It feels like just yesterday that I was a junior, and boy what a difference! I remember when just three years ago I was a junior and playing in Italy with the team I had grew to love over years of playing with them. It was a great year and our junior team put up a splendid effort and we ended up doing pretty well.

 

Now that I am on the women’s team for my third year, it is very easy to see the differences between the two divisions. In juniors, the thrill of competition and perfecting my game was the full center of focus for me. In juniors, I learned some of my most important tennis knowledge and was introduced to the spirit of competition in World Team Cup. I developed a strong love for the game and a never ending addiction to the feeling of accomplishment. Now I play here in South Africa on the women’s team, and while the same spirit of competition exists, there is now a different focus on the results. Now more focus is put on connecting all of the elements of juniors in match play and trying to advance as a team.

 

Although our team has bowed out of this year’s WTC due to illness, I am looking forward to coming together as a team next year to do whatever it takes to win in Korea in 2012. I will forever cherish and remember my time in juniors for it has helped shape the player I am today.