10-yo Zeenia Choko shares her passion for tennis

BY TONY IROGA

Ten-year-old Zeenia Choko from Western and Malaita provinces is taking on the road to become a tennis champion in the future.

Ms Choko says this is doable with commitment and determination, and with the help and support of the Solomon Islands Tennis Federation (SITF).

Island Sun met up with the tennis enthusiast during her training session at the national tennis grounds in East Honiara yesterday.

“This year is my first time to register and become a member with Solomon Islands Tennis Federation,” Choko shares with a bright smile.

“I knew nothing about tennis but luckily it was the spirit of sport that comes every day in my mind to come and join the federation training. I use to come in training after class at 3pm in the afternoon.

“I usually play and train tennis in the orange ball category,” she said.

She shared that at first it was not easy especially with training. But, not long into the routine of training and learning new skills of the sport, she began to enjoy and just could not get enough of the sport.

Diving into the sport, she said tennis has its fun and enjoyment side, then it also has its physical and health side.

“Tennis exercises the whole body and gets you healthy and fit.

“It is also a mind-game that you have to mentally calculate, like the force with which you hit the ball, the estimated location you want the ball to go, anticipating your opponent’s next move, etc,” Choco said.

She dreams of becoming one of the country’s top tennis players in the future and is optimistic of going overseas with the local tennis squad.

“There is also the money side. Once you become good enough, you can earn money by turning semi or outright pro,” she smiles.

Choco encourages other children to come and play tennis and said that membership registration and instalment fees are only $400.

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