Although he is one of the top tennis players in Tennessee, Richard Gamble admitted to having to get rid of some habits picked up from playing baseball when he was younger.
“My dad (Robert) first introduced me to tennis at the age of 8 or 9,” he said, “but all I wanted to do was swing for the fence, so he waited until I was 10 — that’s when I got it. I learned to keep the ball inside the lines — the way that I think works well with tennis. It’s sort of like a strategy game, like chess.
“I do think that playing other sports (basketball, football) helped me with tennis. I also hope that because I started the game late, I’ll peak later in life.”
Gamble, who is ranked as the top boys’ tennis player in the state according to the United States Tennis Association and third according to TennisRecruiting.net, doesn’t get the opportunities to showcase his skills like most high school athletes, as he is home-schooled. But those around the tennis community know the Harrison resident well.
“I think that Richard is a very well-rounded, solid individual whose best tennis is yet to come,” said Orlando Lourenco, director of tennis at the Champions Club, where Gamble has worked part-time. “Richard is not brash and keeps a low profile, and as a result he has been flying below the radar for years.”