Ramin Pejan
will fine
tune talent
in Florida

IN THE past six months,
Ramin Pejan’s busy tennis
tournament schedule has
included France, Germany,
the Netherlands, Denmark
and Japan.

By Elizabeth Collings
Newsy Reporter

But probably the most impor-
tant stops on his circuit were
Montreal and Saskatoon where he
son both the indoor and outdoor
singles and doubles under-14 na-
tional titles.

And Pejan’s schedule isn't
stopping with his most recent na-
tional victory in) Saskatoon: on
Tuesday he left for warmer climes
atthe Nick Bollettieri Tennis
Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

“T really like Florida, so ['m
iooking forward to it.”’ says Pe-
jan, who will be going there on 2
scholarship.

While at the academy, he hopes
to improve the mental side of his
game by gaining more on-court
confidence. Pejan says he is wean-
ing himself of his tabit of acting
out his frustrations during mat-
ches,

“I kind of used to get really
mad, but now [’m beter. I keep it
more inside of me.”’

On the physical side, Pejan says
he’d Hike to build upper body
strength ~— he’s 5°6’? and 117
pounds — for more power in his
serve and ground strokes.

Pejan is only the second male to
sweep the singles and doubles ti-
tles in Canadian junior indoor and
outdoor championsips; fellow
West Vanner Russell Stuart
achieved the sweep last year.

But typically humble. Pejan
says of his coup, “‘!t wasn’t ex-
traordinary.”*

While he knew he could win in
Suskatoon, he says he wus nervous
because people expected him to
win.

{In both the indoor and outdoor

Wednesday, September

wd. he

NEWS photo Terry Peters
RAMIN PEJAN is leaving rainy Vancouver to sunny Florida where he will train at the Nick Bollettieri
Tennis Academy on a scholarship.

BEL RIGHT!
IT'S TIME FOR

4, 1991

- Nortn Shore News ~ 17

&6 Pejan is only
the second male to
sweep the singles
and doubles titles in
Canadian junior
indoor and outdoor
championships. 99

finals this vear, Pejan defeated his
doubles pariner Joceisa
Robichaud, the first time in three
sets, the second a roll-ever of 6-1,
f-1.

“tts hard to
him.” says Pejan.

Only in the past two years has
Pejan bevun to) play national
tourneys. Over the past six
months, his international tourna-
ment exposure begin in earnest.

For the past year he has lived in
France where he was couched on
clay by) French national coach
Patrick Buest. In) February he
competed there with other Tennis
Canadas representatives; then in
the summer it was on to a mon-
tii-long European tour again with
Tennis Canada before going on to
Japan for a world junior team
tennis championship on grass.

“PE couldn't stand up on ir. !
kept falling down, tt was synthetic
grass and there was lots of sand.”
says Pejan.

Despite being tired from his
hectic schedule, Pejan had no
problem preparing for the outdoor
national tournament.

(In Florida, Pejan will live with
his mother and receive coaching
from Brett Hobdan and Bollettieri.

Alihough he hopes to turn pro
by the time he turns £8. Pejan is
in no rush,

An accomplished pianist, Pejan
has completed his Grade 10 piano
and wants to pursue his ARTC in
piano as well as finish high school
before he turns pro.

“his really hard to go pro and,
if you can’t make it. it’s really
hard to go through life without
high school,"* says Pejan.

want to beat