At just 14 years old, Estonian-Canadian Matthias Kask is already a smash hit on tennis courts from Tallinn to Toronto and beyond.
In
2019 Matthias won gold in both U14 singles and mixed doubles in Estonia. He placed 3rd in doubles and 7th in singles in Canada. His goal? World #1, and Grand Slam championships.
Matthias loves to compete. Normally, he trains 15-20 hours per week, in addition to attending school and doing homework. Training includes tennis skills, mental strength exercises and general fitness.
Why tennis? It is a competitive singles sport where you are responsible for your own success, says Matthias.
Sidelined by the pandemic, Matthias is finding ways to train at home. With courts closed, he hits against a wall and practices his serves in the backyard, as well as running, cycling and stretching to keep fit and ready for competition as soon as tournaments recommence. Success is imperative to attract sponsors - an absolute necessity to defray costs of travel and training and a constant challenge.
With 2 Estonian parents, Matthias speaks fluent Estonian and is incredibly proud of his heritage. At home he enjoys basketball and loves to play with his dog Rafa - named after Rafael Nadal, of course.