Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/560492
ITFWORLD SUMMER 2015 23 www.itftennis.com T here are some people that just gravitate to fame, relishing every moment they court attention. Despite being only 15 years old, that characterisation perfectly fits 2015 Wimbledon girls' champion Sofya Zhuk, who defeated fellow Russian and 12th seed, Anna Blinkova, 75 64 in the All England Club final. The day before the final, Zhuk said she couldn't wait to play on Wimbledon's No. 1 Court, which can seat over 11,000 spectators. There wasn't quite that number of fans in attendance, but it was clearly the largest crowd either girl had ever experienced. Zhuk didn't overestimate the intoxicating power of a large audience. "I love to play on this court," Zhuk said. "I'm just in love when so much people, everyone is supporting me, they're clapping their hands when there's a good point." Confident beyond her years, Zhuk understood holding her nerves helped her to victory. "Sometime, maybe, in other tournaments I had some losing concentration (moments)," she said. "But this tournament I was really focused on each game, each match. Here I controlled myself and I controlled each ball from the first ball to the end." Nowadays, Zhuk is only in her native Moscow half of the year when not off playing at tournaments. The other portion of time she's training at Justine Henin's academy in Belgium. While Henin isn't her day-to-day coach, the former seven-time Grand Slam champion, whose best showing at Wimbledon was two final appearances, is keeping tabs on the talented Zhuk. "They are all so happy," said Zhuk, when asked if she had heard from Henin after her Wimbledon victory. "She make congratulations to me." Tennis became a passion for Zhuk when she was five years old and saw her older brother out playing. She asked to take a turn and the minute he handed over his racket she was hooked by hitting tennis balls. The only one who might have been disappointed by her choice of tennis was her grandmother, who had pushed her towards a different sporting endeavor. "I began with gymnastics at three years old because my grandmother loved it and wanted me to try it," Zhuk said. "I saw my brother playing tennis and I ran onto the court and said, 'Let me try it one time.' I was like, 'Wow,' because I like games to play. It was goodbye gymnastics, I'm going to tennis." ZHUK TAKES THE LIMELIGHT