Biography

I was 6 years old when my mother introduced me to tennis. And it didn’t take long until I was completely addicted to the game. I enjoyed playing tennis for years, locally. I played many tournaments, competitions and just games for fun. Tennis was my everything. Until I was 18, that’s when time stood still.

I was diagnosed with bone cancer in my upper leg. After multiple chemotherapies and the loss of my knee-joint, I decided in 2000 to have a part of my thy removed and to have a ‘rotationplasty’ performed. Therefore my lower leg has made a 180 degrees turn and has been attached to my hip. Which makes my ankle now function as a knee-joint. 
During my revalidation period in Revalidation Centre Heliomare I had my first encounter with wheelchair tennis. And it turned out I had talent. I joined Tennis club St Pancras, where there were more wheelchair players playing. Very quickly I started playing in the National competition and I was asked by Aad Zwaan (manager National wheelchair tennis and appreciated coach and trainer) to train with him. This collaboration worked out very well and it wasn’t long before I started playing the smaller international tournaments.

In 2002 I played my first World Team Cup. I was very honored to play for my country. And I still am because I have been allowed to play every year since 2002.

Ever since my break true in the World Team Cup I have started to play in the bigger International tournaments and also the Grand Slams. In 2006 my result was a 5^th place of the world ranking list as a single. In 2008 my dreams came
true when I qualified myself for the Paralympics in Beijing.
In both doubles and singles I became 4^th, which made me very proud. Being in Beijing was an exceptional experience that I will never forget!

2009 became a disappointing year for me because everything I tried just didn’t work out quite the way I wanted it to. It was time for a change. That’s when I decided to quit my job in September 2009. And since then I have been able to completely dedicate myself to my tennis career, with the main goal: ‘London 2012’

The decision to play tennis full time has also given me great results in 2010! I won my 3^rd Grand Slam title and a World title in my double career. As a single I played many finals and I won my first Super Series title! Which all resulted in a 4^th place ranking of the world!

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