BRADENTON, Fla. — What does it take to be among the top tennis players in the world?
IMG Academy senior Bernie Munk knows firsthand.
“Being inside the top 100 in the world juniors is no easy task, we were just looking at it the other day. Over 190,000 ITF junior players in the world, and now he’s in that select group. but to get there is very difficult,” said Juan Herrera who’s the director of tennis operations at IMG Academy.
Munk is among the top 100 players in the world tennis junior rankings.
“I love to grind, I love to play, I love to run,” Munk said. “I love the excitement to hit the ball and it feels so good when you hit the ball, right there perfect.”
His love for the game and drive on the court is evident.
“He’s one of the most talented players we have in the academy,” said high performance coach Micah Klousia. “He has a very live arm, active player, a great ball striker and a lot of energy.”
He followed his passion from his home country of Spain to Bradenton to continue his training at IMG Academy.
“IMG Academy inspired me a lot because I saw a lot of good players and a lot of resources that could help me improve on my tennis,” said Munk.
Munk has thrived while here, but there was a lot to adjust to at first.
Moving from Europe to the United States came with its challenges.
“How early they wake up, how early they have food, everything is just way different than back in Spain,” Munk said.
His training isn’t only on the court, to play at this level, it’s a lifestyle.
“We have two hours of fitness, and then we have four to five hours of tennis practice,” Munk said.
Not to mention the travel time it takes to compete in international tournaments across the world.
“You have to be a certain type of player to be in that realm, but also it takes a lot of dedication from your schedule because you have to travel to tournaments all across the world,” Klousia said. “You’ve got to go to Asia, South America, Europe, you have to go all across for these tournaments so it’s not easy just based off that and then you’ve got to win when you’re there.”
For Munk it’s been more than worth it. He’s continuing his tennis career at the University of California, Berkeley.
“All the tournaments that he played, all those wins, all those big matches to get him to be a top 100 player in the world, it’s not just one event, it’s that consistency to be able to go through,” Herrera said.
That persistence has paid off as he takes the next step in his career.
