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Vania has played on the U.S. Fed Cup team for four straight years
© Ray Giubilo
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Vania practicing in Reggio Calabria
© Ray Giubilo
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Vania King has had an outstanding career since turning pro in July 2006, winning one singles and eight doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She has posted impressive results in 2009, including reaching the mixed doubles final at the French Open, the women's doubles quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the third round in singles at the US Open. She also won doubles titles in Brisbane and Quebec City and advanced to the singles quarterfinals at Monterrey.
A 20-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., King has been writing an exclusive blog for USTA.com throughout the year as she traveled to different tournaments around the world. Have a question for Vania? She will be answering questions from fans in her blogs and would love to hear from you. Please keep in mind, however, that due to her busy playing schedule she does not have time to answer all questions.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
Hey everyone!
Well, I've had a bit of an update from the last time I wrote. I was planning to have three weeks of holidays after Osaka, which was the longest time I've ever had a vacation! Alas, the powers that be denied my resting happiness in favor of another blessing -- playing Fed Cup.
I arrived home on Sunday, had Monday and Tuesday off, and got back on the court on Wednesday. So only two days of holidays! I discount the Taiwan week, since it was mostly to visit my relatives (which I had to do, so I don't feel bad about that), and I also got sick there the whole week. So instead of having the longest break ever, I've had the shortest break ever! My coach, Erwann, said that I couldn't have any more time off because I was the one that "chose" to go to Fed Cup... as if it were like I chose to go on vacation! Anyways, he was supposed to come, but he ended up getting sick...but I'm a little suspicious at the timing haha!
I didn't find out until Friday that I was going to be on the team, so I was really excited to go, yet sad that I would not be home for the rest of the year, except for half a day, when I will be stopping over in LA before flying to Taiwan to spend Christmas with my family. My mom keeps telling me that I should "just have my off season at home" and listing all the reasons why I shouldn't leave. I told her I knew, but the only reason I'm training in Florida is because my coach is there! There are other reasons, but if my coach were in LA, I would stay there.
So right now I'm in Reggio Calabria, in the south of Italy, and our hotel overlooks the island of Sicily. We are staying in a resort spa hotel, which is quite nice. The players get to stay in suites when we play Fed Cup, so there's not too much to complain about here!
I flew over with Alexa Glatch, a good friend of mine from Orange County, and we met the captain, Mary Joe Fernandez, and the other players, Leizel Huber and Melanie Oudin here. Our team is actually a bit larger than that, comprised of a physio, massage therapist, hitting partners, doctor, manager (along with a few people) and security. There are also two "young guns" -- top juniors who are picked to participate at a Fed Cup tie to improve by watching the professional players and also to serve as hitting partners. I played points against Beatrice Capra this morning and some doubles points against Nicole Gibbs.
We are kind of waiting to see who will play the singles, and it's pretty likely that Leizel and I will play the doubles. I haven't played Fed Cup in over a year, so I'm really excited to be back, and also we are in the finals!!!! I keep teasing Lex about her single-handed upset over Czech Republic. Ok not quite that drastic, but she definitely was instrumental!!
After Fed Cup, I will go straight to Florida to train (*tear) for six weeks. I'm hoping my mom or my sister can come to Florida for a bit to keep me company. Oh, yes, in other news, I just got two kittens before I came here! One's name is Tiramasu, but my mom can't pronounce that, so her nickname is Pudding, and the other is a tortoiseshell, Honey. I have to say, cats are supposed to be solitary animals, but Pudding is such a baby! She needs attention ALL THE TIME. I don't mind giving her attention, but if I'm on my computer, she will come and sit on the keyboard. If I move into another room, she will howl and meow until she finds me or another person who will give her attention. She wants to sleep with me but purrs so loud that I can't sleep until she stops, which is like 10 minutes after, and if I shift even slightly, she starts again. She's got a motor somewhere in that tiny body! Honey is really sweet, though, and calm (thank goodness!), and for the most part doesn't seek attention.
My sister, Ivana, just left for Asia to play a few tournaments, and we were kind of counting on her to be home to help take care of the kittens because, well, she's rather like them. She likes to be around people (well at least us, my other sister and me) and annoy us, sometimes jumping on us when we sleep and giving super random, super hard hugs. We (my other sister and I) are thinking that Ivana and Pudding will make a good match, to keep each other company haha!
Ok, so Ryan says:
Hi, I am 8 years old and have been playing for 3 years with my dad. How did you get started playing tennis?
Hi Ryan! I started when I was four but not seriously. My brother was out late every night with my dad playing tennis, while my two sisters and I would play in the back or on another court for fun.
I basically started because my brother played tennis -- he chose tennis because he was too naughty in school, and the teacher told my mom he needed to start a sport or instrument to keep himself out of trouble. Also, my parents had four kids, so it was something to keep us busy, to make us play!
Good Luck :)
Cheers everyone!
Read Vania's past blogs:
Home in California
Traveling in Taiwan
World TeamTennis
Wimbledon in London
AEGON International, Eastbourne, England
Roland Garros in Paris
Madrid Open in Madrid, Spain
Italian Open in Rome
Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C.
Back home in California
Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.
BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.
Monterrey Open in Monterrey, Mexico
Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, Tenn.
Dow Corning Tennis Classic in Midland, Mich.