By Dave Silbar
Citizen Contributor
Asked if she ever gets bored of driving from her home in Glenview to Chicago’s Midtown Tennis Club to practice six days a week, 11-year-old Alex Angyalosy is quick to reply.
“You can’t get bored of something you love so much.”
Alex not only talks a good game, she plays a pretty darn good one as well. And while she has been cleaning up on the junior tennis circuit this summer, her biggest thrill comes today (September 9) when she appears in front of 25,000 fans on center court prior to a quarterfinal match at the United States Open.
Angyalosy is one of only a handful of juniors who train at Midtown Tennis Club and who have been asked by the USTA, the governing body of U.S. tennis, to take part in a Quickstart Tennis clinic. It will be the first time that juniors have ever been allowed to perform on center court at a Grand Slam tennis event.
“I attended the U.S. Open last year, but to be able to perform in front of all those people? It’s going to be really exciting,” said Alex, whose Midtown tennis mates and teaching pros warmed up for their appearance by travelling to Cincinnati two weeks ago and providing the clinic in front of 15,000 fans at the Western and Southern Group Financial Masters ATP tournament.
Since moving from a north shore tennis club to Midtown three years ago, Alex’s game has elevated to new levels, according to her father, Adrian. Her current coach is Oliver Stevens, a Midtown professional who hails from Wales and loves spending time on the court with Alex.
“She carries herself like and adult when she’s on the court and practices just about as hard as any junior I’ve even seen,” said Stevens, who added: “But once she’s off the court, she acts just like a kid. It’s rewarding to be able to work with a talent such as Alex.
When not playing tennis, Angyalosy loves playing with her friends and practicing piano. But get her on the court, and she’s all business. What does she want to be when she grows up?
“I want to be the #1 ranked tennis player in the world,” she says, not missing a beat.
And this week, she’ll get a taste of what it’s like to play where the #1 player in the world plays.
