Couts follows her destiny

By Jay Jenkins

Published: May 1, 2008

At one point or another, every player in the field at the Boyd Tinsley USTA Women’s Pro Tennis Championships made a life-changing decision.
Essentially, Kimberly Couts made her career choice at the ripe age of 7.
“I really liked tennis and I thought I was pretty good from a young age,” Couts said with a beaming smile outside the Boar’s Head Sports Club. “I did some figure skating and kind of had to pick between the two. My skating lessons were on the weekend, but so were my tennis tournaments.
“So I had to go one way and my 7-year-old mind picked tennis. I don’t know … I guess I liked it better and thought I was better at it.”
The New Jersey native and the 420th-ranked player in the world had data to help support her claim.
“I played my first tournament, a 10 & under tournament, when I was 7 and I made the finals,” Couts said.
That was when she also learned the agony of defeat for the first time.
“I lost in the finals and I was crying away,” she chuckled. “I lost to some girl that was a lot bigger than me and she was already 10.”
Seven days shy of her 19th birthday, Couts is once again facing players who routinely are older and bigger.
In fact, Couts’ upset win over sixth-seeded Varvara Lepchenko in the first round earned her a meeting with Brenda Schultz-McCarthy on Thursday. Schultz-McCarthy, a 37-year-old with a fireball serve, is the oldest player on the WTA circuit.
Despite dropping the first four games, Couts remained positive - and won. She outlasted and eliminated Schultz-McCarthy, winning a three-set thriller, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
“Obviously, I had some chances, I thought, and it was a close [first] set, but that’s how it goes sometimes,” Couts said. “I didn’t get the best start out there, but I just kept fighting and I had an idea of what I needed to do and I executed.
“I thought I still had a chance and I just kept going.”
Couts also won in doubles, teaming with Anna Tatishvili to claim an opening-round match in a tiebreaker over Alexandra Mueller and Allie Will.
“We fit well together, and in doubles it’s not as important how well your partner plays, but it is more important how you communicate with one another,” Tatishvili said. “As far as communicating, we do well. When I am playing bad, she’ll help or when she is playing bad … we just stay together.”
Not bad for a team that was formed for the first time just two weeks ago.
The doubles match itself also showcased the two sides of Couts’ on-court personality.
Following a series of bad shots, she screamed at herself.
Moments later, she politely thanked a line judge for retrieving a loose tennis ball.
“You could say I wear my emotions on my sleeve,” Couts said with a smile. “I am kind of like that in singles, too. That’s just kind of me. I get into it.
“Other people are more quiet. That’s just kind of how it is with me.”
Having turned pro in October 2006, Couts understands that her best tennis remains in the future. And for that reason, she was willing to give up the opportunity to play college tennis and the memories associated with being a student.
“I always knew from a pretty young age that I wanted to do the pro route, but I had some great offers,” Couts said. “I knew this was what I wanted to do.
“I am getting experiences, just different experiences.”