Less than two years after announcing her retirement as a player, Aleksandra Wozniak knows that her post-career will continue in the world of tennis. At 32, she has just obtained her level three coaching certification from Tennis Canada and hopes to open her own academy in Bedford this fall. Joined by Radio-Canada Sports, the Quebecer was delighted that she could start playing singles again next week. A first step towards a return to a semblance of normality in tennis. Wozniak had a very busy spring planned when the pandemic came to shake up his life and ours. I was supposed to hold tennis clinics in April and May. I, of course, had to cancel them, explains the former 21st player in the world. I still have hope of being able to organize my big camp in Blainville at the end of June. It's a camp I care about because it would be on the same pitches where my father taught me to play. Fingers crossed. Due to confinement, she had to cancel many conferences in schools and businesses. However, she has worked hard to advance the project she has been working on for several months. The foundations of the Aleksandra Wozniak Tennis Academy in Bedford are laid. It remains to be seen whether the deconfinement will allow it to open at the end of the summer. Already, the academy will be set up on outdoor courts. It will not be a sport-study, but an academy open to everyone, from elite juniors to adults who want to improve and have fun in tennis. We will also offer accommodation and catering packages with the Euro-spa health centre. Wozniak says she can count on coaches who have played on the ATP and WTA tours. In the long term, she would also like to conclude an agreement with an indoor tennis center so that the academy is open year-round. To set up this project, the Blainvilloise will move to the Bedford region in the coming months. For the moment, she has no financial partner in the adventure, but she is counting on the support of sponsors.
Open to train on the professional circuit
Aleksandra Wozniak believes her tennis academy will occupy most of her time, but she is not closing the door on a return to the professional circuit as a coach. She insists she would do it part-time. She has already accompanied the young Jada Bui for a few tournaments. The Canadian junior champion will continue her progress at the University of California, the state in which Wozniak won the Stanford tournament in 2008. I think my experience on the circuit and in big tournaments could be beneficial for a young player and I want to share it. When I was playing, I had no one around me who had experienced that. My father was doing everything he could to help me, but he was discovering reality at the same time as me. Aleksandra Wozniak Moreover, the situation of the young Leylah Annie Fernandez, already 118th in the world at 17, reminds her a little of her younger years. Fernandez's father, like Wozniak's, comes from the world of soccer and taught himself how to coach his daughters in tennis. Each player has her own path, says Wozniak. It's nice to see that the new generation is making its way in its own way. It is very encouraging for the young people and it shows that with a lot of will, the work bears fruit. It's true in sport and Aleksandra Wozniak hopes it will be the same in her second career. Article by Antoine Deshaies May 14, 2020