Let’s get started from the end.
If I had to shout one thing to summarize everything I’ve been through this year, it would be:
What a season!
Back in January, I kicked things off as a 4.1.
Now, as the curtain falls on this season, I stand as a 3.2.
That’s a whole category jump in less than 12 months.
The goal was to reach 3.1, and I missed it by just 20 points. Gosh...!
A single match. One more win.
Are you disappointed? Yes, it's a pity...
From 3.1, the tournament path is smoother.
You play fewer matches that count.
You don’t have to face those fierce, fearless kids training six days a week, seeing you as just another “ranking point” to be hunted down like prey.
You know what?
This 3.2 label it’s real. It’s honest. And that’s okay.
2.8 is still out there on the horizon and this journey is far from finished.
What This Season Taught Me
If I have to wrap the whole year in a few big lessons, they would be these:
-
Joy pays off.
Not sometimes. Not only when you win. But always. Joy is fuel. -
Focus pays off.
When I was able to give tennis my full attention, things moved forward. Quickly. -
Training is not optional.
I need to be stronger and fitter to play like I want.
But the real discovery was here, there is a mental limit.
My brain doesn’t yet trust my body.
It still whispers: “Be careful,” “Don’t twist too hard,” “Watch that ankle,”
Every decision on court, especially in those delicate moments, is filtered through a layer of self-protection.
Not the fear of losing the point.
But the fear of injury. The fear of the after.
Living and Playing as a STEMI Survivor
Since my STEMI in January 2024, there’s been this extra voice in my head.
It’s not negative. It’s not weak.
It’s protective.
It’s my brain doing its job, guarding the body from what it sees as threats.
A tweak, a pull, a sudden pain… and the alarm bells ring.
But I’ve realized something important this season:
If I want to really move forward, I need to reassure my brain.
I need to prove, through consistent, smart training, that my body is capable.
That it can move and recover.
That it can stretch and not snap.
Only then will the mind allow me to unleash the tennis I know I have.
The Horizon is Still There
I didn’t reach 3.1 this season but the leap was huge.
Let's keep going, all this It’s about playing with heart, and proving that it’s never too late to chase a dream.
The road to 2.8 is still wide open.
See you on court,
Il Tennista
