My name is Tiana. I am 12 years old and come from Brighton in the UK.

I have been playing Tennis since I was 6 years old and it is my ambition to play professionally when I am older.

Training

I live at home with my mum, dad and two brothers, and my parents both work full-time, spending the rest of their time looking after the 3 of us!

I train 4 mornings a week before school, which means getting up at 6.45am, come rain or shine.  Where I train there are no indoor courts, but in the winter months we have a temporary bubble put up to play in.

After morning session I do a full day at school and then 4 nights a week do more training after school. This is a combination of fitness, tennis and conditioning in the gym. It’s physically hard, but imperative if I am going to succeed.

Weekends are more group squads, plus individual lessons, fitness and running (not forgetting homework!!).

I am so lucky to have some really great friends at the tennis club to share the hard work and make it fun! Plus the most amazing, enthusiastic coaches, who want us to fulfil our full potential.

Last summer

This summer was the best ever for me as I was selected to play for Great Britain in the Summer Cup. The team is made up of 3 girls and we had to fly to the Netherlands for the qualifiers, which we won, so we flew to Corsica for the finals.

It was so hot, but a such a great  experience, and we finished 7th out of 32 countries – not bad at all!  Tournaments are a massive part of a tennis player’s life as you have to keep up your rating and your ranking in order to be eligible to get into the top tournaments.

Stepping up a level

The end of summer was the end of my time as an under 12. I did well winning all the grade 3 tournaments I entered and making it to the finals of two Nationals, before winning both the singles and doubles National finals in Scotland in July.

So in September I moved up to the next age level, under 14s, and played my first National tournament at that level in Bolton, getting knocked out in the semi finals.

Last week I was selected by the British team to play a friendly against France at Roehampton and we won!!

The Orange Bowl

To end 2015 my ambition is to play in the prestigious Junior Tennis Tournament, the Orange Bowl, in Miami. It’s a fantastic opportunity because I am not 13 until next year and am therefore still considered in the 12 and under category in America.

Next to Wimbledon, this is the  biggest tournament on the tennis calendar. A total of 317 competitors have entered the tournament, but only 64 get selected, so if I get a place I really have to go as I will never get this opportunity again.

This is not a trip organised by the LTA, so all the funds have to be raised individually. This is what I’m determined to do, and once there I will work my socks off to achieve my full potential.

For the cost of my lessons, squads fitness etc the LTA give funding to players, but this doesn’t go very far.

I am sponsored by the popular Tennis brand Head, who provide me with clothing and my rackets and bags, and I have local charities who also fund me. Without them there is no way I would be able to continue, they truly are my lifeline.

I really believe that this level of sport should be accessible to everyone, not just the rich, and thanks to the generosity of so many this is true, so please if you can contribute no matter how small, it will make such a difference .