Botswana’s Ekua Youri dreams of becoming a world-class tennis player and playing in Grand Slam events one day.
Youri, who is based in Spain, is currently a student-athlete at Barcelona Tennis Academy as she builds on her experience on the global stage.
In recent times, the 17-year-old tennis sensation has demonstrated that seeding does little to gauge the chances of one’s ability to win a tournament.
In March 2021, Youri won an Open under 18 Catalan Federation tournament in Barcelona, she then went on to make a podium finish at the J5 La Nucia tournament in Spain and the 2021 Confederation of African tennis championship.
In the last six months competing, Youri reached her highest world junior ranking of 330. This achievement means the Spain-based player can now look forward to playing in International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Grand Slam tournaments in 2023.
Speaking to Tatenda Gondo, Youri chats about her recent performance at the Rafal Nadal Junior tournament and reveals her aspirations for the future.
Thank you Ekua for taking the time to chat with us. You recently participated at the Rafal Nadal Junior tournament, and performed quite well. What was it like reaching the quarter-final round?
The Rafal Nadal tournament was very competitive, and I am thrilled that I managed to reach the quarter-finals. I played two competitive games, and I am glad I still managed to reach the quarter-final of such a prestigious tournament. Remember, this was my first tournament of the year, and I was coming out of pre-season.
We can only imagine! As a young athlete, what are some of the challenges you face and how do you overcome them?
I found it difficult to deal with defeats and every so often you face competitors that are very competitive, especially when I am playing against my close friends.
When heading into a competition, people are expecting me to win. Hence, I feel under pressure to deliver and this makes me nervous to the extent that I sometimes opt not to participate in the tournament or competition.
However, I have a very supportive team, my coaches Raphael Maurer and Luis Scarda always encourage me to focus on enjoying the game and to give my best effort on the court. Furthermore, my father helps me to overcome some of the obstacles – I remember he used to force me out of bed to go for training or competitions.
May you please tell us a brief history about yourself.
I was born in England on the 12th of January 2005. At the age of 3 year, I picked up a racket and a tennis ball for the first time and instantly fell in love with the sport. After travelling all over the world, I noticed that I had something special and believed I had a real chance to become a professional tennis player.
However, my life was not just about tennis, I picked up several sports along the way such as swimming, athletics and gymnastics. I realized that to become a professional tennis player I needed to make sacrifices, which included relocating to better my chances. At the age of 14, I moved to Spain and became a student-athlete at the Barcelona Tennis Academy. Ever since I relocated to Spain, my game has improved tremendously, and I am aiming to play in the junior grand slam event.
What do you think you have improved the most since you started playing at Barcelona Tennis Academy?
I think my serve has improved tremendously, especially my first serve. I am now serving with more confidence and I also think that my determination has improved generally in the way I do things.
Thus far, what would you consider as your greatest achievement in tennis?
Winning the 2021 J5 La Nucia (Trofeo Jr, David Ferrer) tournament in Spain. The tournaments in Spain are very competitive, and winning one last year was a huge confidence booster for me.
What are some of the challenges you have faced as an African player based outside the continent, and how do you navigate those challenges?
Many people underestimate me, and they do not believe that I am as good as them because I am from Africa. So, each time I am on the court, I do my best just to prove them wrong.
Which tennis player or athletes in general do you look up to?
It has to be Serena Williams! She has always been my role model as she is strong and confident. Serena faced so many challenges in her career and she managed to overcome them.
What role have your parents played in moulding you to become a better player?
My parents put up a tremendous amount of effort into supporting my tennis journey. This has not always been easy since they had to drive me all over the country and even took me abroad to Europe and Africa so that I could fulfil my dream. On top of all this, they have always provided me with the right equipment so I can perform to the best of my ability using the right tools.
On a more easygoing note, what music do you listen to get pumped?
I usually listen to American rap as it has lots of energy, and it gets me into the zone.
What are some of your dreams and aspirations?
My goal is to become a professional tennis player and play in the grand slam event and also win a grand slam title.
Photo 1 Caption: Botswana’s Ekua Youri dreams of becoming a world-class tennis player and playing in Grand Slam events one day. Photo: Supplied
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