Roll back to 1995, 11 year old Dom has his best friend Chris round for a play date on a cold Monday evening but he has to leave early because he has a tennis lesson.

“Why don’t you come along?”, Chris asks casually as he’s about to leave. “Sure, why not” I reply as I run upstairs to get changed then quickly jump into Chris’ mums car as she’s about to leave for the tennis club.

We arrive at Broxbourne Tennis Club. Weirdly I’d lived around Broxbourne my whole life and never knew this place existed (still a sentence I hear regularly to this day). We walk onto the court and I’m greeted by a tall, stern-faced guy who introduces himself as ‘coach’. Coach?? I thought to myself, who is this guy?? I then spent the next hour being bossed around the tennis court, being told everything I was doing wrong, hating every minute.

You probably guessed that I didn’t rush back to tennis until Chris told me ‘Coach’ had left and a new coach started who was really cool! Reluctantly I agreed to give it another try, rocked up again on a Monday evening and was greeted by the coolest guy I’ve ever met (Scott)!!! I remember smiling for the whole hour - I was hooked!

My tennis schedule at 11 was one group session per week but I played tennis every single day! I’d knock on friend’s doors, hang out at the club and would play with whoever had a racket and was willing to play with me!

While all the other kids were doing their maths, English or science homework, I was studying tennis. I’d regularly record matches on my VHS and watch them back, trying to pause during certain parts of players’ shots so I could see the exact movements or techniques players were using. I’d then use these recordings to go and practise at the club. My parents would pay for my one group session a week, so watching tennis was what I used to learn more.

I vividly remember that to me, tennis meant freedom. My goal was never to reach number 1 in the world, just to play this amazing game I fell in love with. I’d been traumatised by the Dad’s behaviour ‘watching’ me play football. He’d regularly get sent off for abusing me or the ref which was then followed by awkward silences, broken up with huffs and puffs in the car ride on the way home.

With tennis, I’d found a sport that my parents had ZERO interest in!!!! It felt amazing!! I felt free to play the game however I wanted to whatever standard I wanted. That was the best gift my parents could have given me - freedom to develop in this game with no interest or expectations from them, I was thriving in this sport I loved.

I was obsessed with tennis - At 15 I would enter myself in tournaments, taking the train or the bus, rocking up by myself and playing some incredible kids. I’d hang out there all day, making new friends and was gutted when the day finished and I had to come home. I just loved being around tennis, both socially and competitively.

It was around this age that I increased my hours with Scott, continuing with group coaching as well as a private lesson each week (which I paid for with my paper round money). All I cared about was impressing Scott. He was my motivation to improve and maybe one day get to his level.

Scott introduced me to so many opportunities; hitting and competing with Nick Lester (world ranked at the time but now a regular commentator on Sky Sports), Sam Smith (Ex British number 1), training with Herts County and regularly competing in competitions and club matches for junior and men’s 1st team.

Although this may seem like a very mundane experience, to me it was magic! My improvement in tennis, from starting so late was incredible but down to having an amazing coach and working hard every time I was on court. I had so many amazing experiences and learnt so much which I then used in my adult years both as a player and a coach.

My greatest strength was being an ‘average’ tennis player. I was never the best, but with that came the ability to play tennis fearlessly. I had nothing to prove and the fact that my parents had no interest made me even better!

Tennis gave me an incredible upbringing and I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. It taught me so many life lessons and made me who I am today.