I started playing at home at 4 years old in my family’s tennis court, where I used to watch my Dad and friends playing for fun. I remember being able to watch them for countless hours, hoping they would let me join them. I would observe them, and learn a lot and at the same time I was having fun. I was far from ever thinking that one day, tennis, would be my profession.

I was a kid just like the others: I liked to play, run, explore the woods, ride bicycles, ride motorcycles and was always fascinated by sports. At time, apart from tennis, football was another passion I had, but only one remained up to today. My parents helped me decide which direction to go, and in my opinion, they did it really well!

I became a professional player at 18 years old, approximately at the same time, as following the footsteps of my grandfather, I joined the Medical School in Lisbon. Despite having elite athlete status, the reality is that I never dreamed of any other career than tennis, and it is for this career that I fought and fight every day for.

I was on 10th place in the ITF Juniors in 2003, 105th in the ATP Doubles in 2010 and 62º in the ATP Singles in 2011. Beyond numbers, I mainly remember moments. I remember the unforgettable time when after a Davis Cup game, they picked me up on their shoulders after winning in five sets, while losing by two sets to zero in the decisive match. The feeling of the human heat and energy of the crowd during the Estoril Open final in 2010. The vibe I felt in the week I got to the quarter finals in the Monte Carlo Masters in 2011, I was amongst the top 8 tennis players of the world in clay. Phenomenal moments that will forever be in my memory.

In some ways I helped to raise the visibility of tennis in Portugal. I made the younger generation believe that it was possible to go beyond the records we had previously set internationally. I fight and work everyday to be an example of dedication and professionalism in this sport, while maintaining true to myself, my beliefs and my values and continuing to be persistent and fair during competition. Always in the name of tennis and the love it deserves.