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News You Can Use: Former Jamaican Player Dustin Brown Now Playing For His Birthplace, Germany

Thursday, January 20, 2011

(Photo personal property of Dustin Brown - Do not reprint without permission)


While I was away from the office my favorite former Jamaican tennis player, Dustin Brown, returned to the place of his birth, Germany, the country that he will now represent on the ATP World Tour.

As I was posting the Australian Open 2011 draw, I was totally surprised when I saw "GER" attached to Dustin's name. While surprised at the news, given Dustin's tennis history in Jamaica, an alternative had to be on the horizon.

In 2008 I posted my "Conversations: Dustin Brown" article, at which time he shared the following:

Shelia: What began your interest in tennis?
Dustin: In Germany at the age of 5, we lived beside a tennis club, and the coach there was also Jamaican and a friend of my parents.

Shelia: I understand that Jamaica does not have a tennis federation, where do you do your training, get equipment, coaches?
Dustin: Jamaica has a tennis federation, but they aren’t doing anything for professional tennis, so basically you are right, there is no federation. They don’t sponsor me and evenso I am the best tennis player Jamaica had over the last 16 years, they don’t even report my results in the media. With some financial support I could be much further than I am right now. I am training in Germany right now, and my equipment is sponsored by Babolat (Rackets), Pacific (Strings) & Topspin (Clothing). This is only equipment sponsoring, no money.

Shelia: Do you receive sponsorship from Jamaican sources?
Dustin: No, I don't receive any sponsorship from Jamaican sources.

Apparently things had not improved over the last couple of years. Dustin played his first tournament under the German flag in November 2010.

Hopefully Dustin will receive much better support in Germany, and is able to advance his tennis career accordingly. I'll try to catch up with him and get an update.


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Posted by Shelia
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