The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH he has not allowed his disability in his right arm to get the best of him, Justin Lunn has been hampered by his performance on the tennis court and he’s just waiting to get his breakthrough.

Having played for more than six years on the circuit, Lunn said his experience has not been what he expected, but now that he has severed ties with his long-time coach in Florida, he’s heading to France and Spain with Jodi Turnquest next week for a new lease on life.

“I got sick a couple days before this tournament, so I really couldn’t perform,” said Lunn about his disappointing performance at the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s trials for the Davis Cup men’s team over the weekend.

“So, I lost to Marvin Rolle. I wasn’t feeling too good and I didn’t get to play my second match because my stomach was bothering me. Hopefully I can get over it because I go to France.”

As he prepares to make another run at improving on his career on the international scene, Lunn said he has to concentrate a little more on his footwork, but his fitness level is right where he wants it to be.

“I want to try to get more points going so that I can compete in more tournaments,” he said. “It’s tough playing in the US because you get to play different levels of players. You get to play guys who have been on the circuit for a long time and those who are just getting started.

“But it’s good because everybody’s game is different on the tour. So you just have to adjust yourself and you push through them and give them a run for their money.”

At this point in his career, Lunn said he should have already accumulated some ATP points, which would enable him to get into the qualifying round of some of the major tournaments.

“My old coach had me in Florida for a long time and that’s the toughest place to play,” he said. “You have at least 128 players playing in the tournament. Out of that 128, 120 players are really good. So that was a tough deal for me.”

Lunn, who turns 25 on June 18, said he’s looking forward to making the adjustment to really travelling and competing in tournaments around the world in his quest to get his breakthrough.

“This is probably the hardest sport ever to play. If I can go back, I probably would play baseball,” he said. “In order for you to make a successful life, you have to be top 100. As a top 100 player, you get paid atleast $80,000 a tournament for the rest of your life.

“When you’re not in that category, you find yourself paying more money than you make to play in a tournament. You don’t get any breaks or anything. You just have to keep playing in order for you to get points to move up. If you don’t play, you lose those points you would have gotten.”

And that’s just the Futures tournament, which is considered the beginner’s level. From Futures, the players move onto the Satelitte Tournaments and then it’s the ATP Tournaments where the money is made. Now as a free agent, Lunn said he’s even looking at the possibility of going to Africa to play in their tournaments where he gets a chance to play directly in the main draw. “I just want to get my breakthrough,” Lunn said. “I want to be able to represent the Bahamas at a higher level like Mark Knowles and Roger Smith did. I’m still dreaming. I’m just waiting on my time. Dreams do come true.”