Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabastiani Leon.
Sabastiani, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2006, as I was about to enter my first year of high school, my parents sat me down and asked me one of the most important questions in my life. Did I want to take tennis seriously and compete at the collegiate level? At the time, little did I know “yes” would pave the path to where I am today.
Tennis had always been a family sport, even before I was born. My name derives from Gabriela Sabatini, a female professional tennis player from Argentina in the 80s. In diapers, I would walk around with tennis balls in my hands while my brother was training. My parents loved the sport so much that they would play social matches six out of the seven days of the week. You can say that tennis runs in my blood.
My parents did not have the resources to put me through proper training at a tennis club. So my Dad did his homework and studied every chance he could. I knew I was not naturally athletic, so I had to put in double the amount of hours compared to other girls trying to achieve the same goal. I never gave up because I had the mentality that nothing is impossible. After high school dual meets, I stayed on the court for another hour to practice. I wanted to be prepared for the tournaments my Dad signed me up on the weekends to climb the ranks in the region. Being so dedicated and focused on the goal, I sacrificed my social life. I rarely spent time with friends outside of school, and I did not attend one school dance. I was not affected by it knowing that I had a goal in mind and was very passionate about it. In 2009, my dream came true. San Jose State University offered me an athletic scholarship, and I signed with them instantly.
My experience as a Division I athlete was far from stable. In my first year as a Spartan, I became an adult instantly. I learned to prioritize my time wisely by juggling on-court training, fitness, seeing the physiotherapist, fulfilling mandatory study hall hours, visiting professors during their office hours, studying, and recovery. Although stressful at times, it was one of the most memorable events in my life. For the first time ever, I played alongside women that fought for the same goal: to be victorious in the conference and compete in the NCAA Championships.
My third year took a drastic turn. Many of the women on my team were experiencing mental, emotional, and physical injuries. Some transferred to compete for other universities, some decided to stay, and some quit. I was one of the players that was close to quitting. My parents could not believe that their little girl who sacrificed so much for the sport could hate it so much. Nonetheless, I persisted and stayed to compete for the Spartans all four years and earned my degree in Business Administration, emphasis in Marketing.
After graduating, I took a couple of months to gain back the passion I once had as a child. I knew I still wanted to continue on the professional level, but I could not do it with the negativity that was present in my mind. In the winter of 2014, I competed in my first professional tournaments in Mexico and Hong Kong. Currently, I am in my 4th year playing at this level and have had the most wonderful experiences on and off the court. So far, I have competed in over ten countries.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Generally speaking, sports is one of those things in life that no one can guarantee a positive outcome. Tennis, being an individual sport, pushes you to the limit in all aspects. With one sign of weakness, the opponent can detect it instantly and capitalize on it. So it is essential to be confident regardless of how you really feel. Not only can the opponent be your enemy, but the people around you can be too. With an individual sport like tennis, jealousy is quite common. Many players only care about their own success, and in the process can be insincere, and will do anything to win without any regard for anyone else.
My advice to anyone starting their journey, I recommend surrounding yourself with people that have your best interest at heart. Have a group of people that will give positive reinforcement regardless of the current state of your journey, but also have people that give you constructive criticism. It may be hard to hear or even accept criticism, but know that these people only want to see you succeed and are providing this feedback to help further improve yourself. So, it is important to keep an open mind to all advice and to be proactive in improving.
The mind is such a powerful force. It impacts how we live our lives. Therefore, it is essential to feed it positive energy, regardless if you feel that you are at your lowest point. With one opportunity, you will be surprised how that can affect the change of direction you’re headed.
Lastly, enjoy the journey. We must learn from our past, to live in the present, to form the future. Everything is replaceable, but time is not. It would be a tragedy that one day you look back and regret things you should have done.
Please tell us about Hit On Point Tennis Services.
Looking back at my tennis career so far, I feel that I have been through a lot of things. At times, I wish I had someone there to help me understand and overcome obstacles. So in 2017, I decided to offer my help to those interested in reaching their goals in tennis. I teach on a one-to-one basis when I am in town to all ages and levels. I also focus on players who want to compete in high school. For those players, both American and international players, who aspire to compete on the collegiate level, I offer to help with the recruiting process whether it’s to play in their dream school or in search for athletic aid.
What sets me apart from other services is that I carefully tailor each case as if it were my own. When I went through the process, it was a lot of information to remember. Dad and I were hoping for the best with the little knowledge that was on the internet to hook some offers. If we had someone there to help us with the process, I feel that I could have had more schools to choose from. Recently we helped a player from Mexico City achieve her dream to play tennis in the United States. When I first met her, her spirits were low. She didn’t think she had the skill to compete at that level. I encouraged her to stay positive, do well in all the tournaments she entered, and earn high scores on her SATs and ACTs. Within six months, I helped made her dream come true, and she is currently competing at a Division I school in North Carolina studying American Law.
Who have you been inspired by?
The women that overcome adversities are the individuals that inspire me. It amazes me that these individuals lack resources and support but find a way to be successful.
As an example, during World War II, my Grandmother was forced to marry my Grandfather and move to Mexico for her safety during the Japanese invasion. She was forced to blend with the culture and customs of the Mexican people so she would fit in. She changed her religion and learned a new language to prevent harassment and abuse. With five children, she ran the business alongside my Grandfather. She sacrificed her life in China, leaving her sister and parents behind. My Grandmother didn’t let her emotions cloud her judgment. She kept fighting to make sure the people around her were safe regardless how she felt.
Contact Info:
- Website: hitonpoint.com
- Phone: +1 (858) 461-8319
- Email: hitonpoint@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitonpoint/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hitonpoint/
Image Credit:
Neal Trousdale, Didi Fisher Weinreb Sports Photography
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