Editor’s note: 10sBalls thanks Noah Rubin for giving us permission to repost these great stories. We wish him and this endeavor the best of luck. Great seeing Noah wearing K-Swiss and playing Solinco Strings.
#CelebrityBTR – “I must have been around 9 or 10 years old when I picked up a racquet and truly understood what it was like to hit a tennis ball. I was spending so much time in school or in gymnastics that tennis was an outlet for me to hang out with friends in a ‘normal existence’. When my tenure at Stanford came around, it turned into a stress reliever from the gymnastics training. The Bank of the West classic was at Stanford every year. Prior to the tournament we would sneak onto center court when it was lit up and pretended we were playing a grand slam final. Looking back, it was kind of crazy. When I was living and training at the Olympic Training Center for gymnastics, tennis provided a mental relief from the intensity of Olympic sport. I attend as many tournaments as I can and it’s always a dream to hit with some of the Pros. In the gymnastics world, no matter the circumstance (training, US championships, World Championships, the Olympic Games) it’s recognized that it’s you vs the moment, versus the pressure, versus yourself; you’re completely on your own. There’s nobody to interact with, no opposing force, nobody whose job it is to disrupt what you’re doing. I am no longer competing or training at the highest level, or any level, in gymnastics. Tennis has provided another sporting passion (frankly one that surpasses gymnastics) and a great arena to bolster my intrinsic drive for competition. I really appreciate and admire the competitive moments created in tennis that transcend beyond athleticism. The harmony created when there are two skilled players displaying or leveling up their craft, in real time, on each side of the net is mesmerizing. Everyone knows the Federer’s and Williams’ of the world, but I love what is so often overlooked, the daily grind from every athlete participating at the professional level. They might not be on center court, in fact, they probably aren’t, but these athletes are busting their ass to participate at a very high level. The ability to do that, regardless of who’s watching, is what I respect, appreciate, and admire. It’s the love of the craft, work ethic of a champion, and the moxie to keep on keepin’ on.” -Josh Dixon
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