MisakiDoi

Day in. Day out.

It’s important to me to be in really good shape before I step onto the court. So every day I follow a standard routine. I start with stretching, core exercises and short sprints. Tennis is a really dynamic sport so I have to make sure my body is ready. That can really help to prevent injury and to hopefully improve my performance. When you improve physically, that makes you mentally stronger too.

My pro tips

I’d encourage anyone coming into the game to just believe in themselves. If you truly believe in yourself, you’ll be unstoppable. That belief can certainly take a dent if you suffer a defeat, or just have a bad day on the practice courts. Everyone has their own way of picking themselves up. I like to treat myself to some delicious food, that works for me. It helps to have role models and aims too. I’ve always looked up to Justine Henin. And I’ve always had the dream of winning a Grand Slam. My dream would be to win at Wimbledon, that’s the one that’s always meant the most to me. Just being on court there makes me feel like my soul has been cleansed. These are the things that drive me – the desire to achieve my dreams, both on and off the court.

There’s a great quote from Jerry Rice that encapsulates my approach to those things. “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.” That sums up everything we do and helps me consistently maintain a high level of tennis.

Staying grounded

It’s obviously hard keeping a sense of normality when we’re travelling. But then tennis has been part of my life since I was a child, so it’s not that much of an issue. It’s the life I know. I’m lucky I have a close family and my coach, Chris, to help keep me grounded when I need it.

Plus the travelling gives me a great excuse to try out new restaurants, Japanese is one of my favourite types of food. I also swim regularly to keep me in shape and to de-stress.