“I learned to travel by myself and how to take care of myself.”
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At age 15, Sirena Singh has already visited more countries than the average person sees in a lifetime. Just to name a few . . . the 15-year-old has traveled to places such as Panama, Ethiopia, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Tennis has made it possible for the California native to enjoy such adventures. Thanks to this game she picked up at age 4, Singh has had the opportunity to compete in some of the top youth tournaments around the world. Ultimately, this instrumental experience has already widened Singh’s perspective on various cultures and people of different backgrounds, while also helping her mature quicker than most people her age.
“I definitely have learned how to handle myself on my own. Recently I went to Panama, so I learned to travel by myself and how to take care of myself,” Singh told Fresno Sports Magazine. “So yeah it’s definitely scary, but it’s worth it.”
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Singh’s tennis journey started with her grandfather in Fresno.
“He just really wanted me to be a tennis player so badly, so I just got put into tennis and I loved the sport instantly,” the young tennis star said.
But it wasn’t a smooth start when Singh first picked up the game.
“I would just grab the balls and throw them at my coach, so they took me out,” she said. “I started playing at 9 again and I loved it.”
Now based in Florida, Singh is attending virtual school and pursuing her athletic dreams at the same time. Singh, who has been named as an Honor Roll student at Florida Virtual High School, said she is able to balance tennis and school because she sticks to her daily schedule.
“Mornings I have tennis. Right after tennis I do my homework right away,” Singh said. “I just gotta stay on top of my work.”
With her relentless work ethic and consistent focus, Singh has collected accolades around the world, including a second-place finish in the doubles bracket of the ITF World Tennis Tour in Ethiopia. The tournament, held in February, featured more than 60 young stars from 30 countries.
“It was for two weeks. It was definitely a roller coaster, but I ended up getting second place both weeks in doubles,” Singh said.
After two weeks in Ethiopia, Singh left with a strong impression of the East African country.
“I like the culture and the food there was also pretty good,” she said.
It was a similar experience in Panama for the rising tennis star.
“I loved the people. They were also down to Earth,” Singh said about Panama. “I definitely love them.”
Singh is ranked Number 1,932 out of approximately 4,000 junior players worldwide according to the International Tennis Federation. The Florida-based athlete expects to keep climbing up the rankings as she continues to focus on her goal of making it to the pros. But she also plans to pursue a college education before going pro.
“I definitely want to go to college. I want to go to a D1. That’s my main goal as well as going pro right after college,” she said.
Singh, who moved to South Florida to train at well-known tennis academies, has had opportunities to work with some of top coaches in the world. Legendary coach Rick Macci, who trained the Williams sisters and many other tennis stars, recognized Singh’s talent when she was 12 years old. Macci encouraged the young athlete to play against worldwide competition instead of high school tennis, Singh’s parents said.
The former Alta Sierra Intermediate school student is grateful to have the support of Macci and many others who continue to inspire her to chase her dreams. Singh especially shows gratitude for her grandpa, parents, sister and coaches.
“The sacrifice my parents made for me — it costs a lot of money to go to those types of place. It makes me grateful for what I have,” Singh said. “They do a lot for me.”
