Satisfaction in the Progress

Tell us a bit about yourself.

The name's Junman, 33, 5ft 9 with the aura of 5ft 10. Planning Radiographer at the Royal Surrey County Hospital by day, and a pseudo tennis pro by night.

When did you first start playing tennis and what was your early tennis experience like?

First picked up a racket as a small kid but gave up pretty quickly, as I was awful. Tried my hand again in 2011 at university, after years of being inspired by the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer. I was still terrible but I was determined to be better. Feels like a lifetime ago! There was a break in my tennis 'career' after finishing my post grad but I got back into the swing of things in 2015 at SSP and been playing ever since.

What got you started in Local Tennis Leagues?

As my game improved at club level and in the doubles settings, I found myself hungering for singles. I wanted to test myself and had heard some of my club mates joined Local Tennis Leagues. Naturally, I was curious and followed suit. As a fierce competitor, I wanted to see how my rankings/WTN compared with others.

What are some highlights from your time with LTL and tennis in general?

The LTL provides a chance to play against people of varying styles. It's the closest I'll be (maybe?) to getting that feeling of a real ATP match. I've even had passers by applaud the rallies. Had the games been recorded they would have made for a great highlight reel.

Biggest highlight thus far has got to be watching Rog's final professional match at the Laver Cup. I was lucky to have tickets and it was a real privilege to witness the end of an era. Meeting my partner at the club, however, comes a close second.

What have been some of the benefits of LTL and tennis for you?

Aside from the obvious physical and mental health benefits, it's simply fun playing and socialising with others. For me personally, it has been an outlet to vent out frustrations of work. There's also a real satisfaction of seeing everyone (and yourself) make progress. It also gives you a good excuse to eat mountains of food. Makes me feel like I've 'earned' it ;-)

What is your tennis claim to fame?

I've placed 2nd in the league a few times and came joint 1st in one round, only to lose out on top spot thanks to a worse H2H. I've also featured on the LTL Instagram story for the Tie Break Tens event. Hoping to be in the winner's circle next time!

Why would you recommend LTL to others?

I wouldn't just recommend LTL, I'd encourage everyone to grab a racket and mate(s), and take to the court for a knock up. The beauty of the game is anyone and everyone can play, no matter age or level. For those newbies patience is key. It took me 6 months to develop a semi-decent backhand.

So what are you waiting for?!
 

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about?

I'm a gent off the court but a demon on it.

I accept all challenges. Insta: @junman_vs_food

Join players like Junman in your nearest League! Find yours here.