FIJI Tennis representative Sina Izumi hopes to inspire and encourage younger girls as she competes in the ongoing Vodafone Suva Open Tennis Championship.
The 16-year-old who has represented the country in a number of international tournaments is not only playing to win but to also prove that girls like her and younger can thrive and excel in the sport of tennis.
The number of female participants on tennis is something that sport vies to improve, and Izumi hopes that her performance will be enough to spark the interests of other females.
“I hope they look up to me because I try to be an inspiration to younger children, younger girls especially in this competition since we are playing in Suva which is my home ground
“I think you go through a lot of ups and downs when you play tennis so I think consistency, I would tell them to be consistent in this sport and be confident in their play. I think you should play tennis because it is a great sport and just work hard,” she said.
At just 14-years-old, Izumi who studies at International School Suva waved Fiji’s flag at the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
Her priceless experience from there build the confidence she has in her game today.
“I have been competing in a few junior international tournaments, but I think the Pacific Games was my second really major tournament
“I had to adapt to the environment, but I think it was great experience, I made a lot of friends, and I had to take tennis a lot more serious back then, I was really nervous most of the time.
“Going there I was really nervous to play at first but as a I played more matches there, I got kind of used to it, I was quite young at the time, so I guess I a lot of my confidence was from there,” she said.
Izumi comes from a family that adores and actively participates in tennis.
She grew up watching the sport and eventually got involved in it but what made her stay was the feeling of winning and realising that she has the potential to excel in this sport.
The Suva Open will conclude tomorrow.