been involved with the lads in the pursuit of their desire, I can connect with your experience.
But I must appreciate your approach to it all, particularly your conclusion.
It is not a failure it is another lesson in the journey to stardom.
It is like this, "withdraw, recoup (recover) and relaunch" with a new and fresh strength.
I wish the lad all the best and big thanks to you and daddy for being there for him. (I love it when I see parents giving good support to the aspiration of their children)
Segun
thankyou Según, We are so lucky, he is an amazing boy, so determined and dedicated and we are so lucky we get to take this journey with him, amazing experiences. Its a frustrating thing to happen but he will bounce back and we will have more successes to come !