Growing up, Zarif used to dabble in every sport he could find, be it cricket, football or basketball, but it was his father’s afternoon matches that drew him close to ‘jeu de paume’, or the game of the hand.

“My first serious amateur tournament was at the under-12 level. I didn’t come first or second, but the hunger grew from there,” mentions Zarif.

After that, his coach “Tinku bhaia”, as he put it, pushed him to take on the game more seriously. “At some point after practising under his guidance, I got the championship at the under-14 level. Then I started doing well.”

Making of an athlete

The pursuit of perfection led Zarif to the championship of the National Tennis Competition at only Grade 11, and maintaining that edge means placing himself in Florida, training under renowned coach Ashley Hobson at the Hobson Performance Tennis Academy.

When asked about the differences between training in Florida compared to Bangladesh, he replied, “There are many.”

Zarif added, “They have a set plan with a set list of equations which they follow. Whereas we start where we can, there’s no baseline level. In the US, they know what to look at first and then progress accordingly.”

One of the main weaknesses of training in Bangladesh, Zarif mentioned, is the lack of proper equipment. The coaching knowledge being the main difference also.

A small section of Bangladeshi players are also being seen moving to China to make up for such lackings, shared Zarif, which isn’t Zarif’s intended place at this time.

The training regimen is something also a bit of a challenge. “In Bangladesh, I have to push myself a bit more, maybe because there’s really no one here to push me like in the US.”

Zarif’s training involved practice in the morning followed by the gym in the afternoon. These routines are kept supported by various active habits throughout the day, which are meant to push Zarif physically.

In the US, the pressure of maintaining fitness is a bit less, shared Zarif, as he is well within a regimented path.

Motivation

It was evident that motivation is something Zarif did not have any shortage of. Many athletes, especially those pursuing sports outside the all-encompassing cricket or even football, give up quite easily after reaching a certain level.

Not having proper infrastructure or opportunity for growth may be the reason, but for Zarif, he actively tries to keep himself busy playing tournament after tournament.

“Motivation, in my view, isn’t the problem, the problem arises when we don’t get any scope.”

He added, “Not getting enough tournaments is a crucial roadblock in maintaining motivation for me. If I could get a tournament almost every month, the possible losses or setbacks may act as the mechanism to push me further. I’ll get him next time, or maybe the time after that, is a good mindset for me to have.”

Chasing the dream

When asked what would be a dream match for Zarif to have, “Novak Djokovic” was one name uttered very decisively out of him.

“I love almost everything about him. The way he controls everything, his technique, his mentality, everything,” he added.

As an inspiration and a pioneer for the sport of tennis himself, I asked Zarif about what a newcomer in tennis should be wary of.

Zarif answered, “Have a set plan as to where you are currently and where you aim to be.”

He added, “Try to set up everything to your liking first, your coaches, your gear, your training, your schedule. If you want to pursue it professionally, you must have a good coach. And through him you need to progress step by step.”

Players such as Zarif are fighting against the odds even after proving themselves repeatedly. Sponsorships still elude him whenever he turns for support at professional tournaments, yet Zarif perseveres, and is counting the days when he’ll hopefully represent Bangladesh at the ATP Tour.