Naslov
THE BEST CROATIAN MALE TENNIS PLAYERS AT A TURNING POINT – STUDIES OR PROFESSIONAL SPORT

Autori
Galić, Marin

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Poglavlja u knjigama, znanstveni

Knjiga
9TH INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON KINESIOLOGY - PROCEEDINGS

Urednik/ci
Šalaj, Sanja ; Škegro, Dario

Izdavač
Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu

Grad
Zagreb

Godina
2021

Raspon stranica
574-577

ISBN
978-953-317-065-7

Ključne riječi
tennis, junior ranking, ATP tour, challenger, college tennis, ITF tour, social mobility

Sažetak
Tennis is currently the most popular individual sport in the world, often considered to be ‘elitist’. This statement is somewhat contradictory as it is through tennis that many tennis players and their families see the possibility of social mobility, that is, through this sport they want to permanently change their social status. This phenomenon has especially been pronounced in the countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall. A descriptive qualitative analysis of the development of the top ten male junior tennis players on the Croatian Tennis Association (CTA) annual lists from 2010 to 2019 was used as a research method. In the 10-year sample analyzed, the only male Croatian player who became an ATP player in individual competition was Borna Ćorić, which shows that a good junior tennis career in Croatia does not guarantee a professional one in the future. There are professional tennis competitions at a lower level as well (Challenger, ITF Tour). However, they do not ensure financial profit, thus being a transitional rather than permanent solution for tennis players. Therefore, tennis players are at a turning point, having a dilemma whether they should continue trying to break into professional tennis, or commit to their studies. The analysis showed that as many as 33 Croatian male tennis players (out of a total of 72 listed) opted for pursuing their studies in order to obtain an academic title after their junior careers. Tennis offers great opportunities to get a scholarship to study abroad, primarily at colleges in the USA.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Informacijske i komunikacijske znanosti, Kineziologija

POVEZANOST RADA