Damir Dzumhur, a consistent presence among the top 100 male tennis players for the last ten years, entered the world in Sarajevo during 1992 amidst a barrage of missiles targeting the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina as the dissolution of former Yugoslavia was underway.
Just forty-eight hours after Dzumhur and his mother departed the maternity hospital, the facility suffered a bombing attack.
By the time Dzumhur reached an age suitable for holding a tennis racquet, playing areas were scarce, with the majority having been destroyed by explosions.
“My initial time on a playing surface occurred in a modest school gymnasium, typically designated for soccer and basketball, not tennis,” the athlete ranked 66th globally informed BBC Sport.
“They simply set up the net in the center, and that’s where my games began.”
“I did not compete on a regulation hard court until I was twelve years old, during a youth competition in France.”
Originating from a nation lacking a rich tennis heritage typically translates to insufficient monetary backing from its sports governing body and a limited number of exemplary figures to emulate within the sport.
Hantuchova holds the view that athletes emerging from modest backgrounds cultivate a tenacity, self-control, and mindset “rarely observed in contemporary times.”
“Upon resolving to pursue tennis, I inquired with my parents if, eventually, I might be able to acquire a racquet,” stated Hantuchova, characterizing her early life in Bratislava as “uncomplicated.”
“I understood that I needed to await their monthly earnings reaching a point where they could afford it.”
Novak Djokovic, frequently regarded as the most accomplished player ever with 24 Grand Slam victories, has forged a path for his country, Serbia.
During his childhood, Djokovic was compelled to seek refuge in Belgrade while NATO conducted bombing campaigns over the Serbian capital from March to June of 1999.
“My formative years throughout multiple conflicts in the 1990s represented a challenging period,” the athlete, then 38, remarked in 2020.
“We were required to queue for essential provisions like bread, milk, and water – fundamental necessities. This, quite likely, served as my bedrock, the reality that I originated from utterly humble circumstances.”
