Taking the leap | Kayleigh Busuttil Fitzpatrick

The feeling is strong. Stronger than the fear to get out of your comfort zone. It is so strong that I cannot think of anything else. I cannot do without it. This is my love for tennis.

For me, tennis is more than just a sport or a hobby. It is a way of life. Every day all I want is to play, to learn, to develop, to grow, to improve. This takes sacrifice. You need to have the will to make changes, give up the things and the way of life you were used to.

At the age of just 13, I packed my bags, well, I packed many boxes, and left everything behind to follow my dreams.

I had been training and playing in Sicily periodically for two years but I felt that I lacked continuation and order. I needed to have more stability and a sense of belonging in order to keep growing.

Thanks to the scholarship granted to me by the Malta Sports Scholarships Scheme financed by the Government of Malta in 2023, I have now been living in Sicily for the past 10 months, as a full-time athlete under the guidance of my coach Francesco Palpacelli from TC2 in Palermo.

Life as I knew it, is just a memory. Now I train for five hours a day, morning and afternoon. I catch up with my studies in between training sessions late at night or on weekends. I play tournaments both individually and as a team with the other girls of my club. They have now become like a family and even if sometimes we have to face each other on the court, we are all friends. There is a sense of unity that I had not experienced before, where we support one another, where we go and watch each other’s matches when possible and cheer for each other.

This is not an easy journey. Some days are good, others a bit less, sometimes it gets tiring. Discipline and a change of mentality are key. Sleeping in is not an option and my meals are planned by my nutritionist. Mental coaching and physiotherapy are a weekly appointment, and the rest is a lot of hard work.

I often see my friends from home posting on social media about the places they have been to and the fun they had, or about the vacations they went on. My path is different and I am thankful that I have this opportunity. My racket is my travel companion and when I visit home I book a court and go play, because it makes me happy.

I know this is a long journey, I know I am still young, I know that right now winning means nothing because there is still so much ahead. I understand the importance of my physical and mental wellbeing and that my target right now should be to be better than yesterday and for tomorrow to be better than today. I look at my favourite players, Novak Djokovic and Yannik Sinner... both an inspiration. Both against all odds, coming from places where becoming a tennis champion was quite unlikely ... but they got there.

Once someone told me, "Dreams don't work unless you do" , so yes, I dare to dream and I am ready to work and I hope that one day I too can make my country proud!

My appreciation goes to my amazing family, for all their support and sacrifice, my great coach Francesco Palpacelli who took me under his wing and the Government of Malta - Malta Sports Scholarship Scheme for believing in me and granting me this scholarship.