Christmas for tennis player Christian Didier Chin is not only a time for celebration with family and friends but also a period of self-reflection.
The 19-year-old is celebrating Christmas with his family for the first time since 2016 and has decided to treat them to a cool holiday in the highlands of Kundasang in Sabah.
“I won some prize money at the Tennis Malaysia Ace Awards recently and decided to bring my parents and siblings for a short holiday in Kundasang,” said Christian, who is from Kota Kinabalu.
“It’s good to be back after missing Christmas and Chinese New Year for the last few years due to tennis. I was away training and competing in the United States in 2017 and China last year.
“I don’t get Christmas presents anymore, but I do enjoy the food back home and the chance to reconnect with family members.”
Tennis is not the only talent that runs in the family as Christian’s elder brother Carey, 21, and sister Angelina, 13, are both elite dancers who perform internationally.
This season was Christian’s first try on the senior circuit and admitted that it was a steep learning curve for him.
“This year could have been better, but at the same time could have been worse. I have had a little bit of success, but for the most part, it has been a tough learning curve for me,” added Christian.
“When I was a junior, all I thought about was playing tennis but now that I am an adult I also have to think about making money and earning a living, so it is quite challenging.
“After Christmas is over, I will take some time to really think about what my plans are for next season and also look at the available budget.
“The ideal goal for me next season will be to break into the top 500 in the singles and top 300 for the doubles, but to do that I will have to play a lot of tournaments.
“I would like to go to Australian to compete for three months early next year but again that will depend on the budget.”
Among the highlights of the season for Christian included winning the doubles title with Singaporean Ng Hao Yuan at the Singapore Futures (Leg One) in June — the first Malaysian to win an ITF Futures title in three years — as well as reaching the quarterfinals of the men’s singles at the recent Philippines Sea Games.