I remember my first tennis tournament vividly. As a little girl of 8 or 9 years old, making it to the semi-finals felt surreal. I had never expected to get past the first round, let alone reach the semis. My next opponent was the number one seed, a 12-year-old girl who seemed like a giant to me. Despite my nerves, I resolved to play my game, which at that age, simply meant getting the ball back in the court.

To my surprise, I started winning. But then, her father began yelling from the sidelines, trying to rattle me. He encouraged his daughter to call my balls out, and she did—on my serves and any close shots. I was confused and upset, having never dealt with such hostility from an adult or such blatant cheating from an opponent.

We split sets and prepared for the decisive third. Back then, players took a ten-minute break to regroup and talk with their coaches or families. I felt bad and knew something was off, but I didn’t fully grasp the situation. My parents encouraged me, telling me to ignore her father’s taunts and reassuring me that I could win despite the cheating. Unfamiliar with tournament procedures, we didn’t know we could call for a line judge.

Starting the third set, I was emotionally exhausted. The crowd had grown, with everyone from my tennis club watching, along with the girl’s supporters, who were rooting against me. It was overwhelming, and I eventually lost the match.

From this experience, I learned invaluable lessons. I learned to block out distractions and focus solely on the ball and my game. I realized the importance of knowing the rules of your sport. In future matches, I gave opponents the benefit of the doubt after one questionable call, but after a second, I would call for a linesman. This eliminated the need for arguments and maintained sportsmanship.

Ultimately, the decisions you make on the court reflect who you are in life. Always do what is right, stay focused, and maintain grace under pressure. Lose with dignity, win with grace, and never cheat.