For my next series of #proathletehacks, I wanted to feature some of my favorite past/current pros…and wanted to ask them to “lift up the hood” on their fascinating lives with us.

First up is one of my absolute favorite former University of Chicago Booth Business School students, and tremendous WTA player for a decade, Julia Boserup (https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliaboserup).

Hope you enjoy our exclusive Q&A to #hacksthenewsletter, below:

AR: What inspired you to dedicate your extra curricular life to tennis starting in junior high/high school? What sacrifices did you have to make to pursue your passion/dream?

JB:I had a dream of playing at Wimbledon and knew that it would take a serious commitment from a young age. I moved across the country when I was 12 to train at the National Training Center and spent upwards of 6 hours a day on the court or in the gym. While I sacrificed some normal teen experiences, I loved what I was doing and gained incredible life experiences competing around the world.
 
AR: How did you know it was time to retire? Why did you choose to pursue an MBA? Why Booth?

JB:During my career, I was an elected representative on the WTA Player Council – it was fascinating to see what was happening behind the scenes and I enjoyed problem-solving on the business side of our sport. I saw the potential to combine my perspective as a pro athlete with strong business knowledge, so when I got injured in 2019 and could no longer compete on the tennis court, I knew that an MBA would be a great next step. I was drawn to Booth’s analytical approach to solving business problems and felt it was the best fit for me to build a solid foundation for the rest of my career.  

AR: What habits from your tennis life have been most beneficial in your post MBA career?

JB:Sports taught me how to take a disciplined and organized approach towards reaching a goal. I grew comfortable performing under pressure which can be helpful off the playing field as well.
 
AR: If you have one piece of advice for girls/preteen/teen tennis players (like Audrey), what would it be? 

JB:Strive to have a balance between tennis, education and other interests. Tennis is only a small portion of your life journey and having balance will help you enjoy your time on the court and prepare for life after the sport.