By Karen Ronney
For Ivan Thamma, tennis started off as a fun way to socialize with other kids at the City Heights Recreation Center in San Diego. Over a decade later, his life has come full circle and tennis has given him a foundation for a bright future… on and off the tennis court.
Thamma, 27, is an only child born to Russian and Laotian immigrants. At age 5, he attended a free after-school tennis program sponsored by Youth Tennis San Diego. He quickly excelled in the sport and won local tournaments. By age 12, he was training at Barnes Tennis Center, four hours a day, five days a week. For Thamma, tennis turned from a hobby into a passionate pursuit of excellence.
“It taught me to be dedicated, and it was definitely a daily grind,” he said. “I learned the importance of discipline and hard work, not just for tennis but in everything I pursued.”
The Turning Point
The financial barriers that often keep immigrant families off the court were lowered by the Southern California Tennis Association Foundation. Through help from SCTA Foundation’s scholarships and grants, Ivan was able to train, travel and compete in Southern California and across the country.
“The SCTA Foundation’s mission is to help kids like Ivan, who have talent, passion and drive. He just needed help and we were thrilled to give it to him,” said Linda Milan, the Executive Director for the SCTA Foundation. “He is remarkable and we are so proud of his success.”
Said Thamma: “I’m so grateful for the scholarships from the SCTA Foundation. It helped me achieve things I could have never dreamed possible. Without their support, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”
By age 16, Ivan was no longer a kid from City Heights, he was 2015 USTA Boys 16s National Doubles Champion at the legendary Kalamazoo and the Orange Bowl Tournaments with partner Bryce Pereira, a UCLA standout ranked No. 53 in ITA singles. Thamma also won the CIF San Diego Section Doubles Title with teammate Keegan Smith at Point Loma High, the latter now No. 301 in singles on the ATP Tour.
A Scholar-Athlete
Ivan’s journey beyond the baseline led him to become the first in his family to attend college. He was a five-star recruit and received a full scholarship to play for UC Davis, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in economics. In NCAA Division I tennis, Thamma earned All-Big West First-Team Singles and Doubles honors and two ITA All-Academic Team Awards. He was also a team captain, ITA Scholar Athlete, and the 2018 Big West Freshman of the Year.
Because of the Covid Pandemic, Thamma earned a fifth year of eligibility at Southern Methodist University (SMU). He helped the Mustangs win their first ever Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title under the watchful eye of SMU Men’s Coach Grant Chen.
“Ivan’s impact was immediate,” said Chen, the former UCLA Associate Men’s Tennis Coach. “His success on the singles and doubles court was felt as well as his leadership. He helped us win the ACC championship and it was a huge milestone for the team and the university.”
(Photo by George Walker/DFWsportsonline)A Door Closes, A Court Opens
After graduation, Thamma stood at a crossroads. He was interviewing for data analyst jobs in San Diego, preparing to put his economics minor to use in an office setting Then, the phone rang. It was the coach of Jenson Brooksby, who was the No. 33 ranked player in the world at the time. Thamma was invited to become Brooksby’s hitting partner for the 2022 ATP Summer Tour.
For twelve weeks, Ivan lived the pro dream. He traveled from the heat of Washington D.C. to the lights of New York City for the US Open. He saw the “pro world” at its fullest—the glamour, the grind, and the intensity. But as he stood on those world-class courts, Ivan realized something profound: his true calling wasn’t to be the one under the lights, but to shine the light for others to follow his athletic and academic path.
The Mentor
Thamma returned home after touring with Brooksby and became a paid hitting partner at Barnes Tennis Center. Seeing his former student’s passion for helping others, Coach Steve Adamson asked Thamma to consider becoming a tennis pro in his Academy, the one that helped launch Thamma’s tennis career a decade earlier. Thamma accepted the challenge. “Steve is teaching me the tactical side of tennis,” Thamma said. “He has guided me to be a better coach because he has a veteran eye to see things.”
Full Circle
Now at age 27, Ivan is happy to impact the next generation of players as a coach and mentor. “Ivan is a true student of the game and he has been such an integral part of the San Diego tennis community,” Chen said. “I am beyond proud of him. The game of tennis has meant so much to him.”
Thamma said he doesn’t just teach kids how to hit tennis balls, he teaches them about resilience, hard work and discipline, which are the attributes he learned during those daily training sessions. He also shows young juniors the empathy required to handle the pressures of the game.
“I’ve seen the pro world,” Ivan said, looking back on a journey that took him from a free after-school tennis program to a master’s degree and a position as a teaching pro. “Now I want to spread my wisdom. I want to help people feel the love of the game and see where tennis can take them—just like it did for me.”
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About the Southern California Tennis Association Foundation:
We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization and is the charitable arm of USTA Southern California. The Foundation’s mission is to “Change lives and build communities through tennis.” Since 2020, the SCTA Foundation has had a community impact of giving over $1million in tennis grants and tennis scholarships to deserving youth, adults, tennis organizations, tennis facilities and tennis programs to make tennis an equal opportunity sport, accessible to all, regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, or economic background. Visit us on Social Media on Instagram and Facebook. To learn more about the SCTA Foundation go to: www.sctafoundation.org. To donate go to: sctafoundation.org/donate/.
