Life on the international tennis circuit can be hard, while the road to victory is long and winding.
Just look at Uzbek-born Frenchman Gleb Sakharov, and his story, a symbol of hope on and off the tennis court.
Gleb Sakharov’s journey
Sakharov came to France as a refugee with his family in 2001. Persecuted in their home country because of their religious beliefs, the Sakharov family were ready to risk it all for a shot at a better life.
Their journey brought them to Nantes, in the west of France. There the SNUC tennis club welcomed a young Gleb who showed undeniable talent.
In 2001, neither Gleb or his family spoke French, but the young boy showed remarkable skill on the court and an admirable attitude off it. The members of the club knew that with Sakharov, they had a champion.
Gleb Sakharov during day one of the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships at the Dubai Duty Free Stadium on February 26, 2018. Source: Getty Images Europe
His first main draw
Sakharov has been rising constantly, but now, at 30 years old, he’s about to experience his most important tennis moment yet.
He’s part of the main draw at the Australian Open 2019. Sakharov says that he is more interested in the adventure than money, and why not dream of going even further in the tournament?
What if his journey was similar to Stéphane Robert’s, who reached the third round at the 2016 Australian Open, starting from the qualifying draw?
“I’ll be focused on myself, on giving 100 per cent and on enjoying the moment," Sakharov tells SBS. "When the day comes, everything can happen. I’ll try to be aggressive and to come get points close to the net. It’s going to be key in this match. And mainly, to be there 100 per cent physically.”
Not getting too fired up is important as tennis is won one point at a time.
“I always had a strong work ethic, it’s my father that instilled this in me," he says. "You can achieve anything by putting your heart in it and working hard.”
His first round opponent will be German player Maximilian Marterer (71st seed), who gave an impressive performance at Roland-Garros last year. An opponent worthy of Sakharov, who is ready for the challenge.
