Interview with: Thomas Giles

Q.) Why did you start playing tennis, and was there a specific player that inspired you to play the sport?

A.) I started playing tennis when I was five-years-old. I used to go every week and watch my sister and her friends play in a mini squad at a local school. When I was old enough I decided to have a go and join in. There wasn’t a specific player at the time that inspired me, now though there are a few players who I aspire to be like. Juan Martin Del Potro is my favourite player because I would like my game style to be like his. He is tall at 6ft 5 and has a big serve and forehand. On young, rising stars I really admire Jack Draper and follow his journey for inspiration.

Q.) Tell us about where you currently are with your career…where you train, what level you play at and what type of game-style you have?

A.) I ended the Under 14 season ranked number 14 in Great Britain with a career high ranking of 11. I have just turned 15-years-old. I have been consistently playing in National level competitions and developing from this exposure. Just before lockdown I played in my first British Tour and this was a great experience, winning one match and putting my game to test against older players.

Currently I train with Tom Kisiel at Loughborough University and in performance squads at Edgbaston Priory with Mike Peel and Simon Dickson. I also have strength & conditioning coaching with Jon Coats and a great physio, Alex Lamb too. All of my coaches talk to each other and keep me working and focussed in the right way. I am currently developing my game to be a big server with a big forehand but I understand the need to develop all areas of play too.

Q.) There is no tennis being played because of Coronavirus, what are you working on at home to develop your game? Could this break end up being a positive, in terms that you are training parts of your game you wouldn’t usually focus on?

A.) The lockdown situation is frustrating for all tennis players, not being able to get on court is bad. I am using the time to be as productive as possible in keeping my physicality strong. I have added into my training plenty of running and cycling to keep me healthy. As well as this I have been given plenty of sessions to do at home set by my s&c coach, for example core sessions, sweat and strength with plenty of cardio sessions too. I am missing being on court however I have been doing as much as I can at home which is limited but I am hopeful that by the time we are back it won’t take long for me to be back at my best.

Q.) The length of delay in tennis is unknown, but what do you want to achieve within the next 18 months in your tennis career?

A.) Within the next 18 months I would like to play some ITF events and hopefully pick up my first wins. Also, I would like to succeed in improving the goals I have set with my coaching team to make me a better player.

Q.) Are you planning on joining a tennis academy, or are you confident you can be successful with your current setup?

A.) Currently I feel I have a very strong set up and a good program to build on, for example I really like my one-to-one coaching and feel the squads at Edgbaston are a good level for me to play and train with. However, as my tennis progresses I would like to consider going into an academy full-time as this could be beneficial to me in the future. I find at the moment juggling tennis, fitness and school is a challenge but I have great support at school to keep me caught up. Q.) The mens game is in a great place right now, with many different styles of player on tour, are there any players you really study and learn from?

A.) I love watching the men’s game as it is at a very high level with some rising stars coming through e.g Danil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and lots more. I like to study from lots of different styles of player as every part of my game can improve whether it’s a strength or a weakness. For me the mental game is a huge part in tennis and I like to watch people like Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic as they never give up and if something isn’t going right they are very quick to figure out what to change to turn the match around.

Q.) Finally, what is the ‘dream achievement’ for yourself in tennis?

A.) Personally I would love to make it on to the tour, however I realise that is a tough dream but I have belief to keep working as hard as I can. In November 2018 I had the amazing experience of being part of the ball crew team at The World Tour Finals at the O2. This gave me a very close view of what it is like to be a professional player and how hard they all work for the sport.

For me to make that is a long shot so when I get older I would love to go down the American University route or go to a top three UK University, where I can still play tennis whilst studying something I enjoy. I love to play doubles and team events so this may be my future. In 2019 I really enjoyed playing in the U14 County Cup team that made the National finals and also the National Premier Team event played at Roehampton where I was part of the winning boys Under 14 Team. I have had training on doubles from Louis Cayer, he is so inspirational and he helped me to improve. Whatever happens, tennis will always be a part of my life and hopefully at the highest level possible.

Thanks to Tom for the interview, follow his career on Twitter and Instagram.