Florida is a wonderful place to grow up. With Wimbledon just wrapping up, the Wall Street Journal published a news article about former Wimbledon champion, Chris Evert, commenting on her Florida upbringing.
Across the state and 2.5 hours away from Sanibel Island, Florida, Evert grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Her father was a tennis pro as well, and under his wing, she and her sister both developed their skills on the tennis courts a few minutes away from their home.
She comments, “in Florida you could play outdoors year-round,” allowing her to practice all year in the sunshine, while alternatively, her competitors could sometimes only play five months of the year. She also grew up using clay tennis courts, which are better to learn on to perfect groundstrokes and footwork.
Chris Evert contributes growing up in Florida as a key to her success. Ironically, many came to know her as the “Ice Princess.” Just as keeping cool, in a literal sense, is something all Floridians learn, for Evert, it also meant “keeping her cool” on the court, not betraying her emotions to her opponents.
As a Florida native, although having traveled all over the world for her tennis career, Evert still lives in the sunshine state today. She lives in Boca Raton, Florida where she has a tennis court similar to the kind at the U.S. Open where she and her kids continue the family legacy, her own tennis academy down the road, and her family located less than 30 minutes from her home.
Tennis courts are aplenty in Florida. On Sanibel Island, Florida, there are many living communities with private access tennis courts to residents, public courts, private tennis clubs, and more. Tennis isn’t the only outdoor activity residents and visitors are able to participate in year-round with the warm climate Florida has to offer to youth and adults––water activities, golf, sports clubs––you name it.
Maybe you don’t aspire to be a sensational tennis pro––that’s ok! Many Floridians pursue other professions and recreational activities aside. Our Sanibel realtors are truly professionals at what they do, and we happen to think they’re some of the best in the biz (ok, I admit, maybe we’re a little biased).
Do you want to raise your family in Florida? Or perhaps retiring and enjoying the relaxed lifestyle and warmer climate is the right move for you. If you’re interested in buying, selling, moving, or anything that has to do with Sanibel real estate, contact us. Check out our Sanibel Real Estate Market website, search our MLS (Multiple Listing Service) for available properties, or contact one of our fabulous Sanibel realtors.
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Related articles:
Growing up on Sanibel
The Sunshine State Ranks No. 1 for Golf
