22 March 2019

Have racket, will travel!

Rosanna Ball

Rosanna loves to travel and we caught up with her where else but at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca. Before she could make her geataway by scooter we found out why tennis is so important to her

"We were lucky enough to have courts at school so I started playing tennis there and we had an excellent club nearby. Over the years I have moved around the UK and lived abroad a lot and playing tennis has enabled me to join clubs and make new friends with a common interest wherever I end up.

 
Tennis has taught me to be competitive, work out how to improve, cope with disappointment, work in a team, to never give up and many valuable life skills. As well as offering great exercise, fresh air and fun!

I joined the league 4 years ago and at that point had barely ever played a competitive singles match. I had previously played typical club doubles matches. I thought I’d try it and it worked incredibly well with my work schedule, enabling me to play more tennis. I’ve met some great fellow players.

Has it improved my game? Absolutely. Even if I don’t win, I’ve had some great matches and I know I’m getting better. I had some good success in the Norwich Womens Tennis League. Playing in the league has also enabled me to improve my LTA rating and it’s given me the confidence to play a few tournaments. First of all I went to the Academy because I’m a huge fan of Rafa and meeting him was possibly the highlight of my life! But the tournament offered me a chance to just play tennis for a whole week in the sunshine. It definitely improved my game, gave me the opportunity to play on clay and meet new friends. This year I returned even though I knew Rafa would be away in California. The trip is great value and good fun and I want to improve my world ranking! 

I use my scooter to get around the complex as it’s big! Also Majorca is a great island with much to explore, my scooter gets me to buses and trains for free and quicker than waiting for a taxi. Plus if I have to pay Ryanair luggage for my rackets, I’m going to completely fill that bag!"

 

The next round of the Norwich Parks Tennis League starts on 9 May, the Womens League starts on 23 May and the doubles on 27 June. Join here!