Hi everyone!

I just returned to Miami from WTT and had a really great week. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to play due to tenosynovitis in my wrist that I had developed at the beginning of June when I began training for WTT. It just wouldn’t heal and I wasn’t able to pick up a racket for 4 weeks so it made it impossible for me to compete last week. I was so disappointed that I couldn’t play but I still travelled with my team to support them in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Springfield and St. Louis. I got a chance to meet with many of the fans and tons of future tennis stars, and I also participated in other off court activities like the meet and greets, children’s clinics and media obligations.

My first stop was Philadelphia and it was a great place to kick off the season. The weather was perfect and the crowd was amazing. It had been a couple of years since I had been there so it was great to be back. I participated in a quick start clinic for kids which was a lot fun, and all of them were so enthusiastic about tennis so it was great to see.

From Philly I took my first ever train (in America) to Washington DC. It was a great experience, and I definitely would travel by train everywhere if I could! Before the WTT match I had a couple of hours free so I ran out to see as many of the sights in DC that I could squeeze in. I saw the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and The White House and then went into The Smithsonian for a bit. The last time I toured DC was when I was 8 years old so it looked a lot different to me 20 years later! After my mini tour of the city, I was back to the hotel to prepare for the WTT activities. This was my second year with WTT in DC, and fortunately the weather was perfect for us, unlike last year when we had to move indoors half way thru the match due to rain. The kids in DC were so much fun during the clinic and they asked the best questions during a Q&A!

Traveling to Springfield was a new experience for me too; we all went in this huge party bus to the match. The ride from St. Louis to Springfield was about 3 1/2 hours so it really gave me time to get to know everyone. This was my first time travelling with WTT to Springfield, and everyone was super nice and welcoming. Their venue was so cool; it was at one of their public parks. I love how much they get their community involved and that the team is actually run by the city of Springfield. The kids that participated in the clinic were from local Boys and Girls Clubs and a lot of them were very good players, which was so great to see!

My last stop was on to St. Louis. This time I had a chance to spend a little more time in the city. Our team owner, Dani cooked us an amazing meal! It was great to hang out with the team over a nice home cooked meal, and after being on the road for a week it really hit the spot! I also had a chance to walk around the city a little and check out some of the area. I really enjoyed being able to get out as I usually don't get the chance to see much of the cities because I am only there for a short period of time. St. Louis is such a great place and has some of the best fans; they really come out to support their teams. There was so much happening around town with the MLB All-Star game but the stands were still packed and full of energy.

Although I wasn’t able to play this season, I had an amazing time traveling with the team, meeting all the fans and spending time with the kids. I really love the WTT format; the interaction with the team and the fans is what makes it so much fun for me. I would like to thank the St. Louis Aces, my team: Liga Dekmeijere, Mislav Hizak, Ashley Weinhold, Tripp Phillips and Coach Roger Follmer, and everyone at World Team Tennis for having me this year and I look forward to coming back and playing next season!

Anna