NEWS

Meet Boston’s Haley Gurski and Julia Migliorini - Two Young Teaching Pros on the Rise Discuss Their First Year on the Tour

Tennis Lives Intertwined

Haley  I went to Minnechaug High School in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Julia and I played USTA tournaments against each other, and then we played USTA doubles together during high school.  

Julia  I grew up in North Haven, Connecticut. My dad was the high school coach there. Our parents pushed us together because they saw that we were friendly. I visited Haley on my recruiting trip to Providence College. She was a freshman there. We clicked instantly. 

After college, I found myself in sales, making 200 cold calls a day. It was not very satisfying. I applied for tennis jobs, knowing it was something I could do well. I’m now the Assistant Director of Racquets at Brae Burn Country Club with Lucas Parrau. Teaching racquets is the best decision I've made. I’m very grateful for tennis and the connections--it is such a nice clientele.

Haley  I was an elementary special education teacher for a few years and taught tennis in the summer. I was loving my summers. I helped Julia at Brae Burn, and decided I needed to choose between teaching school and teaching tennis. I’m a Senior Racquets Professional at Wellesley Country Club and very happy about my choice.

First Tour

Haley  This was our first season on the Tour—we played Philly, Long Island, Fairfield, Boston, and Nationals. 

Julia  I play the ad side and Haley plays deuce. I’m comfortable driving from that side. The forehand drive is my favorite shot—it’s the one shot I can rely on. 

Haley  Julia had more experience in paddle, and initially, with the screens, the ad side is more challenging. I took the deuce side without thinking about it. My favorite shot is also the forehand drive.

Julia  We both feel so confident with it. When I see Haley wind up, I know it's going to go over hard, and we are expecting a short ball back.

Haley  From tennis at Providence, we’ve been playing together for a while, so we already have great communication. We know when to give each other space and not even look at the other person. I can tell when we need to lock in and focus. In between games, we’ll say a few words.

Tournament Time

Julia  It was nice to be warm out there and not have five layers on. In Boston, I couldn’t feel my fingertips. But there is the pressure of Nationals being the last tournament.

Haley  We wanted to end the season on a good note. Boston also was big for us, too, since we live and teach there and we wanted to do well. For our first Nationals match, we were locked in and focused. 

Julia  Even though we had friends at Canoe Brook, we were trying not to get too distracted for the first match. [Gurski and Magliorini lost 6-4, 6-4 to Fernanda Carvajal and Camille Verden-Anderson.] After the initial shock of the first match, when we went to the back draw, we loosened up. 

It was so cool to sit next to the top players. In professional tennis, we would never meet them. We had conversations with Ellie Halbauer and Ana Zubori, who are really nice people. It was great to connect with the community, and the players who I’ve admired on the Tour.

Haley  On Saturday, we played at Essex Hunt Club, and kept hearing and seeing their dogs during a match. We thought they were coyotes. It was a funny moment.

Julia We played all day on Saturday, so we used the player’s lounge, the compression bands, ate at the clubhouse, saw the food trucks and tents around. I’ve never been part of such a phenomenal event. It was so well set up and organized, and everyone was so friendly. 

In our last match, we played the OLideadha twins. We had beaten them in Philly. This time, they had already gotten so much better. It just goes to show the talent that is out there among young female players.

Special Moments

Julia  I was nervous about being on Live Streaming, but looking back, that was a cool experience. We hadn’t had a chair umpire before, calling the score, calling our names before we served. I felt like a professional athlete. I found out later the GM and members at my club were watching. We were getting texts from people who saw it.

Haley  My family was watching. The Live Streaming was a good moment. But I think another special moment was once I was able to relax, play freely, and let my guard down. It made me more excited for future paddle tournaments, to know I can have that relaxation while I’m playing. It was a very big moment for me to be calm during the tiebreaker. Being clutch in a few key points.

Julia  In our last match, we were going back and forth, where the twins had a set point, then we did. Haley had this phenomenal volley to finish the set. I think it was one even Zubori would have trouble with—such a clutch point. 

Looking Forward

Julia  Whenever I’m frustrated, I get antsy. I want to jump into the next point. In paddle, it should be the opposite. You need to slow the pace down. We want to work on that. ‘Let’s think through the next game.’

Haley  Especially in between sets, even if we win, we should talk about what is working, what we can do better, and what we are expecting them to do. Just so we are ready.

Also, I want a cutter. We’ve been using our rollers, which have been helpful in our matches. But I would love to mix it up. 

Julia I would definitely like to have a cutter. It looks cool. But even more so, I want to think smarter with shots. When I do use a shot like a roller, I want to commit more to that shot. In a match, I get tight, so I’d like to execute my shots better than I have.

Haley  It is so fun learning a new racquet sport. I have the fire to get good. The competitive spirit is back. I feel like I was missing that in my life after tennis.

Julia  We are both so competitive. At the end of the day, it’s just fun, so we realize we need to cherish the moment. Learning a new sport again is very fun. We are definitely on an upward trajectory in paddle.