Carmela hails from Brazil, a country known for its vibrant culture, beautiful beaches and love for sports. In 2002, her life took an unexpected turn when her husband was transferred to Coqueiral, a picturesque town nestled inland, far from the bustling cities. Coqueiral offered a hidden gem: a tennis club by the beach, surrounded by the town’s namesake coconut trees, known in Portuguese as "coqueiros."
Carmela enrolled in tennis lessons at the club. The club became a sanctuary where she and her fellow club members could enjoy playing tennis year-round in the idyllic tropical setting. Embracing the spirit of friendly competition, they started a new tradition: whoever lost a match would treat everyone to fresh coconuts.
Tennis soon became a family affair. Carmela’s husband and their four children also fell in love with the game and started participating in local tournaments. After three years in Coqueiral, the family returned to the state of São Paulo and joined a club with clay courts. Then in 2018, it was time for an even bigger move: Carmela's husband received a permanent job transfer to the USA, and the family relocated to Canton, Michigan and became American citizens.
What does your tennis week look like?
I play tennis 3 to 4 times a week. I'm a member of the Huron Valley Tennis Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I participate in clinics at the 3.0 and 3.5 levels. Over the summer, I play USTA teams in the 40+ category.
What do you appreciate most about tennis?
I see tennis as a complete sport because you only need one other person to play it. It provides excellent physical and mental exercise. It requires a lot of strategy, agility, mobility, communication, footwork and game vision. It's the sport that brings my family together because we all love to play, and it's a pleasure to get out of the house and out of my routine for a tennis match.
What's your strongest shot?
I believe that my best weapon is my first service. It is flat and has a lot of power. It's precisely at this time that I pour out my strength in my arms and focus everything on the service. It may seem strange, but for me, the serving moment works as a relaxing time to let go of the nervousness of the match.
You have two CourtMerch shirts. Tell us about your experience with the brand.
When I discovered CourtMerch's tennis products, I immediately fell in love with them. The products have excellent quality and a hint of humor. It was exactly what I was looking for both for personal use and as a gift for friends who also love this sport.
My first contact was with the “I Play Deuce” shirt, which I lo
ved because when I'm in a match with a new partner, I don't even need to mention my side preference. The shirt sends the message!
Then I saw the ¡Vamos! shirt in Spanish and I loved it. I wanted one with the same message but in Portuguese and CourtMerch fulfilled my request by creating a Vamos! shirt (for those who don't know, Vamos means "Let's go" in both Spanish and Portuguese and the only difference is the exclamation mark and the pronunciation). And I love to wear it because I feel proud of the message in my own language.