Like that of Paul McCartney, Katherine Sebov’s path has been long and winding. He still took her to the Australian Open. At 24, the Torontonian came home to win and move on, hoping to break through once and for all.
Sebov did not reach the US Open final at 19 like Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Annie Fernandez. She also did not receive the label of prodigy like Eugenie Bouchard at a certain time.
The Canadian still criss-crosses the ITF $25,000 tournaments and the qualifying rounds. What’s more, she wins. Last weekend in Toronto, she won her third career ITF title.
“It’s the result of what I’ve done before. The work I put in over the past few years is paying off today. I have confidence in my abilities, I know more and more where I am with my game and what I have to do to win, ”she revealed two days after her victory.
Sebov’s name is probably unknown to many. Even for tennis fans. His success might not be the most outsized, but it’s still worthy of note as there are various avenues to earn a permanent spot on the WTA Tour. What the 199 dreams ofe world racket.
His development cannot be compared to that of Andreescu or Fernandez. Two prodigies, two generational players, two exceptional cases.
To diminish Sebov’s success by comparing him to that of his compatriots would be unfair, as his reality is closer to that of the majority of professional tennis players.
I personally believe that it’s better to hatch a little later, because it gives you a chance, in my experience, to mature as a person, rather than having to deal with the pressure of the circuit too young.
Katherine Sebov
Sebov has several tools in her chest and the way she plays, behaves and improves since the start of the season, her chances of playing on the best circuit in the world increase with each tournament. “The day I achieve more success, I will be able to handle it better than if I had to do it as a teenager. »
Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur and Caroline Garcia, third, fourth and fifth respectively in the world rankings, all emerged from the shadows in their mid-twenties. Previously, they have been chomping at the bit in lesser tournaments and circuits. From now on, they sit at the top of women’s tennis.
This type of course, developed later, must also be taken as an example, as Sebov points out. “There are people who play for 10 years on the ITF circuit. They play because they love their sport, not because they make a lot of money […]. And to some extent, they deserve more respect than someone who hatches super fast. These people should not be looked down upon. »
From Melbourne to Toronto
In January, Sebov managed to qualify for the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. She beat three players in qualifying, but was unlucky: the draw gave her a first-round duel against Garcia. She lost in two sets of 6-3 and 6-0. Nevertheless, this rich experience has given him a good way to go for the rest of the season. “I had a lot of time there to watch the other players. It allowed me to compare myself and see how it worked on a daily basis on the circuit. »
PHOTO FROM TENNIS CANADA WEBSITE
Katherine Sebov
Being able to observe and rub shoulders with the best, in real life rather than on video, has also been beneficial for him to learn at great speed.
One thing is certain, the Ontarian is convinced that she can make her mark.
It allowed me to see that I could play at a high level and that I could compete with players of this caliber. I’m on the right track.
Katherine Sebov
A few weeks later, she triumphed at home in Toronto. “Every corner, every terrain is familiar. I train on this surface, I play all the time on these courts, ”she relaunches on the fact of having been able to evolve on familiar ground.
She had taken a break to focus fully on training after her Australian adventure. This tournament was used in particular as a refresher course. “Winning is a nice bonus,” she says. I had no expectations. In fact, I never create expectations before a tournament. I just want to play as many matches as possible. »
Sebov’s big goal would be to last. To have a career spanning several years. That’s why she doesn’t keep a list of short-term goals to tick off in the weeks or months to come. When she dreams, she thinks long term.
His path may be longer and more winding, but every detour is an opportunity to learn and grow. Smooth or rocky, Sebov will get to the end of his road the same way: “Head down, working hard, and most importantly, being myself. »