Former Wimbledon Jr. Champ Sofya Zhuk: I like the idea of working around tennis

Former Wimbledon junior champion Sofya Zhuk recently announced an indefinite break from the tennis circuit due to chronic injuries which made it difficult for her to pursue her tennis goals.

The 20 year old says she is now looking at alternate career options which may include modelling and even possibly something related to tennis.

Speaking to the WTA Tour website, Zhuk, the 2015 Wimbledon junior singles champion, says, “I like modelling a lot, but to be realistic, I’m already looking ahead of it. Yes, I’m signed to an agency, but it’s not as though the contract guarantees a certain number of photoshoots and how much money I’m going to make. You may have a month where you make as much as you need to pay all of your expenses but you never know if that will be the case every month."

“These days, it’s really safe to have a stable situation. Modeling is fun; it’s hard to do a shoot, especially physically. It’s not something I can rely on longterm. It’s no more than a five to seven year career before new girls come along. Even tennis has a longer career!”

Zhuk says she may also want to work around tennis. "I like the idea of working around tennis, being able to help players with the experience I gained from being on the inside. I feel like I can relate to the players on a different level, something that comes from when you’ve been on the tour as opposed to being something like an outsider.”

The 20 year old says, "No matter what I’m doing, even if I’ve a busy or stressful day, I’m able to come home at the end of it. There’s that feeling of not having to pack suitcases, not having to travel 38 hours to Australia, not having to deal with body pains all the time.

“I feel like I’m on a path to finding myself, and I feel better inside, where I can feel happier knowing that I’m healthier. My body is taking time to relax and my mind is better because I’m not nearly as stressed. It’s kind of different but it makes me feel more settled and happier inside.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2YA3Hm5