Maksims Kazancevs: On Tennis, Pickleball, and Future Plans
At Tournated, we are launching a series of interviews with athletes from various sports featured on our platform. Naturally, the first interview is with our ambassador and one of Latvia’s top tennis players, Maksims Kazancevs.
I was born in London, and when I was four, my family moved to Latvia. I was a very active child, so my parents decided to channel my energy into sports. In the UK, I played football, but in Latvia, they took me to tennis. My whole family came to my first training session—mom, dad, grandparents, cameras, videos—everything as it should be.
I liked it and told my parents I wanted to continue. I really enjoyed training. I was the youngest in the group and remember getting frustrated when I couldn’t hit the target during basket drills. But in matches, I managed to beat everyone.At the age of eight, I entered my first tournament and immediately finished second.
At nine, I was moved to a stronger group. Interestingly, that’s where I first met Nikita Ribakovs (the founder of Tournated). Who would have thought that 10 years later, I’d become an ambassador for his company? Back then, he as a coach assistant played doubles together with us—he would rush to the net, pretend I was lobbing him, then run back and hit a tweener. For a long time, I genuinely believed I was great at lobbing net players.
My childhood goal was to become the Latvian champion. For several years, I reached the finals but lost. Then, at 14, I finally won!
In that championship, I nearly got eliminated in the quarterfinals, but I saved two match points, won a crazy match, made it to the final, and managed to win the title against the powerful opponent.
I later won another Latvian championship, but that first victory remains a special memory. It feels great to say that I’m a two-time Latvian champion.
I always wear my best outfit for matches. Looking good is important to me. There must also be some red colour in my outfit—it symbolizes fire, competition, and forward momentum. Even if it’s a tiny detail, red will always be there.
I also have a unique water ritual. I bring a bottle of water and an isotonic drink (or a banana) to matches. During changeovers, I take as many sips of water as the number of games I want to have by the next changeover, and as many sips of isotonic as the number of games I still need to win.
For example, if it’s 3-0 and I want it to be 5-0, I take five sips of water and two sips of isotonic.
These rituals might seem strange, but they help me stay focused and maintain concentration.
In 2024, I played in a Masters tournament with prize money—€500 for first place, €300 for second, and €200 for third. I really wanted to win, so I played even though I wasn’t feeling great physically.
I reached the semifinals and knew I had to win to secure prize money and avoid the tough third-place match. Usually, I beat this opponent, and I was up 5-2, 40-15. I came to the net, hit what I thought was a winner, but he chased it down and passed me.
Everything started going wrong, and we ended up in a tiebreak. I led 6-2, lost two points—6-4. A long rally followed, we exchanged diagonal shots, I hit my signature down-the-line backhand and rushed to the net. My opponent was nowhere near—just needed to hit the smash.
I jumped for it… and suddenly, a cramp seized my leg. I collapsed to the ground.
I lost the tiebreak 8-10 and the second set 3-6. I walked off the court completely drained, like I had given everything. The next day was tough, but I pulled myself together and won the third-place match.
It’s really difficult. After losing, you want to smash your rackets, skip practice. But over time, I realized losing is part of the process.
You have to understand that everyone feels these emotions. If it were easy, everyone would handle it. When I feel awful after a loss, I remind myself that others might have given up, but I won’t. That motivates me—I take it as a challenge: can I stay composed and push forward?
Tennis is mentally tough, but it builds character, which is crucial for a man.
You’ve played many racket sports. As a tennis player, how do padel, pickleball, and beach tennis differ?
Beachtennis: The biggest difference is volleying. In tennis, you attack the net for aggressive volleys, but in beach tennis, the net is higher, so you can’t hit as hard. You have to soften your wrist and rely on feel.
After playing beach tennis, I noticed I played softer in tennis, which my coach didn’t like.
Padel: More similar to tennis, but without strings, so controlling the ball is easier. However, the walls make it tricky. I still struggle to read the ball’s trajectory off the wall—it looks like it’ll bounce one way but suddenly changes direction. That unpredictability makes padel exciting.
Pickleball: More about touch than power. Tennis players tend to hit too hard in pickleball, but the key is feeling the ball and placing it at your opponent’s feet. You need a flexible wrist and a soft touch.
I think it’s great that new sports are emerging—it means more people are getting involved. Some say tennis may struggle to compete with padel and pickleball, and indeed, some tennis clubs are converting into padel clubs. But tennis courts have always been and will always be everywhere. In the UK, when you land by plane, you see tennis courts everywhere.
Pickleball is booming because it’s easy to pick up. One practice session, and you can already play and enjoy it. It doesn’t require intense physical training—it’s more about feel and control.
Usually, I have group tennis training three times a week for 1.5 hours, preceded by an hour of physical training. I also have two technique-focused training sessions and sparring matches.
I recently finished my junior year, and since there aren’t many adult tournaments in Latvia, I’m preparing for university. So now, I train in a group three times a week and play extra sparring matches.
On weekends, my friends ask me to train them. In summer, we sometimes play beach tennis. And now, pickleball has entered my life.
I’m in 12th grade and choosing a university. I definitely want to continue playing tennis.
In the past, it was trendy to go to US universities, but scholarships are now extremely competitive. So, I’m also considering schools in Europe and the UK.
Last year, pickleball entered my life, and I see great potential in it. It’s still emerging in Europe, but in Asia and especially the US, prize money and interest are growing.
Most importantly, pickleball has an incredibly friendly community. It brings together different generations and makes networking easier.
I see a future for myself in pickleball—I’m already the absolute Latvian champion and definitely want to try playing professionally.
I love the Tournated platform—it makes players’ lives much easier. I no longer have to go to the courts just to check the draw or schedule. Everything I need is in the “My Info” section—match time, registration status, etc. It saves a lot of time.
Last year, Nikita Ribakovs approached me and offered me an ambassadorship, and I happily agreed. As an ambassador, I help promote the platform and introduce players to new features. I love being part of a team and growing the sport—I see a big future in this.
Nikita Ribakovs
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31/01/2025 11:34 UTC