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Sachia Vickery plays at Wimbledon

Jul 05, 2009 Sports

Receives encouraging words from King and Williams

Born of Guyanese parentage, Miami-based Sachia Vickery got her first opportunity to play at the prestigious Wimbledon Tennis championships and became the youngest player in the junior main draw, before bowing out to top seed Kristina Mladenovic in the second round.
Vickery was a giggly tinsel-toothed 12-year-old curling up with Harry Potter books in her Miramar bedroom a few years ago, dreaming of someday getting a chance to play at Wimbledon. It seemed a far-fetched goal at the time – not anymore.
Vickery, who turned 14 a few weeks ago, made it through the qualifying rounds of the Wimbledon junior tournament.
She won her first-round match, but had the misfortune of facing No. 1 seed Mladenovic, a 5-foot-11 player from France.
Mladenovic used her lethal serve and powerful forehand to beat the scrappy Vickery, 6-1, 6-3.
Vickery was in no mood to talk afterward. When her mother, Paula Liverpool, tried to console her, Vickery turned and walked away. She reluctantly agreed to do an interview, as her eyes welled with tears.
‘’Even though she is No. 1, I thought I could beat her,’’ said Vickery, who recently turned pro and began training at a French academy in February. “I thought I’d play better, so it’s very disappointing.’’
She finally attempted a smile, when reminded by her mother that it is an honour and great accomplishment to be the youngest player at Wimbledon. Billie Jean King watched Vickery’s first match and had encouraging words afterward. Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena, also watched the match and jotted down some suggestions on how to improve her game.
‘’I was really happy walking through the gates for the first time, getting my credentials,’’ Vickery said. “I came two years ago as a guest, but its way better being a player. I didn’t think I’d get here so soon.’’
Vickery had been training at the Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton after receiving a scholarship, and also working with USTA coaches, but her mother thought she needed more individualized instruction, so she enrolled her at the Mouratoglou Academy in France.
Luis Moris, one of her coaches, sees great potential in his young student.
‘’Sachia should be very proud of herself, just for being here at her age,’’ he said. “She made it through qualifying, so she absolutely deserves to be here, and she won a difficult first-round match. She is one of the youngest most talented girls on the junior circuit and she has great potential.’’
Vickery’s mother and grandmother rotate and travel to France to spend time with Vickery, who admitted she gets homesick. Liverpool still works late-night shifts as a waitress at a North Miami nightclub to help fund her daughter’s dream.
On the morning, before the match, Liverpool sat Vickery down at the college dormitory where they are staying, and gave her a pep talk.
‘’I re-told her the story of David and Goliath from the Bible,’’ Liverpool said. “I reminded her that none of us expected her to be at Wimbledon at 14, and that she should soak up the atmosphere, enjoy the experience, just go out, have fun, and swing away.’’
But like most junior tennis players, Vickery isn’t in it for the fun. She wants to win. Too much sometimes, said her mother.
‘’Everyone talks about tennis players having pushy parents, but in our house it’s the opposite,’’ Liverpool said. “I’m always trying to tell her to have realistic goals, but she is so driven. All I can do is back away and let her be alone for a while after losses. Then I go get her some sugar crepes. That is the only thing that sweetens her mood.’’

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