American tennis player Alycia Parks recently opened up about the struggles she faced during her early years as a tennis player, and gave an emotional story on how much her father helped in her journey.

The 22-year old is a new face on the WTA circuit, making an impressive run at the start of the 2023. After competing at Challenger events and qualifying draws late last year, Parks stunned the tennis community by winning her maiden WTA title at the 2023 Lyon Open.

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Parks recalls early career struggles

The Atlanta native spoke about how her family has been a huge source of support, and highlighted how her father was instrumental in her travelling to various tournaments across the country.

“Me and my dad got around by.. he basically made an RV from scratch," she said. "He built shelves and cabinets and put in a toilet. He called it a tour bus. I just remember traveling to tournaments, going 16 hours away. If it rained, water would drip in there.

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"On our way back from a tournament the A.C. went out and it was summertime, so those times were not fun. But I look back and it kind of makes me teary-eyed because it was really a struggle. Now I'm flying to places & am in hotel rooms."

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