Jasmine Lin had a different path as a tennis player, as she started her journey only at 17. She had no experience playing in junior competitions or tournaments on her resume when she took the sport seriously. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lin started her professional journey in an attempt to find something meaningful outside of academics.
In an Exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Jasmine Lin shared both the highs and difficulties of her career so far. She opened up on a variety of topics, including her NCAA Division I journey, financial difficulties, Jaslin Diaries, managing work and training schedules, and her future ambitions.
Thanks for the submission!
Let’s take a look at what Lin stated during the interview.
Jasmine Lin Shares Her Unlikely Journey Into Tennis
1. Looking back, can you take us through your journey into tennis?
Jasmine Lin: I usually tell people that I started playing tennis seriously at 17, and that’s true. Although I had picked up a racquet a few times growing up, it was never consistent. If you added everything together, I probably played for less than two years total across my entire childhood and teenage years, with long stops and pauses in between. I also had no UTR or really competitive tournament background.
I first played for a few months in elementary school before stopping for years. In middle school, I picked it up again just to play during the fall season, but I didn’t even make the school team. I also joined a local USTA junior team for a few months, but we were in the lowest division, so it was mostly just for fun. In high school, I played during the school season but also rotated into third doubles or a bench player, but once it ended, I stopped again. I definitely wasn’t a standout player. Everything changed during COVID.
I was spending way too much time playing video games. My mom wanted me to find something else to focus on, so she asked my oldest brother for advice. He told me that joining a sport would help me build a community in college, teach me valuable life lessons, and maybe, even earn an athletic scholarship. My family never expected me to play Division I tennis. They just wanted me to find something I genuinely enjoyed outside of academics and gaming.
Tennis was the first sport that came to mind because I’d always liked it, so I decided to give it one real shot. The moment I started training consistently with a coach something clicked. I absolutely fell in love with the sport.
What’s funny is that only a few months into training, before I’d even played my first tournament, I had this almost irrational belief that I wanted to become a professional tennis player. At that point, I wasn’t even close to that level. I was losing to 12-year-olds and had so much to learn. But for some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking, “If I’m already chasing college tennis, why can’t I dream even bigger? Why can’t I try to become a professional?”
Looking back, it probably sounded unrealistic, but that feeling never went away. From that point on, I knew I wanted to see how far I could take this journey.
2. You started playing tennis relatively later than many professional players, yet earned the opportunity to compete at the NCAA Division I level and then pursue professional tennis. Could you walk us through that journey?
Jasmine Lin: The recruiting process was incredibly stressful because I had less than a year to become a recruitable college tennis player. COVID gave me a little flexibility with recruiting timelines, but I was still starting with no UTR, almost no tournament history, and coaches who understandably thought Division III was the most realistic goal.
Because I didn’t have the resume of a traditional recruit, I realized I had to sell my potential instead. I researched programs, emailed coaches myself, created a portfolio, and focused on showing how quickly I was improving and how coachable I was. Eventually, I found a small Division 1 college program and decided to take a chance and email the coach.
After speaking with me, he was willing to take a chance on me, even after I didn’t perform particularly well in the tournament he asked me to update him on. My first year of D1 tennis was extremely humbling, but I kept asking for extra practice, finding hitting time, and even hitting against the wall when I had nobody else. I graduated college in just two and a half years, and my final semester ended up being my best season.
That experience gave me a lot of confidence to pursue professional tennis because I’d already done something most people around me thought was unrealistic. It taught me that sometimes you don’t need everyone to believe in you, you need to keep improving until one opportunity opens.
3. One part of your story that has resonated with many fans is your openness about working jobs to help fund your tennis career. What motivated you to share that side of your journey, and what has the response been like?
Jasmine Lin: After college, I actually had D1 offers to continue playing in graduate school, including a full ride, but I knew I wanted to give professional tennis a real shot. I was incredibly fortunate to find my first sponsor through one of my dentist’s clients, which is why I always tell people to ask for opportunities, because you genuinely never know where one might come from.
When that sponsorship ended, though, I had to confront the possibility that finances could be what stopped my tennis career. Instead, I decided that if money was the problem, I’d find ways to make money, even if that meant working multiple jobs while training.
That’s why I’m transparent about it online. @jaslindiaries isn’t supposed to show a glamorous, perfect version of chasing a dream. I want to show the highs and the difficult parts too. The response has been incredibly supportive for the most part although definitely a few haters here and there, but some of the most meaningful messages I receive are from people telling me that my journey made them believe they could pursue something difficult too.
4. What do you wish more people understood about the financial realities and sacrifices required to pursue professional tennis?
Jasmine Lin: Tennis is incredibly expensive, especially before you reach the highest levels. Training, coaching, tournaments, flights, hotels and everything else add up quickly. I’m fortunate that I’ve found ways to work while pursuing tennis, and I actually consider myself one of the lucky ones.
I’ve met players who sleep in their cars to avoid hotel costs or compete without coaches because they simply can’t afford one. That gives me a tremendous amount of respect for the people continuing to pursue this sport without much financial support.
And the sacrifices aren’t only financial. You miss birthdays, family events, friendships and moments you can’t get back. When I moved to Florida for tennis, my dog, who was genuinely my best friend, passed away, and I wasn’t there. That was incredibly difficult.
I don’t say any of this because I want people to feel sorry for us. We’re incredibly fortunate to pursue something we love. I just think people don’t always see the sacrifices happening behind the players they watch on court.
5. How have you developed a routine that allows you to balance everything without burning out?
Jasmine Lin: I’m still learning this. I used to think I needed an extremely strict routine every day, but I’ve realized my energy isn’t always the same, so I’ve learned to give myself more flexibility.
Tennis is the non-negotiable part of my schedule, and I use calendar blocking to organize work, content creation, training and actual downtime around it. I’ve also learned that consistency doesn’t mean feeling 100% every day. If I only have 80% that day, I try to give the best 80% I have.
At the same time, recovery matters. Sometimes I need an hour to myself, or I’ll change environments, go into the city and eat good food. I’m still figuring out the balance between discipline and rest, but I’ve learned that you need both if you want to sustain something long-term.
6. Has building Jaslin Diaries opened up opportunities you didn’t expect?
Jasmine Lin: Absolutely. Social media has brought me brand collaborations, connected me with other tennis players, and created a community of people who genuinely care about my journey.
But the biggest surprise is that it has directly affected my tennis career. If I hadn’t shared my journey online, I wouldn’t have connected with the academy where I train today. That relationship has given me an environment where I can continue pushing my tennis to another level.
More than anything, though, I started “jaslindiaries” because I wanted people to see what happens when someone decides to chase something that seems unrealistic. When someone messages me saying my journey inspired them, that’s probably my favorite part of having a platform.
7. Looking at the current WTA Tour, is there a player you particularly admire? Is there someone you’d love the opportunity to compete against in the future?
Jasmine Lin: I genuinely love watching so many WTA players that I’ve never really had one favorite. But Serena [Williams] and Venus Williams will always be special to me because I grew up watching them on TV with my family. They’re legendary players who changed the sport, and I really admire their longevity and everything they’ve overcome throughout their careers.
I also really admire Naomi Osaka. I’ve loved watching her embrace vulnerability as a strength because athletes aren’t robots. Seeing her trust the process, return to the sport as a mother, and still have fun expressing herself through things like fashion is the kind of balance and growth I really admire.
Of course, being able to step on court with any of them would be an absolute dream. I’d be honored.
8. What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about resilience?
Jasmine Lin: One of the hardest feelings in tennis is working incredibly hard and then not seeing that work reflected in your results. I used to have a really difficult time controlling my emotions when that happened.
One thing a friend told me really stuck with me: at the end of the day, tennis is a game. We’re literally moving a ball around a court trying not to miss. We started playing because we loved it.
I can’t always control the result, but I can control my attitude, learn from what happened, and believe there’s always a next time. I’ve also learned to be kinder to myself. Tennis players can be incredibly perfectionistic, so sometimes resilience also means stepping away, eating something you love, going for a walk, and remembering there’s a whole person underneath the athlete.
9. What are the biggest goals you’ve set for yourself over the next few seasons?
Jasmine Lin: I’m really excited to get back into tournaments because I know my level has improved significantly. My next step is entering more W15 events, gaining experience at that level, and hopefully earning my first ITF ranking points.
I’d love to work toward an ITF ranking around 500 and, of course, eventually earn that first WTA ranking point. That’s definitely a dream of mine.
At the same time, I’m trying not to attach too much pressure to a specific number or timeline. Professional tournaments are a completely different environment, and right now I want to compete, gain experience, see where my level stands, and keep building from there.
10. What message would you leave aspiring tennis players chasing the same dream?
Jasmine Lin: Trust yourself, stay positive, and have the audacity to be ambitious.
I didn’t get here by being afraid to ask for opportunities or embarrassed to try. Sometimes when you’re at rock bottom, you don’t have the luxury of shame. Ask. Try. Take the chance.
Edited by Hari Priya CR