Freshman tennis player stands out for fierce determination

With her favorite outfit chosen the night before, a cap carefully adjusted, and her blonde braid tied in a high ponytail, Fernanda Sandoval Rodriguez gets ready to step onto the court. Her hands turn upward to hold her racket ritualistically, as if the gesture will bring her luck in the game. Crossing the baseline, she flashes a charming smile, the kind that might make some doubt whether this sweet-looking girl is capable of dominating a sport that demands so much strength and assertiveness.

The tennis match begins, and the young athlete moves with impressive reflexes. She synchronizes perfectly with the rhythm of the game, always a step ahead. When she strikes the ball, her energy overflows. Tennis seems to be the space where this latent strength manifests itself, a strength so remarkable that it often surprises those who only know her off the court.

But what many don’t know is that behind the 18-year-old athlete and the strength she displays on the court lies the story of a girl who, at the age of 13, did what few teenagers would dare to imagine: she left Mexico to live alone in Spain, dedicating her teenage years to tennis. Between intense training and cultural adjustments, she built a solid foundation that now allows her to shine as a freshman at Augustana.

Her story is not just about achievements in sports but about resilience, sacrifice and the premature maturity of someone who, still young, decided to bet everything on her dream.

Fernanda has been playing tennis since she was four years old. She was a hyperactive child, and her parents saw sports as a way to channel her energy at the end of the day. She tried everything from dance to gymnastics, but tennis always stood out as her favorite sport. Her family’s connection to tennis also helped spark her interest.

“They used to show me pictures of themselves playing tennis when I was little, and on ‘Family Days,’ they always played tennis,” Fernanda said.

Today, looking back, Fernanda acknowledges the profound impact her family had on her journey: her father, who gave her every opportunity, enabling her to achieve her dreams; her mother, who put everything aside to offer emotional support throughout her career; her grandfather, who continues to be her greatest inspiration in tennis; and her grandmother, who never missed a single tournament when Fernanda lived in Mexico, proudly claiming the title of her number one fan. Even her aunts and uncles played a role, each contributing and encouraging her in their own way.

Throughout her childhood in Mexico, she continued to practice tennis, eventually competing at the national level and becoming the best in her state of Sinaloa. To challenge herself further, she started training with boys, who provided a higher level of strength and intensity.

At 13, she felt her progress had plateaued. In her small hometown, opportunities for growth were limited, and many of her training partners had left for college.

That is when she remembered a tennis camp she had attended a few years earlier in Sweden for two weeks when she was just 11. Inspired by that experience, she talked to her mother and proposed an idea. If she could train elsewhere, she would have the chance to continue improving.

According to Fernanda, her parents trusted her deeply and supported her decisions, while she trusted them enough to know that with her family’s support, she would never be alone.

The initial plan seemed simple: spend a year abroad and return with new skills and experiences.

Even at such a young age, Fernanda decided to leave her comfort zone to pursue her dream. And as she ventured into the unknown, she had few certainties. The Brazilian chronicler Fernando Sabino says in one of his poems:

“Three things remain…

The certainty that we are starting…

The certainty that we need to keep going…

The certainty that we can be interrupted before finishing…”

Sitting on the plane next to her father as they embarked on this new chapter, they took three flights: from Mazatlán to Mexico City, to Madrid, and finally to her new home in Alicante, Spain. The only thing on Fernanda’s mind was the hope that her coaches and teammates would be kind to her.

“I really wanted to experience that new life, but I was mostly thinking about tennis,” Fernanda said about her decision. “I’ve always believed that if I wanted to achieve something, I would have to give up certain things.”

Homesickness. A constant challenge. Accustomed to spending Sundays playing tennis with her family during the traditional “Family Day,” Fernanda had to adapt to a new reality. Interactions with her parents and siblings were reduced to daily video calls and occasional visits during holidays. This was one of the greatest sacrifices of her decision to live in Spain.

“Often, I felt very lonely,” Fernanda recalled. “I remember going out with friends and seeing them with their parents and grandparents. I missed my family a lot, especially since I was so young.”

During her first Christmas abroad, she managed to return to Mexico for only three days. The season was about to start, and she needed to train. She traveled solely to spend Christmas Eve with her family before returning.

Despite the challenges, Fernanda saw constant improvement in her tennis skills. She understood clearly that achieving her goals would require sacrifices and difficult choices. Even though she missed her family, she decided that continuing her studies and training in Spain would be the best for her future, a decision she upheld until her high school graduation — a total of five years.

Fernanda spent her first year living with her aunt, the next three with a host family, and the last sharing an apartment with a friend in the city of Benidorm.

Living far from home from such a young age forced Fernanda to take on responsibilities that many people only face in adulthood. Cooking her meals, organizing her training schedule, and maintaining good academic performance were just part of her routine. Over time, she developed a sharp sense of right and wrong, essential for making assertive decisions and managing her own life.

This maturity began to reflect in her tennis career. Every training session was an opportunity to give 100% — a commitment she maintained with exemplary discipline.

“I’ve never missed a training session or a weightlifting session in my life,” Fernanda said.

Her coach, impressed by her dedication and focus, began using her as a model for the rest of the team, a reference for commitment and work ethic in sports. Even during the pandemic, after being vaccinated and feeling unwell, she didn’t skip training.

Another aspect that reflected her maturity was her performance in school. Even with her focus on a sports career, Fernanda never neglected her education.

During her years in Spain, she continued her studies through online schools in Mexico. For one year, she tried attending school in person, but the differences between the Mexican educational system she was used to and schools in Spain made adaptation challenging. Ultimately, she decided to stick with distance learning.

"My father always taught me that education comes first," Fernanda explained.

She emphasized that she would never give up her studies for tennis because, as she said, if something ever happened, her education would always be there as a safety net. For this reason, balancing both was non-negotiable, and she made it work by meticulously organizing her schedule.

Her days were relentless: weightlifting at 8 a.m., training from 9 to 11 a.m., studying from 12 to 2 p.m., training again from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m., another weightlifting session at 6 p.m., and classes from 6 to 10 p.m.

After so much dedication, her achievements came: she became the champion of a national tournament, reached five doubles finals in international tournaments, and made it to three other semifinals in additional international competitions.

But the world of sports didn’t just shape Fernanda’s career on the court; it also gave her friendships that span the globe. One memorable moment occurred during a competition when Fernanda returned to Mexico at the age of 16.

On a busy competition day, she found herself paired with Sebastian Garcia in a doubles match, facing his sister, Mia Garcia. The siblings, competitive yet friendly, brought an energy to the game that immediately clicked with Fernanda. Despite the intensity of the match, kindness triumphed over rivalry.

That day on the court marked the beginning of a lasting friendship.

Although her journey seems linear, marked by achievements and constant growth, the reality was far more complex. Behind every victory on the court were moments of hardship, sacrifice, and resilience that shaped not only her career but also the person she became.

At 15, already excelling in tennis, she couldn’t return to Mexico for an entire year. She remembers calling her parents in tears, saying she couldn’t take it anymore. She felt overwhelmed by the distance from her family and fell into depression, stopping eating and starting therapy to cope with her sadness. Her parents traveled to Spain during this period and stayed with her until she recovered.

Later, at 17, Fernanda found cultural differences challenging. She felt that Spaniards were colder and more distant than what she was used to in Mexico. She struggled with the competitive environment that tennis demanded. During an existential crisis, she considered returning to Mexico. Ultimately, she chose to stay in Spain for one more year.

"I think I belong more to Spain than to Mexico," said Fernanda. "The years I spent there were the most important, the years that truly transformed me."

After five years, filled with courage, independence, maturity, pride, and determination, she said goodbye to Spain. She took the best from every situation and learned, as Fernando Sabino concludes in his poem:

"Let us make from the interrupted path, a new path...

From a stumble, a dance step…

From fear, a ladder…

From a dream, a bridge…

From the search, an encounter!"

It was time for Fernanda to move on to the next chapter of her tennis journey. She received invitations from over 20 colleges, each offering scholarships for her to join their teams. In the end, she chose Augustana University, where she continues to chase the same dream without fear.

Those who know Fernanda understand that the contrast between her personality on and off the court is no coincidence. All the experiences and training she has undergone over the years have shaped this inner strength. Even off the court, where she continues to be a sweet, smiling, and kind woman — someone deeply connected to her family, who always carries a vulnerable side that still misses home — it’s evident when speaking with her that the qualities that drove her to pursue her dream at 13 are still present and stronger than ever.

At the end of the game, Fernanda approaches the net and greets her opponent with her characteristic sweet smile. She finishes her match with pride, confident in a job well done. Looking to the stands, the rest of the Augustana team waits for her, having cheered her on throughout the match. Among them are Mia and Sebastian — the reason she chose this college — who greet her with warm hugs and words of congratulations. Fernanda takes a deep breath, feeling a mix of relief and belonging. Though far from her homeland and the place where she spent her most formative years, she knows she has found another home.