Domenika Turkovic is on the road – next stop Michigan, then Chicago, on the APP Tour.
And it’s only a few days since the 25-year-old became the English OPEN women’s champion, beating Sofia Sewing in the final.
She also reached the bronze-medal match in the mixed doubles, with partner Pep Canyadell, and the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles, with partner Lorena Duknic.
Even competing in Telford was a relatively last-minute decision for the former college tennis player.
“It was honestly a last-minute thing, I think I signed up the day before registration closed, so it was not planned, but it actually worked perfectly with the schedule,” she tells Pickleball 52.
“I’m feeling amazing. I’ve never played an English OPEN before, so coming here, doing so well in singles, and having good doubles results, it makes me feel really good about it. I’m proud of myself, of the progress I’ve made in the last few months, and I’m happy with the results. I feel like this is going to be a great set-up for the future tournaments.
“I did not expect to do so well! I know there’s a lot of really good players who competed, especially in the knock-out matches – playing Roos [van Reek, in the semi-final], I was just trying to get to the final: ‘It’s been a long day, I have played a lot of matches!’ Winning that semi-final match gelped me feel relieved just because I knew I’d secured a medal, I could relax for the final. Obviously I wanted to win, but it definitely did help with the nerves a little bit.
“I was hoping just to get through the group stage, and then whatever happens, happens, especially travelling to England from the US, the time difference, different courts, indoor facility – the set-up was great, it’s just not what I usually do, so I was really, really proud of it.”
‘Tennis set me up’
Domenika was born in Croatia and was a top junior tennis player before pursuing a college education – and college sport – in the USA. After gaining her degree plus a masters, she discovered pickleball when she began to coach it as part of her job at a country club as they sought to expand their sporting offerings to their visitors. Realising that she was actually good at the sport, she then started to play tournaments. Now a full-time professional on the APP Tour, she admits she does miss tennis from time to time.
“I learned so much about pickleball in the last year and a half of playing tournaments, which definitely does help you get better as a coach as well because you can share your experience, you can help players with the tournament set-up – matches, nerves and so on – but I do think tennis set me up as well because I’d been through a lot with tennis, playing pro tournaments, college tournaments. It helps you when it comes to dealing with nerves, wins, losses and coaching and every other aspect of the sport.”
Even though she already has two degrees from Arizona State University, don’t count Domenika out of adding to that haul. She began doctoral study before choosing to focus on pickleball – but that’s not to say she won’t go back to it at some point.
“I’d like to finish my doctorate but I don’t see it happening any time soon,” she reveals.
‘Any age can play pickleball’
Instead, she’s focused on her sport, and would love to be able to make it more popular in her homeland. If she can help Team Croatia to a good performance at the European Championships next month in Rome, that might be a great first step.
“The good thing about pickleball is any age can play pickleball. I’m really hoping to have some of the older community try out the sport, start living healthier lives, get moving, get more social, and really it’s such a great way to meet people and to stay active that I think any country should try and get their community involved in pickleball.
“I will be going home in September right before the European Championships, and I’m hoping to get even more players out to the court then, maybe even for the future we are hoping to have some tournaments, more social events, so people can learn about the sport and we can grow it. In June we did a charity event for children with cancer, so we’re really trying to get the awareness of pickleball through doing good.”
And of course she’s also planning on playing a full APP Tour schedule as well as adding more international tournaments to her calendar as she looks to travel the world, pick up more medals, and make new friends. As she says herself: “That’s the beauty of the sport.”
Well played Dominika. We are glad you decided to register at the last minute!