August 24, 2007
Austin Tennis Academy Head Coach, Jack Newman, Travels to Coach Ashley Weinhold at the U.S. OPEN
From Coach Newman:
I wanted to share with you the excitement I feel at traveling to New York tomorrow. I leave to help coach Ashley Weinhold at the world's premier professional tennis tournament, America's Grand Slam, The USOPEN!
Each of you in different ways have helped me, help my students. Thank you!!
For me, it has been a lifetime goal to Coach at the USOPEN. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with and know Ashley Weinhold, one of the best young American players of this generation.
Ashley has been training with the ATA coaches and players since she was 7 years old. For 11 years she has toiled, sweat, and bled for a dream. She has hit millions of tennis balls, played uncountable tournament matches, done 1000s of fitness workouts and spent countless hours on the road, traveling to seek out the best competition the world could offer. That journey reaches a new level next Monday or Tuesday when she plays Anna Chakvetadze, currently ranked #6 in the world in women's professional tennis, at the USOPEN.
At the beginning of the summer, as we were beginning the preparation to secure the wildcard into the USOPEN, I asked Ashley a question, hoping to plant a seed of a thought in her mind. I asked her, when we get to the USOPEN in August, would you rather play the lowest qualifier in the draw, or a top seed on stadium court, under the lights on national television. She responded: "The second one!!!." She will be getting that chance early next week and I know she will maximize the opportunity.
Her excitement grows daily as Ashley prepares to perform on the world's biggest tennis stage. She is prepared both physically and mentally for the upcoming challenge of playing one of the world's best. She is pumped up about the opportunity she has earned. The past year she has competed in a good number of professional events and she has trained like a professional for the past two years.
I know you each will be pulling for her in this contest. Win or lose, Ashley, like many of our students competing in tournaments, will have gained another valuable experience on her journey of becoming her best. Look for us on USA network and check this site for Ashley's confirmed playing time at the OPEN.
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