Ayako started playing tennis in 2007, and had never even held a tennis racquet until then. She took tennis classes at Waubonsee Community College and tennis became her favorite sport. Soon after the tennis classes were done, she was able to join the NITTL league and started to play doubles tennis competitively. Ayako says ”I lost many matches for the first two to three years of playing tennis, but after the third year, I started to play better and finally started to have some wins! It was very exciting!”
Ayako joined the Gladiator Tennis League in the spring of 2011, playing singles for the first time. “Starting Gladiator was a little funny for me since I made a mistake and signed up for the 4.0 league instead of the 3.5 league. I know I could have changed my skill level, but I decided to try and see how much I could do at the higher level. I didn’t win many, but I didn’t lose too badly either… Playing singles improved my tennis tremendously.
One reason I enjoy Gladiator Tennis is because I can play singles with no pressure for the outcome of the matches, since I play for myself and not for a team. It’s an opportunity to try new techniques and is good practice for team matches. I also enjoy meeting new players and I like to play tennis according to my schedule.
I still can’t believe that I became Gladiator of the Year. I am very pleased.“
Robert has accomplished much in his 6 years with the league. He won the playoffs in 2007, and has finished as a 5.0 finalist in 2009 and 2012. The league has been built around players like Robert who have played every season since we began in 2007.
Robert is a lifelong tennis player, and his competitive career began in high school. In his senior year, he played #1 doubles. Then in 96' and 97' he played #1 singles at Elgin Community College and was runner up both years in Conference and Regionals. He also played #1 doubles and was Conference Champion both years and went down to Nationals in ‘97. Robert says, “College tennis was a great thrill for me. My best moment was my first ever college match in 96': I beat the #4 nationally ranked player who was from Harper College and won the match 6-4, 6-4. Robert says another special accomplishment was earning the #1 spot in singles and doubles at Northern Illinois University in 97'.
Robert discovered Gladiator Tennis 6 years ago when he saw a flyer at a Starbucks coffee shop. He says, “The experience with Gladiator has been great because it allowed me to play competitively again and meet some wonderful people. I will be a gladiator for life, and have been very happy with my experience and what I have accomplished in the league”
Bob has played in the league for 4 years in our top flight division. In 3 postseason appearances, he has made the finals of the 5.0 draw every time. In 2012 he finally won it all, defeating Robert Fishman in a 3rd set tiebreaker in the finals.
How would you like to have a tennis court in your backyard? If you are passionate about the game, this might be a dream come true for you. Robert indeed has a tennis court in his backyard where he happily hosts his Gladiator matches. Tennis is a passion in his family, enjoyed by his parents and his kids. Bob says, ”Tennis is a great sport. I can think of no other activity as demanding both mentally and physically which I can reasonably expect to play for a lifetime. Less active alternatives such as bowling or golf have a potential advantage in that they don't require opponents of similar ability. In truth, they can be played alone. That simply is not the case with tennis. To play, we need opponents roughly equal to ourselves, otherwise we simply are not likely to enjoy the game in the long term.
That's the beauty of Gladiators. Sign up. In a blink of an eye, you're introduced to seven or eight similar players. Matches are set up. Half, no more than 30 minutes away. The others, in your own back yard”
You can’t be any more successful than Ryan has been in Gladiator Tennis. In his first year in the league, he won the 4.0 playoffs in 2011. In 2012, he won the 4.5 playoffs! Ryan is part of a growing contingent of players from the city of Chicago and near north suburbs.
Ryan got hooked on tennis when he saw Pete Sampras playing at Wimbledon. He played other sports growing up, and the athletic ability developed throughout his childhood transferred easily into tennis. He quickly found that he had more passion for tennis than any other sport he had played. Throughout high school, Ryan played on the varsity squad and made the state tournament his senior year. Ryan took a break from tennis going into college, but after finishing he realized he missed the game. Ryan says, “Gladiator Tennis feeds the passion I have for the game. The league is outstanding and the people I meet have all been very competitive, passionate, and overall good people. I look forward to playing each season now and it’s fun to watch the league continue to grow.”
Cristina finished as champion for the 2nd time this year. Her first title came in our first year of the women’s league, 2008. Cristina’s return to Gladiator after having her first child has set the bar of competition a notch higher for the rest of the women in our top level.
Cristina started taking tennis lessons when she was 8 years old. She began competing in national tournaments when she was about 10 in her native country of Romania. She played all throughout high school at the “AS Club Sanatatea” Tennis Club in Bucharest, Romania. After graduating high school, she received a full tennis scholarship at Chicago State University. In her freshman year she played #1 on her team but quickly realized that Division 1 College Tennis is very competitive. She went on to play numbers 4, 3 and 2 the rest of the years at CSU. She was named Tennis Player of the week 5 times, and she was part of both first and second Mid-Conference tennis teams throughout her career there. Cristina graduated magna cum laude and on the first Mid-Con Conference Athletic Academic Team in 2006.
Cristina says ”Since I played with Gladiator in 2008, more and more talented women are joining this league which makes for great (and FUN) competition. I have always enjoyed playing tennis in the Gladiator Tennis League and it gives me a chance to meet many talented tennis players in the area. For someone who wouldn't be able to commit to a set schedule (mainly due to my 1 year old’s never ending energy) it is refreshing to be in a league where I can contact my opponent for the week and work out a schedule that would fit both of us.”
Phil has an amazing story that makes the rest of us tennis lifers jealous. Phil had never played competitive tennis prior to this year, walked into the league and won the 4.0 playoffs! One of the reasons he picked up the game so easily was his experience in other sports – he has played at high levels in hockey and soccer throughout his life.
Phil is from Portugal, and is attending medical school in Chicago. He has been training at different schools throughout his pursuit of a medical degree, so Chicago was a temporary stop for him in 2012. He found a flyer at a Starbucks in Chicago, and thought it would be an easy way to engage in a sport that he had only been able to play with friends in Portugal. Phil says, “I highly recommend Gladiator Tennis to anyone who likes to play the game!”
Before beginning competitive tennis 3 years ago, sports had always been a part of Laura’s life. Laura grew up with a father who was an athlete, and she was one of 8 sisters who he taught to always play hard and give 100%. Having no formal training in tennis, a good friend introduced her to Gladiator in 2010, and she has been playing ever since. Her tenacity and determination led to winning the 3.5 playoffs this year, after finishing as a finalist in 2011. Laura says, “I have met a ton of great competitors and made some great friendships through Gladiator Tennis. I love playing, and I’m looking forward to next year!”
Andrew started playing tennis in college about ten years ago. Some of his friends from high school who played on the team didn't have anyone to play with so he began as a stand in and was surprised by how much he enjoyed it. His enthusiasm for the game grew as he played, and by watching the pros in grand slam events while he was in college.
In 2009, Andrew found a flyer for Gladiator Tennis at a Starbucks on the bulletin board and made his first foray into competitive tennis. Andrew says, “Gladiator is extremely convenient and affordable. The competition has always been matched pretty evenly and it's the best way to meet new people who love the sport. I started off playing tennis with the idea that it wasn't really an important sport, but then fell in love with the game. I’m lucky to have found a steady way to stay in the game through Gladiator Tennis”
Tina started playing recreational tennis in college, and continued to play for a couple of years after she was out of school. Then life got busy and she stopped playing. She decided to start playing again about three years ago with friends and eventually started going to drills. When Tina heard about the Gladiator League she decided it was time to try competitive tennis, and she found it was a great way to get experience with playing competitive matches, beyond just hitting the ball around with friends and in drills. After a few Gladiator matches, she decided to join a USTA team too. Tina says, “This was my second season of Gladiator and I'm also starting on my second year in the USTA, and I love doing both. I'm looking forward to more fun and great matches with Gladiator next year!”
Jorge started playing tennis when he was about 8 years old with his dad. His dad would play with a bunch of his friends and Jorge would occasionally come to watch and play a bit with them. Jorge has been hooked on the game since then. In high school he played throughout his 4 years there but organized competition for him ended when he graduated. This year, Jorge saw Gladiator tennis through a friend's posting on Facebook, and thought that it would be a great opportunity to get back into competitive tennis. Jorge says, “I enjoyed my time with all my opponents and thought the league was well organized. I can't wait for next year’s season to start.”.
