Young deaf player dreams of next Federer
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Junior tennis player Lee Duck-hee in action at the 69th Korea Tennis Championships at Olympic Tennis Courts, Seoul, last October. / Courtesy of S&B Company
By Kim Jae-heun
Rising tennis star Lee Duck-hee is only 16 years old, but he is already Korea’s No. 3 player. His dark, tanned face shows how much time Lee spends practicing tennis on the court. For the young athlete, long hours of rallying in the sun is not a problem. Lee’s major problem is that he can’t hear a single call during his matches and has to pay extra attention to referees’ gestures because he was born deaf.
Lee has three consecutive tournaments ahead of him. He had only a week’s rest after arriving in Seoul from his Sri Lanka Future F3 matches. During an interview with The Korea Times at Incheon International Airport, the young player depended on his mother to deliver answers for him.
“I first saw my cousin play tennis when I was seven,” Lee said. “I was good at sports and tennis looked fun, so I told my parents that I wanted to play tennis.”
Lee’s father recognized athletic talent in his son and set the early direction for his career. The deaf player knew he had to survive in the field and he only set one goal in his mind — winning every match he plays.
Lee’s disability gives him advantages. He is able to fully focus on his game, even when there is a loud crowd cheering for his opponent. The young player, thus, feels less pressure at important moments.
Lee Duck-hee, center, with Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, right, and coach Jose Luis Lopez after Nadal gave a one-on-one lesson at Stade Roland Garros in Paris last June. / AP-Yonhap
“I remember advancing into the quarterfinals for the first time at the U.S. Open. It was one of the major tournaments that I’ve participated and I wasn’t feeling well. I vomited in the first round but I managed to come back with full concentration,” Lee said.
Lee’s outstanding performances despite his deafness have inspired a number of world-class tennis players, such as Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Martina Hingis. World No. 4 Nishikori Kei is Lee’s closest friend among all.
“I first met Nishikori at the 2014 U.S. Open. We practiced rallying without a break. His serves were hard and fast, but I was able to handle them. Every moment was nervous and exciting, and time just flew by.
“My coach told me later that Nishikori appraised that I was a good player. About my hardships, he just asked to endure them and practice harder.”
Nadal once referred to Lee on his Twitter account as “a person to learn a lot from.” The Spanish tennis star added that Lee’s story of overcoming his handicap teaches people to keep challenging their life.
Nadal promised to aid Lee and actually invited him to participate in at the Barcelona Total Tennis Academy (BTT Academy) program in France on June 1, 2014. Nadal gave 20 minutes of private tutoring to Lee.
Lee’s ultimate goal is to become the next Roger Federer and the world’s No. 1.
“Federer was my hero since I first took a racket in my hand. I just liked him as a tennis player but now I like everything about him. It could his stroke style or his fashion outside the court. Federer is an enormous player for me and I respect all the records he has accomplished. He is recognized as all-time best tennis player in the history,” said Lee.
Lee started tournament tours earlier than players his age to realize his dream. Deaf players mostly participate in professional championships rather than junior games.
When he is not sweating on the court, he eats and sleeps. Lee has no time for other hobbies.
“I have goals set for the short term to reach my dream of being the world’s top player in the future. I only see victory and there is no reason why I want to win. I just do,” said Lee.