Kayla Cross

What is your earliest tennis memory? Playing with my brother at an Ontario U9 tournament. How, where, and when did you start playing? My parents put me into tennis as my dad and two brothers played the sport. At age six, I started playing tennis at the London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ontario. What made you decide to choose tennis? At first, I was just following in my brothers’ footsteps and went to all the tournaments they went to, but then I decided to commit to tennis around the age of 10-11 and that’s when I moved to Toronto. I love competing and I like how free I feel on court, especially in matches because I get to decide what I want to do with the ball. Your biggest inspiration and why? My biggest inspiration is Ashleigh Barty because she played multiple sports growing up like I did and she has a similar game style as me. Favourite sport other than tennis? Soccer is definitely my favourite sport after tennis because I played competitive soccer up until the pandemic. I liked being part of a team because it is like the opposite of tennis ans was nice to have support from your team on the field. Favourite sports team? Georgia Bulldogs (football team). Favourite TV show? My favourite show is Suits. Favourite food? My favourite food is crepes because there are so many things you can put on it and you can either make it healthy or as a dessert. Superpower you wish you could have? I wish that I could read minds because then people cannot hide what they are thinking. What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? That I am pretty good at golf and that I am a year ahead in school. Describe yourself in 3 words. Athletic, focused and driven. If you weren’t playing tennis, what would you be doing? If I wasn’t playing tennis, I would either be playing soccer or be a long distance runner. Other than tennis, what are you most passionate about? I love travelling the world because it gives me the opportunity to see different cultures/religions and I get to meet new people and make long lasting memories. Most memorable moment on court? My most memorable moment on court was being able to represent Canada in Czech Republic at the U14 Junior World Championships.