Hey there, fellow tennis enthusiasts It’s your girl Mia Johnson-Carter here, living the dream in Miami. I’m super excited to share some awesome news with you all about the incredible impact of tennis icons like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
Recently, I stumbled upon an article that caught my eye. It was about a podcast episode featuring former German tennis player Andrea Petkovic on “The AO Show.” Petkovic highlighted how Serena and Maria have broken several taboos related to the life of an athlete. These two legendary tennis players have managed to transcend the traditional image of athletes, becoming role models even off the tennis courts through their initiatives, businesses, and hobbies.
Petkovic revealed that previously, tennis players who had interests or hobbies outside of their sport were seen in a somewhat negative light. However, thanks to the contributions of Williams and Sharapova, having hobbies is now the norm in the life of an athlete. This shift is largely due to the media exposure they’ve received through social media.
Andrea Petkovic shared: “I always had my interests, my hobbies, my books, my writings and all these other things, but I almost never talked about them because I thought I had to focus on what I do, playing tennis. Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams changed everything. When I started, having more hobbies was a little frowned upon and I really think they were the first. They kind of took it to another level, they changed the narrative of an athlete in general, not just tennis players. And it was okay to do other things. And after that I felt much more comfortable talking about the things that I had and I always saw it as an addition, not a takeaway from my game. Something that can strengthen me mentally and not take away from me mentally.”
This trend is also reflected in the growing interest in women’s tennis. Initiatives like the Pacific Women and Girls in Tennis – Emerging Leaders workshop, which brought together eleven talented women from the Pacific region to learn, grow, and connect with each other, are crucial for fostering a more inclusive and supportive community within the sport (Figure 1).
In recent years, there’s been a significant rise in the search for “women in tennis,” with many fans and players alike celebrating the achievements of female athletes. This shift towards greater inclusivity is not only inspiring but also empowering for young players like myself.
If you want, you can check out the news where I found it here.
Yours truly,
Mia
###