Stampfli prepares for Yucatan Junior CupBy JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH Sunday, September 23 2012
Tennis ace, Breana Stampfli will have her first competitive attempt at a Grade One tournament when she serves off in the 26th edition of the Yucatan Junior Cup, scheduled for November 19 - 24 in Mexico.
The multiple national junior female champion recently concluded a hectic International Tennis Federation (ITF) Juniors campaign which ran throughout the Caribbean over the July/ August period. Even though the young tennis player did not medal at these events, she expressed high levels of optimism toward the season’s remaining tourneys.
With the Yucatan Cup just over two months away, Stampfli revealed that she may use the forthcoming Pan American Championships (October) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to further her preparations for the Mexico tournament.
“I’m thinking about attending the Pan Am to help me better my chances at the Yucatan Cup. This competition should give me the right amount of preparation for Mexico. This competition (Yucatan) will be of a higher standard seeing that’s it’s a Grade One tournament, so I’ll have to be in good shape,” she explained.
At the JITIC Junior tournament last year, Stampfli attained two wild cards for a Grade One and Grade Three meet. She has opted to finally put her Grade One to use at the Yucatan.
When Stampfli received her wild card in 2011, the St Joseph’s Convent (Port-of-Spain) student hoped to use them to increase her competitive consistency on the international circuit. Well aware of the high standard of competition, Stampfli revealed that her training has been amplified, but not changed.
“I’m hoping to do well. Presently I’m working on my serve and would like to get a lot of match-play in. The more exposure and experience, the better for me and my tennis. I’m just keeping fit right now,” she said.
Stampfli continued, “I know it’s going to be harder to get through the rounds (qualifying) but I can’t be constantly playing in the smaller regional tournaments. The only way for me to really achieve what I want is to go out and face the bigger competition. I have to dream big,” she added.
Currently ranked at 460th among the world’s junior females, Stampfli’s July/ August circuit has proven to be a success. The young player also admitted that she used this time to catch a first-hand experience of the US Open, which was held from August 27 - September 9.
“I got the chance to see my mentor Roger Federer in action. This was so amazing. The tennis played in America is so much different from Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.
“It’s much more fast-paced. This is why I want to increase my game-play, to get into competitions of this calibre (US Open),” she continued.
With a decorated history of local and international exposure, Stampfli is eager to further her athletic development and creat history for TT on the global tennis courts.
