In this episode, I chat with 17-year-old American wheelchair tennis player Charlie Cooper, a rising star who’s already claimed 2 junior wheelchair singles Grand Slam titles.

Born with spina bifida, Charlie’s journey into tennis started with local clinics and has now taken him to the top levels of junior competition. He shares how making the decision to go full-time in 2023 completely changed his development, both mentally and physically.

We talk about the improvements he’s seen since going all in, the structure of wheelchair tennis, his tournament experiences, and what he hopes to achieve in the future.

Key topics:

• How going full-time helped Charlie raise his level

• What a typical training week looks like for him

• Differences in mindset between juniors and pros

• How wheelchair tennis works at the top level

• His goals for the coming season

A super insightful conversation for tennis fans and players alike.

Fabio

This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

Find us on Social Media:

Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

Welcome to the Function Tennis Podcast Broke brought to you by ASICS Tennis.

And I'm your host, Fabio Motley.

And I bring you insights and lessons from players, coaches, parents and experts who are ingrained in the world of high level tennis.

Today I'm joined by Charlie Cooper, a rising 17 year old American wheelchair tennis talent born with spina bifida.

Charlie's story is one of resilience, passion and purpose.

He'll take us from discovering tennis in his youth to navigating life with a disability to becoming a US and Australian championship Junior Open champion.

We dig into how he builds confidence, handles setbacks, and what it's like competing and inspiring on a global stage.

This episode is full of grit and inspiration for players, coaches, parents and anyone who believes in the power of sport.

Here's Charlie.

Charlie, welcome to the Functional Tennis Podcast.

How are you?

Good.

Thanks for having me.

It's awesome.

I love your enthusiasm.

I saw some videos and yeah, where do you get this enthusiasm and energy from?

It's amazing.

Yeah, yeah.

Growing up, you know, my dad always told me, you know, you'll be happy around others and, you know, always feel like, you know, you're just like everyone else having a disability.

So for me, you know, I tried to leave that disability out of it, having spina bifida, which I was born with.

And for me, you know, happiness was my way of life, you know, figuring out through hard times and surgeries, you know, finding ways to be happy.

And once I found tennis, you know, that, that helped my joy overall and, you know, I think that's helped me with my confidence today.

Were you not as happy before tennis?

There was a tough time around nine years old when I was in surgeries and I was pretty, I was home by myself a lot, you know, playing video games.

Back then I was before tennis.

So there's some quiet times for sure, but I was always enthusiastic, you know, playing worship music growing up and playing other sports like T ball as I walk with leg braces when I was young.

And maybe for our listeners who don't know what spina bifida is, maybe can you explain to them what it is?

Yeah.

Spina bifida is a birth defect in the spine and yeah, in the back.

And a lot of kids are born with it and it affects, you know, certain areas on the body.

For me, I lost feeling under, under my knee level and I also can't move really anything under there.

And so that made me wear leg braces.

And when I was born, the doctors told me I wouldn't Be able to walk.

So a lot of kids hear that around the world.

And I'm blessed to be able to walk with leg braces as I did pretty much my whole life.

I went to private school walking around just like anyone else doing physical education classes.

So I was a pretty active kid.

And as part of it comes in all forms, some people are not able to walk and they're in wheelchairs immediately.

So it's definitely a really common disability in the United States, for sure.

And yeah, that it was, it was.

From birth for me on a day to day basis.

So do you walk around?

Yeah, I'd say no.

If I go to like a restaurant or something, you know, I'll walk.

But if it's, if it's long distances or, you know, going to Disneyland, you know, I'm definitely going to use a chair or even around tournaments, you'll see me in a wheelchair for sure.

Okay.

When did tennis, when did the love of tennis start for you?

When did you first set your eye on a tennis court and play?

Yeah, so I was not born into a tennis family, me and my dad, he played high school tennis growing up, but he wasn't that good.

And my mom never played before.

So I lived three minutes from the tennis garden in New Wall Tennis Garden growing up, which is a crazy coincidence.

So.

And I used to go there when I was younger and you know, I remember watching Roger Federer before I even played tennis and he was huge for me.

So I, I started the sport randomly.

I was at a guitar shop at 9 years old.

Like I said, I played worship music growing up.

And I met a kid with spina bifida as well.

And he told me about a clinic going on that Friday.

Me and my mom were there and she told me I should try it out.

And I thought it was crazy because, like, I'd never been in a wheelchair before that maybe in the hospital.

And I always thought that walking was, you know, the one thing that I wanted since the doctors told me I wouldn't be able to.

So doing that was the miracle and I wanted to stay with it.

But then I thought wheelchair attendance was going back in the wrong direction.

And I tried it out and I felt so, so fast.

And I went to a tournament for the first time and everyone was disabled.

And it was insane because I think the Valley, there's not too many people with disabilities out here in Palm Springs.

So it was a huge eye opener.

But that community of people being disabled and being able to play competitive sport because that's what I wanted to Do.

I wanted to be an NBA player, NFL, but I couldn't with this disability.

So it really changed.

And now I'm playing at the US Open, playing at the show and open next to all these stars and champions, and I'm just like them.

And it's.

It's amazing.

Wait, you're winning the US Open?

You're winning the Australia?

It's a bit different.

It's a bit different.

But how did you push through?

So how did you get through?

So how old were you then?

Nine, ten?

Yeah, I was around nine years old.

And now you're 17?

Yeah.

So over those years, how have you progressed?

How have you got better?

Where have you trained and when was there a day you realized, I'm actually quite good at this, I can be professional?

Yeah.

So in the beginning, I started with a coach named Dwayne Begay.

He's a big coach out here in the desert, and I've been with him for the whole eight years, which is crazy.

He's been huge for me, and I'm on that path.

I've been going to the USA national campus in Orlando or coaches named Jason Hartnett, and we also been working with the best player of all time named Shingo Kenneda, who's.

He's won 25 single slams, which is crazy.

And he's, you know, almost like my assistant coach out there.

So I've been going back and forth between the desert and Orlando, and being around people like Ben Shelton, too, is amazing because you have that whole environment, and there are some tough moments along the path, for sure.

And I think for me, I've just started, you know, really digging in.

Last year, I was going to school in high school in person, and playing Junior Masters, the La Petitas, which we also partake in.

I played last year.

It was my last one.

And I remember I was talking to my mom, and I lost a few tough matches to the juniors.

That was in January.

And she was like, you know, if you really want to take all the weight, you got to go online.

You got to dedicate more to it, you know, and that was my dream.

You know, I'm not, I, I, I knew that.

You know, I feel like God gave me this disability for a reason.

So I wanted to go all in with it.

You know, why not?

And my parents fully supported me.

They're amazing.

And so I, I took it seriously then, and I think that whole year.

I won my first men's tournament in July of last year, and that was, that was a huge set for me as I'VE been playing juniors most of the time and the work started to pay off.

And then once I won that US Open for the first time, being the same juniors I lost to in January, it was, it was, I think that was the eye opener where it's, you know, I really see how the work, what the work can do and, you know, and the dreams I want to do in the future and that's playing the men's Grand Slams and I want to win it.

So that, that was the eye opener for me.

And it really shows, you know, how much time you got to dedicate for sure.

And that was something I did.

I didn't think I had to do before.

You know, we had to talk to my mom.

So you're full time now?

No, school.

Sorry.

Online.

Online.

Online school.

Okay.

Yeah.

And so what's your typical training day like now?

How many hours you're on court?

Yeah, so now I'm going to be in Orlando full time.

So it's pretty crazy days there.

We do two hours in the morning and then an hour workout and then another two hour.

So it's almost around six hours a day.

It's like a, you know, we go to like a 9 to 5.

So it's crazy.

And we go every day.

We go half day on Saturday and then no nothing on Sunday.

So it's, it's pretty stacked schedule and it's something I wasn't doing before, for sure.

You know, and having all these things for us and at the campus, like the best coaches and Shingo and I get to train a lot of other we tennis players too, which, which is awesome.

And so getting, getting that constant play is huge, especially in the wheelchair sport.

It's, you know, it's becoming so competitive now where you have to do that if you want to be the best.

So yeah, that's like my schedule is.

Your training split in between, like, I don't know, technique and sort of basket work and then match play.

Do you do that throughout the day?

Yeah, I'd say the mornings are usually more technical and with a lot of baskets and.

And then the afternoon we go match play pretty much all the time.

What's fitness look like for you guys?

Yeah, so we're definitely not always in the gym every day, so most of it's upper body, as you know.

But at the campus we like to work with our legs too.

And I'm blessed to be more like I have a lot of ability in my legs.

So once we get that, you know, I use my legs to push down on the foot plate.

So when I serve, I'm pushing the energy almost into the ground.

Just like, you know, you're standing up.

So we do, we do squats.

I know that sounds crazy.

Yeah, it does.

We almost hit leg days a lot, but.

And then we'll also go on the, onto the track outside and do pushing drills because mobility is the biggest part of the game of wheelchair tennis.

And then we'll go inside and do spider, spider drills around cones and different things like that.

And so we mix it up a lot.

But yeah, mostly it's in the gym or outside.

And you see, you said you, Ben Shelton to be around there.

What have you learned Anything, Anything sparring from Ben?

Yeah, the biggest thing I've learned, I've watched a few practices just how intense he is.

You know, he's, he's always grunting in practice, you know, maybe louder than the match.

And he's, he's just so intense.

So then once he gets on that match, it's, it's just the same thing.

And I think that's huge for people practicing because sometimes, you know, we relax too much and especially when you're on the clay, you got to be grinding and it really shows because, you know, what you're doing out there in the Florida heat is it makes it easy for the match.

So that's the biggest thing I learned from him.

And you, sorry, you say now you're in Orlando, by the way, you're from Indian Wales area, the desert over there.

So are you relocating full time to Orlando by yourself or is your family moving also?

Yeah, so we just bought a house, so my whole family's going as well.

My sister's, she's 13 now, so she'll go to school there.

So it's a big life, whole life move west to east coast.

It's crazy, but I love it there.

My parents do too, so it's gonna be fun.

Did your sister play tennis now?

She tried to at the tennis garden, but it's not a thing.

I think she's more of a volleyball player.

And you know, like I said, my parents didn't really play either, so it's nothing really.

Was running the family.

But maybe I'll be the start.

Maybe.

Yeah, bro, you're on.

You're on the way.

And growing up, who was your tennis star growing up?

I'd definitely say Roger Federer for sure.

I just, I just love the way he competed and I feel like just, just the word, the words, like the aura, the aura around him, you know, as I wasn't really playing tennis.

But I, I knew who he was and I saw him win.

Everybody loved him, so.

And I, I had the, you know, the honor to meet him at the US Open this last year, which was huge.

And it felt like my world stopped.

You know, I, I looked up to him so much, and to hear him, you know, before my final, he said, good luck, champ.

And that was like the biggest thing for me.

Maybe that helped me win too, but that was a, you know, full circle moment as growing up.

As a kid, I never played tennis, but I looked up to him.

And then, you know, making ends meet and seeing him as a player is.

Is different.

So it was awesome.

And plus, you got the one hander too.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, that's amazing.

So they just take it forward to winning.

So you won the US Open last year.

You won Australia this year, French.

Did you get to the final?

Yeah.

Did you win the dubs in French?

And then did you.

I'm not sure if actually you played Wimbledon or not.

Did you play Wimbledon?

No.

So they don't have juniors there yet.

They're just starting to add all the Grand Slams for juniors, which is a huge step.

The US Open was the first, so they're starting to add that now.

And.

But you know, I'm making that transition, as I said, to the men's.

And this is my last year of juniors, but right now I'm currently looking hopefully to get a wild card into the US Open, which would be first program slam.

And so I'm, I'm looking forward to that, and if not, I'll play juniors again.

But it's pretty exciting things ahead.

Can you play both?

I. I don't know.

It.

It hasn't come up yet.

You know, I don't think that situation's happened yet, but.

And I don't know, what was it like winning the US Open last year?

Like, were you going into the tournament, did you think I could win this?

Or was it, you know, you start believing it throughout the tournament, throughout the event, and then what changed?

Or did anything change afterwards?

Looking back at it?

Yeah, I had, I had a little winning streak going in singles, and it was, like I said, the men's tournaments was helping my confidence extremely.

And so once I got into the US Open, I mean, what I was thinking about is all the work I was putting in.

I think that helped my confidence.

As before, I would show up and, you know, maybe hope to win or hope to be close.

You know, I wasn't trusting what I was doing because I wasn't spending as much time on the court as I am now.

So I had.

I had a lot of coaches around me, supporting staff.

You know, my coach from my.

From here, Dwayne Begay, came and he supported me.

I had my urologist show up from when I was a child, and that was.

That was pretty crazy.

And he got to watch me play.

So I feel like all the support around me, you really, really helped me, you know, want to win and want to win for them and everyone that's ever supported me.

So this year felt different, for sure.

And.

Or this last year.

And, yeah, I went in there the first round.

First round was three sets.

It was pretty close, and I was super nervous because I had the feeling, you know, I don't want to lose first round.

You know, I've been working this whole year for this, you know, and I also work with a mental.

A mental strength specialist.

You know, he.

He helps me so much, and with those.

With those things that go on my head like that, you know, everyone has them.

So he was huge, too, and he got to watch me play.

So, like I said, you know, all the work going in and, you know, believing.

Believing that I could win and believing that God had this plan for me, you know, win or lose, you know, there's still a plan.

And I think, you know, so many people came out for that final, and I think so many younger kids with disabilities, and I think it was all part of the plan, you know, having a US Player there and playing in the final, and I think I inspired a lot of people, and that's my biggest thing.

I want to do more than the winning.

You know, it's having those younger players come up.

And, you know, I want to be like you.

And so that.

That's the biggest thing for me, and that's what inspired me to win the US Open, I think.

And, you know, getting that trophy, that winning feeling was.

Was everything.

Everything that year, you know, paid off.

And, you know, there's so much ahead, but that's probably the biggest moment in my life so far.

So that is.

That is deep root in you is a goal.

Your job is to inspire more wheelchair players.

For sure.

That's.

It's a big undertaking, but, you know, you're starting young, so I'm gonna wish you all the best in that.

That's gonna be fun chat.

Obviously, you've started well, and you're ranked about 65 in the world now.

Yeah, so I just won a tournament this four days ago in Vancouver.

It was Like a pro tournament.

And yeah, so I think I'm back up to like 50 now, on the rise.

So I keep trying to get up there.

But yeah, there's a lot of good, a lot of top players that come out here to the US and for us, you know, we have to travel to Europe more because, you know, you don't get like two tournaments in the same place out here in the US like you can on maybe challengers or so.

So there's a lot of traveling that has to be done in the sport.

Is the level like that?

Is it like a Futures challenger and, and like a Master's level, then a Slam?

It's similar to the ADP and WTA Tour.

Yeah, I say it's pretty similar if you put it in this perspective.

And the news is a few days ago they just confirmed that they're changing the tour next year and they're making a premier tour.

So we're going to have events at Miami, Indian Wells for a top group and then we're going to be having more of a challenger group to try to get in.

And so I think I'll be taking part of that middle section trying to get in there.

So it's huge.

And like you said, I think it's going to make it more easy to understand now they're starting to name the tournaments the same, maybe having the name of the points like in a thousand instead of.

We call it Super Series right now.

So making it, making it more understandable for the average tennis follower.

And how many people in it?

Let's say, let's say it's on a Miami.

How many people in a draw in a top tier event?

Yeah, so it's probably going to start at like 16, which is, you know, I know that this, it sounds pretty small, but again, there's not millions of wheelchair players out there right now.

So.

Yeah, and I, I think it's, it's, it's not hard to jump up in literature, tennis.

You know, anything could happen.

You know, you have players like his name, Taquito Oda, the world number one, who's, I think he's 20 now or 19 and he was world number one at 17.

So it's really, you know, if you get good at the movement and you have a lot of ability, you could, you could really jump up there pretty quick.

And obviously you got to be a really good tennis player and got to put the work in.

But you know, I, I think starting to see big jumps now and I hope, you know, to be the next.

Yeah, you gotta Aim big.

Aim big.

Yeah, that's right.

And you know, for me, I'd say I go to the.

I go to a few tournaments.

I find traveling, you know, first term it's okay.

And then travel.

Travel becomes quite tough, traveling.

But for you it's even harder.

How.

How do you deal with that?

Are UK traveling or do you find it hard?

Yeah, it's definitely harder.

You're traveling with two wheelchairs because, you know, I have my everyday chair and then a sports wheelchair and you know, sometimes they get lost and that's like the worst.

The worst thing that could happen.

Has that happened?

It's so bad.

I've had it happen.

But I'm busting up.

Not.

Not before.

Not like when I ride to a tournament.

So I've been.

I've been lucky there.

But when I get home, I've had a loss for like three days and it doesn't show up.

And so it's.

It's crazy.

And I definitely got better for sure.

But you'll see a lot of the players around, around the world in Lucha Tennis, they have big boxes, like hard, hard shell boxes for the chair because they also get broken on the plane as expect.

And so it's definitely hard traveling with two wheelchairs.

But, you know, I like.

Regardless of that, you know, I love flying.

I think.

I think it's like one of my favorite things.

I like it more than car driving.

The cars just make me sick.

But when I'm on the plane, I just listen to music.

I fall asleep really easily.

So I love that part of it.

But you know, definitely going from one place to another is hard, you know, and sometimes I miss being home, being with my.

Being with my mom and my sister.

My dad travels me a lot, you know, around the world.

So it's.

That part's tough.

But, you know, the flying and stuff, you know, I could do that all day.

And does then.

Does anybody ever have two wheelchairs?

Just in case that was to happen?

Imagine you're traveling to Wimbledon or to New York.

And does anybody actually travel like that?

I. I haven't seen that yet.

I think that's.

That would be kind of extreme.

But I could.

I.

Maybe in the future I could see something like that happening.

But a lot person bring another pair of wheels.

So a whole.

A whole wheel.

Which.

So, yeah, not just the tire, but so like something goes wrong, they just take it out of the bag and plop it right on.

So I. I don't.

I don't do that.

I.

Only a few players, maybe one or Two right now.

And it just, you know, you're just adding more to the travel.

So it's rough, but yeah.

And on, during a match, can anything, I know, you know, you can break a string, break a racket, your shoes probably don't break.

But for you, from a technical perspective with your wheelchair, can anything actually break that you can't fix or do you actually have a tool bag with you?

Yeah.

So most tournaments that they all have a mechanic.

So if something breaks, if a tire pops, you got like a 20 minute period.

It's almost like a medical timeout, but they add it for this.

So yeah, you get 20 minutes.

But I've had it in doubles where my partners, one of his tire pops and it takes I think 15 minutes to get that changed.

And we get back on the court, the other tire pops.

And so they try to do as fast as they can.

It takes like six minutes and we get like a point penalty because we go over the time.

And so that, that was probably the craziest thing I've seen so far.

But yeah, we have, we have mechanics and everything and people that are pretty quick and get on the court, change the tire really quick.

So yeah, you know, we don't usually have to do it ourselves.

That, that would be rough.

Yeah, that would be rough.

And tell me, does playing at the higher level, so let's say you're top 20 in the world, does it pay the bills?

Is, is there a cut off where it actually pays the bills?

And we all know tennis expensive, we all know like DPWA level.

Unless you're top 100, you know, you're barely breaking even.

Is there a break even point for you guys?

I say around the top 16 level for sure because that's the Grand Slam cut off.

And you know, once you get in the Grand Slams, then you're making prize money and it's going up now for sure.

And it's amazing to see how their prize money is increasing.

And obviously it's not like, you know, stand up tennis, but you know, I think most of it's more like endorsements and that kind of things.

Obviously, I think that that helps more and you know, having, you know, likable characters and having good stories is what's important.

So yeah, I think that combination's, you know, the key to, you know, making a living on the tour.

And I know tennis, you know, in general is hard to make money on tour, so there's definitely got to be more, more in this sport than just the tennis.

You know, you gotta, you gotta Be doing other things for sure, and having to, you know, being marketable.

And so I think, you know, that's what I'm trying to, you know, make sure I do well in the future.

And, you know, if you want to play the sport, you gotta find ways, you know, to, to market yourself.

So I think that's, that, that's the biggest thing.

But prize money's going up a ton.

You know, U.S. open is, you know, putting a lot of money into it, which is amazing.

So, Yeah, I just saw it there.

Wimbledon was about 70,000 sterling, just under for the winner, which is not really a lot for a professional athlete winning a Grand Slam.

So I think they have a bit of work to do there.

By the time you pay your taxes, that's half of that.

So.

Yeah, you're right.

But it's good to see it's increasing and that, that's good.

That's good to know.

So you just got to play more tournaments, get out there and win more.

That's right.

Because I'm sure even from a cost perspective for you, flying to tournaments where you've all these bigger bags, you know, you've.

Wait.

I'm not sure if they charge for the wheelchairs or not, but it's.

It gets pretty expensive.

Right.

Right.

Yeah, it gets really expensive.

And, you know, I'm blessed.

You know, my parents have, you know, been, you know, fund me and, and I still, I. Yeah, still.

I'm still 17, live with them.

So.

Yeah, and the USA helps us, too.

They'll give us, give us grants to be able to do this.

These things too.

So that, that's huge.

And.

But yeah, I know a lot of players around the world, you know, maybe can't afford is.

Is for tennis.

You know, it's really hard tennis by itself.

But now you have the wheelchair, like you said, and that's.

Some of those are like $15,000.

You know, they're almost like buying a motorcycle.

So it's, it's crazy.

And.

But yeah, I'd say, I say it's getting better and with this premier tour, like I said, and, you know, having Miami, any wells, that just means more prize money for, for players.

And that means you'll see some of us coming up, you know, maybe players that didn't think they would be able to make money now are, you know, you know, coming out and we're hungry, you know, players that, you know, need it.

Yeah.

And are you, are you Nike sponsored?

Yeah.

No, not, not officially, but, you know, just.

I just wear the clothes and, and everything and I'll use Yonex so they, they support me too.

Yeah.

What Yonex do you use?

People always ask and have players on.

I never ask them what racket they use and we get listeners saying what racket do you use?

What racket to use?

Which Yonex?

I use the EZO98 and what string.

And actually tension do you have?

So I use the Polytour spin in the mains and then Polytor Pro and the crosses.

It's like the Casparid style and.

So I don't use the newest one and Yeah, I don't know if I'm allowed to say that but.

Yes, but I've been using that racket for a long time.

Yeah, but what tension?

Same, same as the ordinary tennis is the what tension you string at?

Yeah, 48 pounds.

Just both.

I, I tried switching it up, going 3 lower in the crosses and no, I just stick with 48.

And is the ball you use the exact same ball as a normal ball?

Yeah, the exact same balls actually string rackets, you know, everything and.

Okay.

I think though you will see on the top, you know some players are using really light rackets like Takeda oda is using 100L, which is something you wouldn't see too much and stand up and I think that helps, you know getting, getting a little more, a little more whip or getting off the wheel faster because you know we have to push with the racket in the hand and then taking it up and swinging.

So if you have a really heavy racket, you know your forearms are going to be cooked.

You know, you're not going to be able to move that long.

So I, I'm good with mine at 305 right now and I, I don't know what it is with the string but it's, it's not that heavy.

And but like you said, you'll see people with 285 grand rackets and it's kind of crazy but I think that's, that's kind of where the sport is.

Yeah, there's a reason for it.

What's your, what's your hero shot?

What's your, what are you known for?

Me?

Yeah.

So my, my hero shot is the back end down the line.

You know in winter tennis we all have one handed back ends.

You know, we're like Roger Federers everyone.

And I learned that mainly from Shingo Kenneda.

Like I said, one of the best players of all time and that's his Favorite shot, too.

So he's really coached me on how to hit it the best.

And I feel like in the sport now, Lucha tennis, it's pretty much the first to find the line.

It's hard.

We can't sidestep, and we can't get to the other side that fast.

And especially, I feel like the returner always has the advantage in this sport unless you have an amazing serve.

But yeah, it's just so hard to serve and get to the other side of the court right away, because sometimes your chair, you know, it stops after the serve.

And so for me, you know, like, going down the line right, right on the return, or being the, maybe the second shot in the rally just to, you know, switch it up and have the move across.

So that, that's my favorite shot.

And I, I.

People call me Mini Shingo for it, so it's cool.

It's like, it's like, it's.

It's your wrong foot and shot, really, isn't it?

I know a different name, but, yeah, that's, that's, that's interesting.

So in your young career, what do you feel has been your biggest challenge so far to get where you are today?

I think the biggest challenge for me yet to get where I was was, yeah, definitely.

I've said before tennis was the surgeries, and that is kind of developed to how I am today.

And I think around, let's see, I was probably around 8 years old or 7 to 8, and I was just missing the transition into first grade, which is huge.

And I feel like, you know, my social skills weren't as good.

You know, I. I didn't really have friends then.

And yeah, like I said, I was kind of lonely at home.

And I feel like I, I still had faith in faith in God, and that's huge for me.

And that with having that faith helped me get back into it and having believed that everything would be okay, you know, and everything would.

There would be a plan for me.

And from that belief at a young age, it helped me getting back into school, making friends right away.

And I think that's part of me being really friendly and having a gift from God.

Not letting the surgeries affect me, because sometimes you might have mental trauma from those.

And to be honest, all that's walked out.

I really can't tell you.

I don't remember anything from it, which is crazy.

I just remember the taste of the medicines, so it's crazy.

I feel like that's developed how I am today.

You know, having that belief in God is is crazy, because now I could lose a tennis match and be.

And be like.

Like I said, Roland Garros, I lost the final.

And I was.

I was really sad because that was my last time to do it in juniors, and I wanted to go 3 for 3, like, with all the Grand Slams, and so y' all sitting on the sideline, and I could have been like, you know, why?

Like, why, why.

Why did this happen to me?

You know, but instead I was more, you know, thank you, God, for allowing me to play.

And I said it in the out, you know, on court, you know, microphone, trophy ceremony, you know, taking God first, that's huge for me.

And so if God could get me through the surgeries and make me a tennis player, you know, how God could take a loss and make something great out of it.

And I feel like that's something that's helped me massively, and it's held my belief, and I hope I'll always stay with that the rest of my life.

So the good skill you have, that's good attitude and a good skill because it's a mental skill.

So it will make you go far.

And are you surgery wise, barn.

God forbid, any injuries.

But are you actually finished all your surgeries, or will there be more surgeries at some stage?

Yeah, right now, I'm pretty much finished, you know, unless something happens.

But I'm.

I'm.

Yeah, I don't have anything going on.

You know, I'm blessed that life is good, you know, how do you have a disability?

And I. I'm.

I love.

You know, obviously there's some challenges, but, yeah, yeah, I've learned to, you know, To.

To realize it's for a reason.

And.

And, you know, we have disability for a reason.

And so.

So, yeah, I.

That, yeah, there's nothing really coming up.

So, yeah, I'm.

Finally.

My last question is, what advice do you have for other people in wheelchairs who want to pursue a career in tennis?

Yeah, I'd say the advice for them is, you know, you have to give it a go.

You know, it might seem.

It might seem crazy at first we went to tennis, but, you know, once you watch the top players and see them competing, you know, it really opens up crazy doors.

And you get to be next to Novak Djokovic, you know, in a gym, warning up for an Australian Open final, like I once did, and it's.

It's amazing.

And, you know, if you don't give it a shot, you know, you never know where you could be.

And like I said, I wanted to Be an NBA player and NFL player, but, you know, I couldn't.

So finding this was that door for me.

And now I want to make sure that I'm giving back to everyone and hope everybody has a fair chance to find the sport.

This is amazing.

And, you know, tennis is hard, for sure, but, like, you know, I never played growing up, but I, you know, I found it and, you know, I loved it.

I love competing.

I love the let's Gos, and that was a big for me.

So, yeah, just, you know, go out and try it.

That's my, that's my advice.

That's amazing.

I totally forgot, actually, that, you know, if you're getting to finals, you're there when Jockovich is there.

Alcross is there the best players around.

I know there's less people there.

There's not that many people around anymore, so you probably better chance of bumping into them.

Do you ever speak to any of them?

Yeah, I, I, yes, I spoke to Yannick Sinner in the, he was playing Ben Shelton that day.

So I, I, I said good luck to both of them.

But I, yeah, I was just like, good luck, man.

He's like, thanks, bro.

So I, I, we don't have, like, conversations like that, but, yeah, probably, yeah, with Roger Federer, you know, we talked about, you know, the, you know, he's asked me if I was playing and all that, and I say I was in the final.

So, yeah, you really get to talk to all these guys, and you're right at the very end of the tournament, all the best guys are there and no one else is.

So it's, it's awesome.

And, and I think a lot of them, you know, look up to us, too, and how much work we have to put in.

And Djokovic is a good ambassador for that.

You know, he does a lot of exhibitions for Luther Tennis, and he talks about a lot, so he's awesome, too.

And, yeah, so I think it will keep growing like that and, you know, the more juniors we get in the sport, you know, the more future the game will have and, you know, with this new tour is awesome and, you know, I hope to be, you know, inspiring for them and, you know, the next face of us tennis, and that'll be, that'll be huge.

Charlie, thank you very much for jumping on.

Best luck next month in New York.

I'm excited to see how you get on and hopefully get that wild card into the main draw.

So let's go.

Thanks.

I appreciate it, Sam.