Tracy Austin: You have to go out e think how I'm going to execute and win

Former World No. 1 Tracy Austin was on a live chat with the International Tennis Hall of Fame's Facebook's page this past weekend where she spoke about having her family back home during the current lockdown as well as her own career.

Austin, who won the US Open in 1979 and 1981 and is one of the top tennis commentators today, said, "I think pressure is self-imposed, because it's allowing you to listen to everybody and what they're saying, and then raising your expectations. Those are the goals that I had for myself, so I was always thinking forward. I wasn't looking back and trying to defend something."

"When I would go on the court, I felt so many players were trying to not lose, and that's not the way you can go out and play your best tennis. You have to go out and think how I'm going to execute, how I'm going to win, how I'm going to battle, and let the chips fall where they may."

Austin says she is enjoying having her three adult sons at home during this time. "Everybody at home, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's really been a lot of fun to see them interact as adults. [We] just play games; we started a little mini-garden out back with zucchini and tomatoes, just to do something different."

Austin also remembered one of her elementary school biographical report where she wrote about Billie Jean King, the pioneer of the WTA Tour. "Billie came to our club to do a Wilson commercial when I was in fourth grade. I had pictures with Billie, I had quotes, I had the autograph. I thought this was going to get me the A-plus for sure! (But) I got an A-minus, because I didn't indent enough!"

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2WviwU9