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Growing up, William Bushamuka traveled the world for his father’s job, sparking his love for tennis in Bangladesh and developing his skills further in The Republic of Congo and Senegal. Photo furnished
For most people, defining a hometown is an easy task – it’s the city and town you most closely identify yourself with, the place where you spent your childhood and that shaped you into the person you are today. However, for up-and-coming tennis star William Bushamuka, who plays for University of Kentucky men’s tennis team and who will compete at this month’s annual Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships, defining home is no easy task.
With a father who works with a company that sends supplies and money to countries in need, Bushamuka traveled the world with his parents as a child, discovering his love for tennis along the way. He started off his childhood in Princeton, New Jersey, then moved to Bangladesh for five years, then to The Republic of Congo in Africa (where his father is from), for five more. He rounded out his international journey in Senegal for two years, and finally returned to the United States for his senior year of high school.
Bushamuka played tennis at the highest levels at all four of those stops along the way, developing his love for tennis in Bangladesh, with the help of his mother – although he admits it wasn’t exactly love at first sight.
“I didn’t like it at first,” Bushamuka said. “As I got older, I just loved the feeling of winning, and that fueled me to get better. I love winning and competing and I fell in love with the sport. Once I kept winning, I loved that feeling and I wanted to do it more, and that’s when I dedicated myself to the sport.”
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Bushamuka, a 2016 NCAA Singles Finalist, will compete as a wild card in the main draw during this month’s Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships. Photo furnished
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The University of Kentucky tennis player ascended to No. 23 in the nation this year, during his second season wearing a Wildcat jersey. Photo furnished
While in Senegal, as his love for tennis was growing and his parents started to realize his potential, Bushamuka decided to go for it, working tirelessly at the Senegalese tennis academies to get better and ultimately earn a spot in the IMG Tennis Academy in Bradenten, Fla. He attributes much of his success to his parents.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without them – it’s as simple as that,” Bushamuka said. “They’re the reason I started and they pushed me though the hard moments. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know what I would be doing, but it probably wouldn’t be tennis.”
While finishing his time at IMG, he developed a relationship with Kentucky men’s tennis head coach Cedric Kauffmann.
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“I first met Cedric when I took my official visit to Kentucky,” Bushamuka said. “We instantly had a connection because we both spoke fluent French [Kauffmann is from France] and I fell in love with Lexington and with the way that he presented himself and the program.”
Kentucky turned out to be the right spot for Bushamuka, as it took him just two seasons wearing the Wildcat jersey to be named First Team All-Southeastern Conference in 2016, to qualify for the 2016 NCAA Singles Championships in Tulsa, Okla.
The junior-to-be went 16-9 in singles play this past season for Kentucky on the No. 1 court, which features the best two players of each team competing against each other in a full threeset match. He ascended to No. 23 in the national rankings, while also getting things done in the classroom, earning a spot on the 2016 SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Bushamuka will be a wild card in the main draw of this year’s annual Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships, which take place July 23-31 at the Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Kentucky. cc