New Zealand Davis Cup representative Finn Tearney. Copyright Photo: Chris Symes / www.photosport.nz
New Zealand Davis Cup representative Finn Tearney. Copyright Photo: Chris Symes / www.photosport.nz
When Finn Tearney heard he was in contention to play Davis Cup for New Zealand, the first thing he did was contact his boss.
That's because Tearney, who will feature in the first singles match against Venezuela on Friday, works full-time for a property development company in Wanaka.
He 'retired'from tennis almost three years ago, hanging up his racquet at the age of 26, due to a combination of physical, mental and financial issues.
But now he's back, after receiving the call up from New Zealand captain Alistair Hunt, and preferred ahead of veteran Rubin Statham.
"It means more than it did before," Tearney told the Herald. "It was always an honour to play but when you come back a second time, after transitioning out of tennis, it's very special because not many people get to represent their country in a professional way. It was something that I wasn't going to turn down."
"I was a little bit nervous to ask him, to be honest. I didn't want him thinking that I am off to play tennis. My priority is definitely work, but I thought if I can do this it would be an amazing addition."
It's a remarkable scenario, given Tearney gave up his professional tennis dream in August 2017.
"I had a few issues with my body, I had some financial issues and I didn't feel like I believed in myself to make it to the level I wanted to," explained Tearney. "Ultimately I didn't envision it in my mind anymore."
New Zealand Davis Cup representative Finn Tearney. Copyright Photo: Chris Symes / www.photosport.nz
He made the decision after reaching the second round of a Challenger tournament in Jinan, China.
"I had a really sore back and pains down my leg," recalled Tearney. "I couldn't play; I walked on the court and withdrew. After that I didn't have that burning passion anymore [as] different circumstances ground it down a bit."
But it was far from an easy call. He had reached a career-high of No 356 and made three Futures singles finals (winning one) and six doubles titles but now it was all over.
"It was very tough, the loss of identity and all that," said Tearney. "I had to move on mentally, accept the reality I'm not going to make it in tennis like I wanted to. To get to that realisation is quite tough when you have been telling yourself something different the whole time."
Tearney switched to coaching, which he enjoyed, before getting an opportunity to study International Business at Durham University in England, which helped him to move on, and make the clean break in his head.
"I realised that it's just tennis," said Tearney. "With my Masters, I was around all these people where tennis meant nothing to them, whereas it had been my world."
He kept playing socially, and during his vacation entered a couple of Futures events, which climaxed in a tournament win in Portugal in February last year, as he beat players from the US, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Australia to take the title.
"I wasn't worried about anything, just playing tennis," said Tearney. "It seemed to work."
Heartened by that experience, Tearney played six more Futures tournaments in Europe during his studies last year, reaching another semifinal in Portugal before returning to New Zealand and landing the job with Winton.
Over the Christmas period, Tearney won the New Zealand residentials title and the Te Anau exhibition event – "on my break from work" – and feels he is playing at a comparable level to his professional days.
New Zealand will be heavy favourites for the World Group I Davis Cup playoff tie.
Venezuela's top singles player (ranked 513) isn't making the trip, so world No 1234 Jordi Munoz and No 1671 Brandon Perez will take on Tearney (No 1018) and 21-year-old Ajeet Rai (No 915), while in the doubles Marcus Daniell (No 49) and Artem Sitak (No 73) should be far too classy for their South American opponents.
