Robin Montgomery, the future of women’s tennis – The Undefeated

As the person responsible for player development at one of Maryland’s premier youth tennis centers, Ali Agnamba has grown accustomed to newbies walking through the doors of the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) without confidence. But Agnamba saw something special the first time he saw a then 6-year-old Robin Montgomery being dropped off by her mother at the JTCC – simply to keep her physically active.

“All she wanted to do was hit balls, and by the age of 6 you couldn’t help but notice her skills and presence,” said Agnamba. “She came in and immediately wanted to be better than anyone her age. From the way she absorbed it all by watching the older players, I immediately said, ‘This girl can be special when she brings in the work.’ ”

In September, Montgomery Agnamba proved a fortune teller. Just a few days after his 17th birthday, Montgomery had a lovely Saturday on September 11th, winning the US Open Juniors singles title in the afternoon, followed by the US Open Juniors doubles title in the evening. It is the first win of this US Open title since 2004 and the first win by an American since Lindsay Davenport accomplished the feat in 1992.

Robin Montgomery of the United States celebrates with the championship trophy after winning Kristina Dmitruk of Belarus during the final in her girls’ singles final on day 13 of the US Open 2021 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 11 in Queens, New York, has defeated.

Sarah Stier / Getty Images

For Montgomery, these games marked the end of one chapter – it was the last time she ran as a junior – and the introduction to the next as she began her full-time professional career in October.

Your goals?

“Get a lot of matches on the Pro Tour and gain experience,” she said. “My goal is to win a slam and become a top five player. After seeing what Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez achieved in reaching the US Open final, it just shows that anything can happen in women’s tennis. “

Montgomery lives in Washington, and her development as a tennis player took place in nearby College Park, Maryland, at the same tennis center that laid the foundation for the career of professional player Frances Tiafoe. This center, the JTCC, is supported by the USTA Foundation and the National Junior Tennis and Learning Network and provides an introduction to tennis and guidance to help players reach their potential.

Montgomery and Tiafoe, who also performed solidly at the US Open where he reached the second quarterfinals of his career, are two of the recent success stories of the JTCC in Montgomery County, Maryland.

“Our program is designed to keep kids involved, and while tennis is considered an expensive sport, we don’t turn anyone away for financial reasons,” said Agnamba. “What Robin and Frances did in New York this year shows the outside view how special our program is and what kind of tennis players we can develop.”

This development doesn’t come without the work ethic. Montgomery displayed this ethic when she first walked into the facility. She asked a lot of questions, studied the older players, and always came early for extra work.

“Some kids would do what you want them to do, but Robin came up to me and asked, ‘What can I do to improve in this area?’ “Said Agnamba. “When she had problems with her serve, I told her to hit 5,000. She came in early and hit extra serves and wrote everything in her diary until she was done. “

Montgomery was 15 when she won the prestigious U18 Orange Bowl tournament in 2019, while also earning a ranked No. 5 junior in the world. She turned pro in 2020 and won her first professional title in March 2020 at the $ 25,000 International Tennis Federation / USTA tournament in Las Vegas.

Then the coronavirus pandemic struck, forcing the world into a life of isolation.

“Although it was hard not to be on the pitch and not knowing when we were going to compete, the pandemic was good for me because I could focus on my fitness,” said Montgomery. “I even changed my diet, switched to plant-based, and while I miss double bacon cheeseburgers, that helped me get into the shape I am in today.”

When the sports world returned in 2020, Montgomery actually took part in the 2020 US Open when it lost its opening game to Yulia Putintseva (23rd in the world at the time).

That year, Montgomery tried to reach the main draw of the US Open, but lost their first qualifier. That led to her taking part in the junior draw, where she was number 7.

“In all honesty, my goal was not to win, but to go out and have fun knowing it was my last junior tournament,” said Montgomery. “My real goal was to be honest, just try to get through the third lap. Holding these trophies felt good in the end and was just another step on the way to where I want to be in my career. “

A message to Naomi Osaka: take the time you needRead now

The next step – as a full-time professional – leads her to a women’s division in which 14 players have won the last 18 Grand Slam tournaments. Watching two teenagers battle for the 2021 US Open title and witnessing the creation of Coco Gauff inspired Montgomery.

“It’s great to see,” said Montgomery of the teenagers’ success on the sport’s greatest stage. “And seeing how Coco got on stage is definitely motivating as it shows that anything is possible.”

As Montgomery moves into this next phase of her career, her friend, mentor, and occasional JTCC training facilitator, Tiafoe, has been offering advice.

“He told me it was going to be a really long road and while I’m at it I take the time to enjoy,” said Montgomery. “As I develop my game to its full potential, I’ll do just that – enjoy the journey.”

Jerry Bembry is a senior writer on The Undefeated. His bucket list points include serenading Lizz Wright and watching the Knicks play an NBA game in June.