Tea Kovačević has delighted the Tennis Europe Junior Tour for the past few years.
As the site says Tennis Europesince she debuted in the 12&U category in 2022, she has grown at an incredible rate, winning more than 50 titles along the way.
They say her shelves are full of trophies and medals, including European Junior Championships, Junior Masters, Development Championships and numerous Category 1 wins. The numbers speak for themselves.
And the current European eighth on the list of tennis players 16&U and last year’s Player of the Year.
Below is her interview with the Tennis Europe portal.
How did you get started in tennis?
Well, when I was nine months old, I started walking and my dad put a racket in my hands and I started walking on the tennis court that we had behind the house. There’s a video about it, and then after six or seven months, dad wanted me, at one and a half years old, to roll some balls and swing a racket. So I started with some training, but then at the age of four I started training twice a day for a whole week. And then it just kept going. Sometimes three times a day. The schedule has always been a bit difficult, but maybe that’s why I’m here.
Okay, I assume you played a lot of junior tournaments in Bosnia and then traveled around Europe?
Yes, a lot… a lot!! My first tournament was in Croatia. I played U8 in Bosnia and Croatia. I was first in Croatia U10 and U12. I started traveling around Europe playing Tennis Europe Under 12s. I entered the 12&U Festival at the age of 11 – I got an invitation. That was my first big international tournament, and then the next year I won several 12&U Cat.1.
What city do you come from?
Gradiška, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the north near Croatia.
Where are you mostly based? Are you returning home to train in Bosnia or moving around a bit or are you based in another country?
Well, this year it was quite difficult to train at home because of all the tournaments. I was only home for a month and a half of the whole year. I trained with a lot of kids from the tournament and sometimes when I finish early, I go to the academies I’m at and train with the people there. Sometimes I go to Belgrade for training. So, I focused on travel and movement.
You’ve moved up to 14&U and are winning most of your matches in 16&U as well, and it all happened pretty quickly.
When I moved to Under 14, I also started playing Under 16. I was also in the Touring Team last year. This year I continued. I said to myself, ‘why don’t we try 16’, and I won three Cat.3s, and then I moved on to Cat.1. I didn’t say to myself, ‘ok, you have to win’, but more ‘you have to compare yourself to older players because if you want to go to professional tennis, you have to get used to it’. I told myself to accept it as a challenge. I had great performances at Cat.1 and it’s an amazing feeling when you win a tournament of that size. So that’s about how I got into 16.
As European junior champion up to 14 years old, were you looking forward to the invitation to Monte Carlo?
Yes, but I was trying to play Under 16 regardless of whether I was called up as Under 14! (laughs)
When you go from 14 to 16, what differences do you notice?
Great question and I’ve actually talked to my dad a lot about it when I play. In the older categories, I usually focus on myself because the older players hit harder and are stronger, more athletic. Every time I play against older girls, I try to play my best no matter what happens. I’m trying to keep the ball in play, not let them attack me. When I play ITFs, I play even better than at 16… I played even better, maybe it’s just because of age. When I see older players, I say to myself: ‘Okay, I’ll make myself proud, dad proud, I can do it, they’re not that much better’, you know, that’s my mentality when I play against seniors.
How do you combine education and school with travel and tennis?
I am currently going to an online school. So while I’m at tournaments, my teachers give me something to learn, then they give me tests, and I take tests when I’m at tournaments or when I’m at home.
Between matches, it sure isn’t much fun. If you want to talk or spend time with your friends, then you have to tell them “I have to study”!
(laughs) Sometimes it can be complicated, yes, but my school is very supportive.
Okay! And just thinking about favorites, in the tennis world, do you have a few favorite players, male or female, that you admire even now?
Professionally, my favorite among men is Novak Djokovic, and among women it has always been Osaka. I really love her…everything, I mean. But if I look at who is the best now, definitely Sabalenka. I’m a big fan, a big fan. And (Mirra) Andreeva… very surprising – she’s just amazing! I would like to start professional tennis as soon as she did. I’m really, really, really, really happy for her and her results and I hope to be like her one day!
Coming from a small country, you hear about you in the media. Do you feel that pressure and expectations?
Yes, when I look at my federation and the people who support me at home, yes, sometimes there can be pressure, like for example the European Junior Championships. When I see the Federation and the people from Bosnia who support me, who are my sponsors, sometimes I feel pressure if the tournament is important and you need to achieve results to support the sponsors. When I play big tournaments, I feel very, very much pressure, especially at the EJCs because it’s the biggest under-14 tournament in Europe or one of the best tournaments in the world. I was seeded second, so you know, if I lose before, like in the semifinals or something, it can be, “oh my god!” But, you know, pressure can’t keep me away from those results. I have to wear it, I have to get used to it… always. So I will try to do that!!
Regarding the Junior Tour, can you think of any tournaments that are your favorite, for whatever reason?
My personal favorites Tennis Europe 14&Us will definitely be Cat.1, like the one in Germany, Renningen, which I won. But because of the hotel, the club, everything was perfectly organized. The children were there too, a nice level of tennis. My team was there and I really enjoyed it … and in the Super Category in Düren as well. My personal favorites in 16&Us were in Tolentino Cat.1 in Italy and Sarajevo Cat.1 as well, precisely because of the organization and the people. Beautiful.
As for the pro tournament, are there any tournaments you would like to play in?
Wimbledon has always been my favourite. I wanted to be invited to the under 14s, but I guess, yeah, we’re going towards the 18s and the pros now (laughs)… but yeah, Wimbledon has always been my favourite!
What are your career goals?
Top three WTA and, if I can, my main goal is to win the calendar Grand Slam!
That’s a good goal to have!! You play a lot in pairs, do you have a preference?
You know, maybe I’m better at doubles, honestly. But yes, I’m here for singles and couples! Many times they hit me and sometimes it happens that I don’t even try, but somehow I get the ball back! (laughter)
Have you played mixed doubles?
Once in your life! I played Big Mo last year in December in Miami. I played mixed doubles with one in 2009 from Luxembourg, Evan Palumbo. And we won the Under 14 doubles, without losing a single match in the entire tournament.
(Vijesti.ba)
