Last month, Kevin King caught the attention of the professional tennis world in the Australian Open during his match against Jo-Wilfred Tsonga.
"It was an amazing feeling to qualify for my first singles grand slam event. A couple of hours after my match I found out I was playing Tsonga on Margaret Court Arena at night and it was surreal," said King.
King fell to Tsonga in a close match, but he proved he could compete amongst the world's top-ranked tennis players. The young American tennis pro has used his experience in the Australian Open as momentum.
"The result in Australia gave me confidence and something to build on," King said.
King's confidence in his talents has undoubtedly shown on the court since his match at Margaret Court Arena. Immediately following his first grand slam, Kevin competed in the Burnie Open where he secured a win against Tsung Yang of Taiwan. While in Tasmania, King decided to lace up and lock in again for the Launceston International tournament. He successfully won two matches in the tournament.
After a month of playing non-stop in the South Pacific far from his home in Georgia, King showed no signs of stopping. After returning from Tasmania, he flew to Cuernavaca, Mexico to play in Morelos Open.
"Playing in Cuernavaca, Mexico is a unique challenge due to the city's altitude. It is over a mile high which makes it much tougher to control the ball when playing," King said.
Despite these complex conditions, King has shown excellent control which helped him advance to the quarterfinals.
"This week, the best part of my game has been my return of serve. That is one of the biggest challenges when playing in altitude, so it is great to have that working," King said.
Serbian Peđa Krstin defeated King in the quarterfinals of the Morelos Open. Yet, King is moving on and is focusing on his next competition with a positive outlook. Today in Acapulco, he will compete to qualify for the Abierto Mexicano Telcel or the Mexican Open.
"Over the past few months I have been gaining more and more confidence which has allowed me to trust myself and my game plan going into each match," King said.
Learn more about Kevin King and why he wears Lock Laces® in his shoes on the court and in training.
