Lauren Davis
Professional tennis player, 18
/ Why she’s interesting / The Gates Mills native decided to turn professional last year. Davis now lives and trains among tennis royalty at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Fla., where she works on her game with John and Chris Evert. She has won the Ohio Division II state championships and a host of USTA and ITS tournaments.
/ Independent woman / While most kids don’t leave home until they finish high school, Davis withdrew from Gilmour Academy halfway through her sophomore year and moved south — without her parents. “I’ve matured a lot, and I’ve become more independent. But my aunt and my cousins live about 20 minutes away, so that’s really helped me out.”
/ Down under / Last winter, Davis scored a spot in the main draw of the Australian Open against international star, Samantha Stosur. “It was a great experience for me, being at Center Court in Australia playing Australia’s No. 1 player. It was overwhelming, but it was a good experience.”
/ Around the world / Davis is quite the globetrotter. “I’ve been to England, Italy and Paris. A few years ago I went to Bangkok for the International Children’s Games and competed there.”
/ Back in the USA / After a summer abroad, Davis returned to the States. “Playing in the US Open was really exciting because all the Americans are there cheering for you. I played Angelique Kerber. I had a lot of chances, but she played really well, and she ended up getting into the semis.”
/ Homesick / While she misses her family and friends, the one place she misses is Legacy Village. “I used to always hang out there on weekends. At Dick’s Sporting Goods, a bunch of friends and I used to ride around the store on the tricycles.”
/ Book it / “I like to read. ... Actually, I have trouble finishing books, but I like starting them.” She is currently reading Pressure is a Privilege by Billie Jean King. “She tells about her life and the lessons she learned.”
