Is Tennis Practice in Colombia Elitist?

Tennis in Colombia has been traditionally considered an "elitist" sport, which means that only an elite or a 'special' group of people can practice it, generally people with a wealthy economy or a high income.

The fact that this sport is considered reserved for the rich has prevented its popularization, roots, and practice in different segments of the population.

In addition, the problem is more accentuated in a segment of the population, especially for the Afro-descendant population, which has poverty limits with the highest poverty rates in the country Colombia, above 50%, and extreme poverty above 20%.

In Colombia, some athletes have stood out in tennis such as Santiago Giraldo, Alejandro Falla, Alejandro González, Catalina Castaño, and Mariana Duque in singles, as well as Iván Molina, Juan Sebastián Cabal, and Robert Farah in doubles and recently with current validity to there is Maria Camila Osorio.

When an athlete with low economic resources makes practicing tennis as part of their training as their life goal, they will encounter some difficulties that can be overcome with care, such as:

• Being affiliated with a tennis club in Colombia or a league that has courts and coaches to practice, affiliations to clubs and the federation have high costs in Colombia.

• Financing by their parents' practices and competitions that are in different cities of Colombia, which includes transportation, hotel, food, and competition equipment (shoes, rackets, balls, torn green, etc.).

• Persevere in their training and competition by their means and resources.

After many years of tennis training, academic training in high school, and learning English, they have the prize for effort. An opportunity to study at a university in the United States and join the University's tennis team.