Harris uses van life to fuel his tennis career

Harris is the only player from Isle of Man on the ATP Tour.
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Tennis player Billy Harris hails from the Isle of Man, a place that’s typically known for cycling and motorcycle racing.

“We just lived near the park tennis courts. So, in the mornings and nights, we (he and his two brothers) used to bike around and play tennis most days.

“There are a couple of juniors from the Isle of Man, but I’m the only one playing professionally at the moment. So, yes, it’s a small place and it’s nice to represent the Isle of Man,” he said here on Thursday.

But that’s not the most interesting bit about him. After he began playing the ITF Futures, he made a white Ford Transit van his home and travelled across Europe to compete in tournaments for around three-and-a-half years. He used whatever money he earned from the competitions to fuel his tennis career.

“It was a great experience. I had a bed in the back with my stringer machine, and cooked all my meals by the side of the tennis clubs on the road!

“If you make it to the main draw (of a tournament), that’s enough (money) to get to the next tournament. When you’re travelling on your own, it’s sometimes a bit lonely. And when you have a bad week, you just need to keep going on to the next one,” he said.

The 30-year-old, who last used his van to play in a Futures in Poland around five years ago, got to train with Novak Djokovic in this year’s Australian Open.

“Learnt from how he serves well, and particularly, little things in his movement,” he said of the experience.