Tennis is often considered the toughest sport to earn a living playing. Sometimes even the best American college players are unable to have a successful pro career in a sport that is popular all over the world.
But 16-year-old Coachella Valley native Chance Rozpedski is hoping to defy the odds, and perhaps it’s not just wishful thinking.
In April, Rozpedski, who lives in Palm Desert, won the Boys’ 16s singles title at the 124th Ojai Tennis Tournament, which is among the country’s most prestigious amateur events. Then, in early May, he won a Level 3 USTA event in Anaheim and qualified for the USTA Boys’ 18s & 16s national championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The event is widely regarded as the premier boys’ tournament in the United States.
There are seven levels in junior tennis. Level 3 is considered a strong national event, with Level 2 a major national tournament and Level 1 being a national championship kind of event.
“It’s really exciting to have the support of the USTA,” Rozpedski said.
Rozpedski spends his days at Rozpedski Performance Academy, run by his parents, Marcin and Carley Rozpedski, and he does online school. His dad grew up in Poland before playing collegiately at UCLA, before a brief pro career. His dad is now a professional pickleball player.
Online school gives the younger Rozpedski more flexibility in his schedule to play in tournaments and get is practice sessions and training in. He said it’s the ideal situation for him.
Rodpedski said that the goal is to play major college tennis before, hopefully, a pro career.
“I would love for him to play for UCLA,” Marcin Rozpedski said. “But we’ll look at the opportunities Chance has and he’ll make his choice.”
Tennis is already a difficult sport to play but making it as a professional is especially difficult because it’s an individual sport where players compete against the entire world. A player may be great, but the question is whether they are great against the best players from all over the world.
The sport is brutal because, unlike basketball, football, baseball, soccer or hockey, a player often has to be among the top 100 in the world for it to be lucrative.
But that doesn’t deter the younger Rozpedski, who is now ranked 140 in the country in juniors. He’s had a lot of positive experiences this year already, including the time when he received some tips and compliments from famed tennis coach Paul Annacone, who has notably coached Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and, more recently, Taylor Fritz.
Rozpedski’s next step will be in Kalamazoo in August, against many of the best players in the country. He’s excited about the doors that a strong performance would open.
“A lot of these guys I follow on Instagram,” he said, “and look up to and it’s amazing to think that I belong on the same court as them now.”
Andrew John covers the Firebirds for The Desert Sun and USA TODAY. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Valley teen Chance Rozpedski making waves on national tennis circuit
Reporting by Andrew John, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
