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Lina Qostal
Hello! My name is Lina Qostal and I’m a tennis player from Morocco. I was born and raised there, reached a top 200 junior ranking at the age of 16 and then was recruited to play college tennis at the University of Pennsylvania. I’m currently looking to be based in Spain with coach David Kiely and to make my debut on the pro tour in the second half of 2021. I believe I deserve funding because I have a unique opportunity to make history. Read below to find out more.
Lina Qostal - Tennis Player
About
About me:
DOB: March 11, 1997
Hand Used: Right
Height: 165cm
Racket: Babolat Pure Drive
Clothing: How Nike stands up for equality for all and celebrates being proud of your identity, standing up for what you believe in with authenticity, and embracing your uniqueness and intersectionality.
Shoes: I like the flexibility and lightness of the Nike Vapor tour shoes.
Favourite Player: Grigor Dimitrov
Favourite Tournament: US Open
Best Surface: Clay or Slow Hard Courts
Best Win: My best win is yet to come
Favourite Quotes:
“Tennis is more than just a sport. It’s an art, like the ballet. Or like a performance in the theater. When I step on the court I feel like Anna Pavlova. Or like Adelina Patti. Or even like Sarah Bernhardt. I see the footlights in front of me. I hear the whisperings of the audience. I feel an icy shudder. Win or die! Now or never! It’s the crisis of my life.” - Bill Tilden
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle a human being can fight and never stop fighting." - E.E. Cummings
“Freedom is on the other side of discipline.”
“Flow lies at the intersection of discipline and surrender.”
My game style:
I love tactical patterns à la Justine Henin neutralizing pace with my slice, then chip and charge or finish with a drop shot. Although I love slowing down the pace with a backhand slice or a forehand drop shot, there’s nothing quite like the feeling at impact on an open stance forehand winner, feeling the power transfer from the right leg to contact. The inside out forehand is my favorite way to attack by channeling my inner Fernando Gonzalez with my fast racquet speed. As an all court player and an intuitive one, I can adapt my tactical choices and decision making based on my opponent. This adaptability is fueled by variation, but also the use of my athleticism: I definitely enjoy chasing down balls the opponent doesn’t expect me to get to and defending effectively with my slice from everywhere on the court. I love using off court time in my day to optimize my performance by working on the mental side of the game and leveraging every detail I can to gain an edge. I have this Djokovic-like holistic approach/obsession with optimizing health and high performance.
Location
Rabat
Rabat
Morocco
Aims & Goals
My goal is to become the first Moroccan woman in history to reach the top 100 and to represent Morocco in tennis at the Olympic Games.
I am looking to reach my full potential as a tennis player because I am a passionate, talented, and hard working player who can stand out on the WTA tour thanks to a unique game with outstanding athleticism and touch. In order to achieve my full potential, I need to be surrounded by a great team of professionals from coaches to physical therapists. I have no doubt that I belong with the top players out there competing for the biggest titles of the game, but for now, I am not able to optimize my training and my schedule of competition because of a lack of financial resources. I know that there has got to be people out there who are able and willing to help me reach my full potential if I just get a chance to show them what I can do on a tennis court, my talent, my athleticism, my work ethic, and my vision that transcends tennis. This profile is an opportunity for me to put myself out there and hopefully connect with such people.
Another important goal of mine alongside tennis achievements is to use the platform that the top players have to create a positive change in the world. When I watch TV, I never see myself represented because my identity lies at the intersection of several minority groups; I want to change that. Using the visibility and power that comes with being a top professional tennis player to fight for equality and against discrimination is what I am looking to achieve. I believe that my diverse background, my intersectionality, and my strong education make me uniquely suited to achieve this goal. I am looking to find collaborators who share these values and resonate with my vision so we can fight for social justice together.
Gallery
Testimonials
Sanela Kunovac, Penn Women's Tennis Head Coach
I feel like what we’ve seen is only the tip of the iceberg,” Kunovac said. “Everyone who sees her is like, ‘My god, she’s so talented.’ And all I’m thinking is, ‘Wait until somebody comes with a chisel. You’ll see what a diamond is in there.
Matej Zlatković, coached Polona Hercog #35 WTA, and was Penn Women's Tennis Assistant Coach
With her game, she can be really good. At the highest levels, you don’t see women slicing, drop shotting, going to the net. She can destabilize a lot of top players with her game.
David DiLucia, was #92 ATP
When all her teammates leave after practice, she stays and works some more. That’s the dedication you need on the [pro] tour.