I Was The #371 PLAYER IN THE WORLD. Then I QUIT - Here is Why!

Summary

In this video, a former professional tennis player shares his journey of reaching a career-high ranking of 371, only to quit the sport soon after due to financial struggles, loneliness, and the changing tennis landscape. Now, five years later, and close to 30 years old, he’s making a comeback after winning his first title in the 15K in Moralia. He reflects on his past decision, discusses his current motivations, and emphasizes that he’s now playing for personal fulfillment rather than money or ranking. He also talks about balancing tennis with building his My Tennis HQ community.

Takeaways

• 🎾 Five years ago, the speaker reached their career-high tennis ranking of 371 but decided to quit within six months.
• 💸 One reason for quitting was the lack of money, as tennis is an expensive sport to fund without sponsors.
• 😔 The speaker found the tennis lifestyle lonely and hard to adjust to after playing college tennis, which was a more team-oriented experience.
• ⚖️ The ATP introduced the controversial 'Transition Tour' in 2019, which forced players to start from scratch in rankings. This was a major factor in the speaker's decision to quit.
• 🏆 The speaker recently won a 15K title in Morelia, Mexico, marking their first title since deciding to return to professional tennis.
• 💡 The speaker now views their tennis comeback as a personal challenge rather than a career move focused on rankings or money.
• 👥 The speaker has built a supportive online community and business (MyTennisHQ), providing a sense of stability while pursuing their renewed tennis journey.
• 🙏 The speaker has no regrets about quitting earlier, as the past five years were filled with meaningful experiences, including working with top players like Naomi Osaka.
• 🌍 Coming from a small town in Brazil, the speaker is proud of the life they’ve built in the U.S. and the opportunities they've created beyond tennis.
• 📈 Now that they are approaching 30 years old, the speaker is more focused on playing tennis for enjoyment and personal growth, rather than chasing a ranking or career.

Q & A

What was the speaker’s career-high tennis ranking, and when did they achieve it?

The speaker achieved their career-high tennis ranking of number 371 in the world a little over five years ago.

Why did the speaker decide to quit professional tennis six months after reaching their career-high ranking?

The speaker quit professional tennis due to three main reasons: lack of money, dissatisfaction with the lifestyle, and the changes introduced by the ATP's transition tour.

How did the lack of money influence the speaker's decision to quit professional tennis?

Despite doing well in terms of results, the speaker was unable to secure enough sponsors and had difficulty making ends meet due to the low prize money at lower levels of professional tennis.

What did the speaker dislike about the lifestyle of professional tennis?

The speaker found professional tennis to be a lonely sport, especially compared to the more team-oriented experience they had while playing college tennis. They struggled with the constant travel, living out of a suitcase, and dealing with the mental toll of frequent losses.

What was the ATP's transition tour, and how did it affect the speaker’s career?

In 2019, the ATP introduced the transition tour, which created two separate rankings (ITF and ATP). This change made it harder for players like the speaker to advance, as they had to compete in ITF events to climb the rankings. The speaker found this system frustrating and it contributed to their decision to quit.

How did the speaker feel about their decision to quit professional tennis after reflecting on it five years later?

The speaker has no regrets about quitting professional tennis. They believe that leaving allowed them to pursue other interests, such as developing MyTennisHQ, and to find personal and professional fulfillment outside of tennis.

What was one of the first achievements of the speaker’s tennis comeback?

The speaker won their first title of the comeback at a 15K event in Morelia, Mexico, and they expressed pride in this achievement.

How does the speaker view their current tennis comeback at nearly 30 years old?

The speaker views their comeback as a personal challenge rather than a pursuit of rankings or money. They are focused on playing high-level tennis and are not overly concerned with the results.

What role has MyTennisHQ played in the speaker’s life after quitting professional tennis?

MyTennisHQ has provided the speaker with a platform to build an online tennis community and business, which has given them stability and fulfillment. They credit the development of MyTennisHQ to their decision to quit professional tennis.

How does the speaker handle uncertainty, and how did this affect their tennis career?

The speaker admits to struggling with uncertainty and overthinking, which made it difficult for them to handle the unpredictable nature of professional tennis. This inability to manage uncertainty was one of the reasons they quit the sport.