You dream of a career as a model and professional athlete.
Sophia and Stella Jurina are among Bavaria's best young tennis players.
Sophia (16) and Stella (15) Jurina are among the best young tennis players in Bavaria.
They only started playing tennis relatively late.
But since then the sport has taken them all over Europe.
Germering
- The two Germering sisters Sophia (16) and Stella Jurina (15) have a lot in common.
One of them: her love for tennis.
Within a short period of time, this brought them both into the circle of the best young players in Germany.
Even though they started the white sport very late.
A schoolmate whose father worked as a coach had raved to the sisters about how great tennis was.
And so Sophia and Stella - then nine and eight years old - decided to take part in a holiday camp in Gröbenzell.
"Since then, it has caught us and never let go," says Stella.
At the beginning they only trained once a week in a group of four
At that time nobody suspected that tennis would one day lead them to tournaments all over Europe.
It started quietly.
Once a week the two trained in a group of four - just like thousands of children.
Initially at SC Gröbenzell, in 2016 the two switched to TC Kreuzlinger Forst.
But it was already clear that the sisters play much better than the overwhelming majority of their peers.
Years of success followed.
Both made the leap into the Upper Bavarian squad.
Instead of one hour in a group of four, they trained five times a week.
With the U16 team of the TCK they won the district league S - the highest league for this age group.
And with the school selection of the Germeringer Carl-Spitzweg-Gymnasium, which both girls attend, they won the Bavarian vice championship of schools.
In addition, there were numerous individual titles at tournaments - nationally and internationally.
Stella reached finals at European level for three weeks in a row - she won the one in Brussels.
After all, Sister Sophia made it to the semi-finals in Bosnia.
The sisters have played at tournaments all over Europe
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Rapid rise: Sophia Jurina began playing tennis at the age of nine.
Now at the age of 16 she plays in Bavaria's highest adult league.
© Private
The sport has already taken them all over Europe.
Belgium, Spain and Bosnia are just a few of the countries where the two have already served.
And not just alone: In doubles, they made it to the semi-finals several times, and twice even to the final.
There were just a few points missing from the title in the decisive match tie-break.
“We play well together,” says Sophia.
When asked about the fact that there can be tensions with siblings on the pitch, Sophia replies: “It wasn't always easy.
But we've definitely gotten better there. ”They both laugh.
There is one thing that the sisters don't feel like laughing at all.
Then when they have to compete in a tournament.
And all too often the tableau has already brought the two together.
"We are happy if we then have to play on a place far back without a spectator," says Stella.
It's just a strange feeling.
“You don't want to lose to your younger sister either,” says Sophia.
“And not the other way around,” adds Stella.
“And we parents would like to be somewhere else entirely,” interjects mother Andrea.
The two sisters say of themselves that they are actually very calm during a match.
"But especially when things didn't go well, I cried every now and then," says Stella.
"But now I have a better grip on myself." And Sophia adds: "I was especially upset when an opponent is not correct to me."
Her idols are Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic
Traits that the two of them also copied from their great idols: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
“And Marin Cilic,” says Sophia.
The 16-year-old has taken the Croatian world-class player to her heart ever since she was cheered on by frenetic Croatian fans at the US Open in New York.
After the game, Cilic went to the fan block, thanked her for the support and gave Sophia one of his sweatbands.
"I still have that today."
For now, the two girls only have the spectator seats at the professional events.
Their careers are currently a bit slowed down.
"I'm now in the eleventh grade and because of all the afternoon classes I don't have that much time for training," says Sophia.
Less time in her case still means three units a week.
In winter for TC Dachau as well as in summer for TC Blutenburg, she still plays in the highest possible Bavarian leagues.
Nevertheless, the dream of being a professional is over.
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But that leaves time for the other passion of the 16-year-olds: modeling.
"I have a lot of fun with it and maybe it will work out something too," says Sophia.
She is under contract with a modeling agency and is already presenting the latest collections for a sports online shop.
Alternatively, she could also envision studying abroad in sports management or business administration at a US college - of course also to serve for the local tennis team.
Before she makes this decision, however, the eleventh grader will have to graduate from high school in just under two years.
“And then maybe travel a year”, provided that Corona allows it again by then.
Stella Jurina: "The greatest wish is of course to play tennis professionally"
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Fully focused: Stella Jurina is well on the way to becoming a professional.
© Private
"The biggest wish is of course to play tennis professionally," says Stella, on the other hand.
The pandemic has slowed her down a little in her professional dreams.
Actually, she would have wanted to take the next step now and serve at ITF tournaments - the highest level of international youth tennis.
“But at which tournaments?” Asks Stella.
Almost all competitions have been canceled due to Corona.
And the search for sponsors is also more difficult because of Corona, says mother Andrea Jurina: "They are all more cautious now, of course." Because air travel to tournaments is part of everyday life on the ITF tour, financial support for the family would help enormously.
At least the school suits the 15-year-old.
“I don't have as many afternoon classes as my sister and I can even go earlier on two days in order to be able to train more.” To do this, she drives to the tennis base in Oberhaching five times a week, where some of the top German players also play the Bavarian young elite trains.
In addition to tennis units, strength and endurance training are also on the program.
An area in which Stella excels.
Once a year, all the national associations' squad players compete against each other in a fitness test.
Stella came off only wafer-thinly as the second best of her year in all of Germany.
That also pays off on the pitch.
At the age of just 13 she won her first women's ranking tournament.
The sisters can switch off on excursions and in the kitchen
But balance is also important to the family in all training units and tournaments - also when traveling abroad.
“On days off, we always went on excursions, for example from Brussels to Paris,” says Stella.
A visit to an elk farm was also on the program.
In addition, the circle of friends gives the two sisters support, also because the friends have a lot of understanding for the everyday life of Sophia and Stella.
This often leaves only the weekends when you can meet.
Stella has discovered a very personal way to relax: “I really enjoy baking.” When she works in the kitchen, she can switch off.
Sometimes the two sisters cook together.
“It's always a nice surprise,” says mother Andrea.
At such moments, dreams of professional tennis and training work are far away.
Further news
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