Noah Rubin’s “Behind The Racquet” with Greet Minnen • Tennis | 10sBalls

By TennisBalls Staff
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Updated: August 19, 2021

Editor’s note: 10sBalls thanks Noah Rubin for giving us permission to repost these great stories.

“I was never one of the younger ones who stood out immediately; I was always a bit slower than the rest. I think everybody just needs to take their own path and take their time. Not everybody is like Bencic or the other girls who already stood out a lot at a young age. I think my transition to the pro circuit was pretty difficult.

I think I was 103 before Covid came. For me, it was tough to start again and find my level, because you’re focusing so much on this top 100 and everybody’s asking me, ‘When are you going to make it and when are you thinking about getting into the top 100?’ and stuff like that. Sometimes it’s tough to deal with those things because you already put so much pressure on yourself.

The last few months I’m really trying to not think about it too much. I’m just trying to really focus on the things I have to do on-court and off-court and I’m sure it will follow if I keep going like this. I feel like I’m a better player than I was last year so I hope it’s going to come soon and if not, then I’ll just keep working to get there.

We met at the Federation. We were both practicing there and after a few years, we got really close and then it just happened. It was also a surprise because I never had any girlfriends before her — I couldn’t say that I was really interested in women before.

My family was struggling a bit. They were having a tough time when I first came out. He was probably just as surprised as I was. After a while, for sure they were already supportive. Alison’s family was great from the start and my friends were amazing. They were really supportive and the WTA they’re really supportive. They really helped to make it a lot easier.

It’s amazing to play doubles together and I always enjoy it a lot. We make a lot of fun on the court and we enjoy playing together. I think we’re very lucky that we can do this together

When we lose matches, we get a lot of homophobic reactions. They post a lot on our pictures, on Instagram. I think they’re just frustrated, they lose money, and they take it out on us. It’s not nice to have those things, but I have to say on-court or off-court, we don’t really have any of those things. I’m really happy about that.

I think it’s a bit more difficult for men, in general, to come out. Not only in sports, but especially in sports they need to have this ego to compete. I think they think that it might be damaged if they come out. I think maybe they need a role model like we had. I think that would help a lot if there was a big player who would come out or who would say, ‘I’m supportive of this,’ like Billie Jean King did for us. She really made it so much easier for us.”

Greet Minnen (@greetjeminnen)