It may be hard to believe, but eleven year old C.C. Sardinha has been playing tournament finals for years. The Arizona born and now Florida raised youngster has no doubt that her place toward the top of the Girls 12 rankings is just the beginning.
C.C. came to Florida to train at Nick Bollettieri's Academy. Though she quickly felt that it wasn't the place for her, the location was and she made Bradenton, Florida her home. In December 2000, at the age of only nine, C.C. entered and won three tournaments in a three week period -- the Tangerine Bowl, the Pre-Holiday Classic and the Sterns Year-End Tournament. From there it was obvious that her next stop was national events.
Though C.C. Sardinha did not have any major placements at national tournaments for two more years, once she started there was no turning back. In December of 2000, C.C. was a semifinalist at the Super National Winter Championships. From there she went on to win the (Girls' 12) Copper Bowl and a National Open in February. Though she lost at the Super National Spring Championships in the finals to Amy Simidian in three sets, C.C. was not discouraged and went on to win the Gator Bowl a week later.
I sat down with C.C. Sardinha at the Super National Spring Championships before she was to play the finals. It quickly became apparent that she was wise beyond her years.
by Marcia Frost
Q: What has been your most satisfying tournament win?
