Tennis: Rare time out to join family

Wanganui tennis professional Emma Hayman is back for a well-earned break and to celebrate her sister's wedding. Photo/Bevan Conley

Affairs of the heart have enticed Wanganui tennis professional Emma Hayman home for a well-earned break.

Hayman, who turned 26 last week, has returned for her sister Sarah-Jane's wedding tomorrow.

For the South African-born Hayman, Wanganui has been her only New Zealand home since her family arrived in the River City when she was nine.

Since the New Zealand championships in Auckland around the time of the ASB Classic in January, Hayman has had a busy schedule on the international circuit for New Zealand. With a domestic ranking fluctuating between No2 and No3 seed behind Kiwi No1 Marina Erakovic, Hayman was an obvious inclusion in the New Zealand ATL team to play Australia at the time of the Australian Open.

She returned to Auckland for a week-long training session to prepare for the Federation Cup tournaments that took her to Kazakhstan and India for the BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Group II Competition where she made an immediate impact.

Drawn in Pool D with Pakistan, Iran and India, the Kiwi team of Marina Erakovic, Dianne Hollands, Hayman and Abigail Guthrie eased past the Pakistani team, winning the tie 3-0.

Hayman didn't lose a match in Kazakhstan, winning her singles games and both doubles matches. Unfortunately, the New Zealand team finally succumbed to India in pool play. The Davis Cup and Federation Cup are the world's most prestigious teams events.

"I was pretty happy with my performance in Kazakhstan where I didn't lose a match, but in India we made it through the first round and got put out in the second. Then I had to rush home for Sarah-Jane's hens' do. Sarah-Jane has come over from Sydney to marry Chris Aplin here in Wanganui on Friday," Hayman said.

A total passion for tennis has driven her to the level she is at today and she needed all that passion and more to survive and flourish in a tough sport.

The love affair with the game began when she joined Wanganui Tennis Club aged nine and became a regular on the Bassett St courts.

While she doesn't play often for her home club these days, Hayman did return last year in the Wanganui team that claimed the Christie Cup for the first time in 50 years. The team then came out and successfully defended the new-found trophy this year without Hayman who was on national duty.

As she progressed through the ranks Hayman soon realised she needed money and international exposure to continue to improve her game.

"I went to the United States for study and work in 2011. I graduated with a Bachelor of Sciences in Business Administration and Marketing, but I looked at my bank account and realised I needed money to continue with tennis. I got jobs coaching in Florida, which is the centre of tennis in the States, and saved up. I travelled to Europe to play. This is what you have to do to improve your game, but it's not easy - it's a tough life," Hayman said.

In a dream world, Hayman longs for a personal coach and her own physio while on the international circuit but, in reality, her budget stretches to sleeping on floors while sharing motel rooms with others.

"I do play in money tournaments, although the prizes at this level are not great. The key is to improve world rankings to get into the big time. Currently, I'm in the 700s worldwide and my goal over the next eight or nine months is to get into the 400s."

Mental toughness and physical fitness combined with technique and exposure to top level competition are essential ingredients to make tennis a career.

"I missed out on a lot when I was younger because of my hunger for tennis. You really do need to be totally focused and dedicated. I plan on taking a bit of a break while I'm home for the wedding and spend time with the family. I don't plan on playing any tennis while I'm here, although I will work on my fitness."