written by Jaylan Hayes
For someone who does not like change in her life, Giovanna Patrocinio made a big one when coming to the United States for school from her home in Brazil. Patrocinio knew it was the best option for her to continue playing tennis, the sport she’s always loved. She had a couple of schools in mind, but she’s happy she picked Augusta University.
“In Brazil I live in a big city and Augusta is one of those cities that is big but not the biggest one. I like the size of the classes here and I love the tennis program,” she said.
Patrocinio only remembers her life with tennis in it, she’s been playing since she was five years old. There was never going to be another sport for her.
“My father is a tennis coach, and my grandfather played tennis. My mom is a big fan of tennis. They’ve always supported me with tennis,” said Patrocinio.
Her dad was actually her tennis coach for most of her life up until two years before leaving Brazil. This had its challenges in the beginning, but she appreciated he was always in her corner. Her dad knows her best and can push her the way she needs it.
One of Patrocinio’s biggest challenges when coming to AU was the fact that tennis was more than just an individual sport, it was a team one. It was such an adjustment for her that when she first arrived here, and it was her worst times playing tennis.
“My first couple of matches I couldn’t play. It was like three horrible matches on the court. I was anxious and nervous. It was horrible, I can say that. The worst moment of tennis for me, but then after that I was fine,” said Patrocinio.
She can now say she prefers the team aspect and the energy it brings. Patrocinio knows the team is always there to support each other, win or lose and the pressure isn’t just on one person.
Patrocinio has two more years at AU playing tennis, but she knows once she graduates, she’ll be done playing competitively. Her love for the sport won’t go away and she still plans to play for fun or even give lessons when she can.
Her plans after graduation consist of her going to school for her masters. She started college with a declared major in psychology but quickly changed it to kinesiology and she’s still working towards that goal. But when she’s done, she wants to pursue a masters in either sports psychology or athletic training. Patrocinio is unsure what school she wants to do this at but has time to figure it out.
One thing about Patrocinio is she does not like being alone. The only time she enjoys being alone is right before bed.
“I really like to just be around people. I hate to be alone. I love to be around people talking and doing something. I hate to spend all day at home,” she said.
She also really loves to travel and one of her favorite places so far was the Netherlands visiting her aunt. She considers her time there as her best summer so far. It has left her wanting to travel to more countries in Europe.
Since coming to the U.S. Patrocinio hasn’t been able to drive since she only has a license from Brazil. She’s happy to report that she’ll be taking her test soon and is excited to finally have her car.
“Here it is easier to drive. The city I live in is a big city and it is horrible to drive in. Like a lot of traffic. It’s very stressful. I’m not worried about driving here,” said Patrocinio.
While she misses Brazil and seeing her family (and really the food), she values the support she has from them. She’s also excited because during spring break her parents and little brother will be making a trip to see her.
Patrocinio might be naturally shy she does eventually gets comfortable enough to be herself. It took two months when she joined the team before she really started talking to her teammates. But now she considers everyone on both the men’s and women’s team as close friends.
“We are all together a lot,” said Patrocinio. “We always make plans with each other. It helps us not be so alone especially when we miss home.”
Women’s tennis schedule
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