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Noah Rubin’s “Behind The Racquet” with Karolina Muchova • Tennis | 10sBalls

By TennisBalls Staff
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Updated: June 11, 2021

Editor’s note: 10sBalls thanks Noah Rubin for giving us permission to repost these great stories.

“I dealt with so many injuries I did not have a junior career. I hardly had a ranking and played few tournaments. I matured very late. I was short until age 16, then I started to grow quickly. I had problems with my knees, elbows and back. I played with pain then it got worse. I think I had every injury until I grew into my body. Over the last few years, I have been trying to reduce my injuries. They never go away but I have found a way to listen to my body.

At 18, I started to play some $10,000 events. There was a lot of financial pressure because you are playing small tournaments and sometimes losing in the first round. But I believed in myself because I saw other girls who had similar game styles and had achieved good rankings. Deep down, I knew I could make it. In 2019, my ranking rose from number 140 to number 21. I had good results in a few big tournaments and it was a quick rise to the top. But then it was hard to think about how you got there and how to stay there. The next year was tough because it was the first time I was seeded in a Grand Slam and everyone expects you to do well. If you have big goals, there will always be pressure. I felt pressure to break into the Top 30 but now I feel pressure because I want more.

I have been working on my mental game because it is an important factor on the court. I am trying to enjoy tennis but also enjoy life. I tried a new mental coach and liked working with him. It is good to realize things in your personal life that you can improve to become a better person on and off the court. Now, when I travel for tournaments, I try to look beyond the tennis court.”

Karolina Muchova (@karolinamuchova)