# @behindtheracquet on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CQoS83NAg0S
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/158884-behindtheracquet-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/8f5c8dbe1c.jpg
- **Posted:** 2021-06-27T16:03:00.000+00:00

## Caption

“I always played tennis because I loved the competition and had so much fun during my matches. Practicing was always tough and I never liked it a lot, but I knew I had to practice well to be able to be competitive during the tournaments. It was totally worth it and I really enjoyed everything. During my career, I realized every time I lost a match I was thinking I would have another chance next week. As they say “new week new chances”, and that’s how I always saw it from the inside, especially when it’s so difficult to win a tournament and all players except one, lose.⁣
⁣
From when I was 19 to 25 years old, I was ranked between top 70-90 in the world. At some point I got bored of it because I though I could do it better. So in 2017 I hired a new coach, started working with a mental coach and followed super strict diet. I had bigger goals, more expectations and my journey was all for improving my tennis and being more professional, 24/7. I changed so many things about my game, my way of thinking and my way of behaving, not just on court but off court, that I started feeling like a different person. I didn’t enjoy competing or practicing anymore, and I didn’t like anything about what I was doing. I could not get myself to run when I wanted to run. I wanted to cry in the middle of matches. I wanted to go back home as soon as I arrived to tournaments. I started having anxiety on and off court.⁣
⁣
I ended up the year top 80 and felt every extra effort I made was useless. I was at the same ranking as every other year while not being as happy. The last two years I was struggling and thinking about retiring from tennis almost every day. It was really hard to come back from that situation.⁣
⁣
I’m back at loving the competition again. I’m not at the ranking I would like to be but I’m feeling competitive and I now can get back to where I was. That’s already a victory. The most important thing is that I’m happy with my life, with what I am doing, and the people I have around me.” @laraarrua #BTR

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 725
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 18

## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Behind The Racquet | @BehindTRacquet | https://gondola.cc/BehindTRacquet | Brand |
| Sarah Campbell | @SarahCampbs | https://gondola.cc/SarahCampbs | Copywriter |

## Tags

btr

---
Copyright (c) Gondola