Turning to the hard-court season early in Lousiana

Sam Groth and Nicole Gibbs are giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional tennis all year long in My Tennis Life. To read more updates from Sam and Nicole, go to tennischannel.com.

Checking in from Baton Rouge, L.A., where I will be competing in a $25,000 ITF Pro Circuit event this week. After a difficult last week in Europe and a tough decision to skip out on grass this year, I’m once again feeling positive and ready to go.

My body is feeling much better on the hard courts; I am so sure of my movement and footing here that my body gets into far fewer uncomfortable positions. I spent a lot of time on the practice court and hit the fitness hard in preparation for these next couple weeks, and I feel ready to compete again.

I know that the US Open is still a long way away, but all of my efforts at these smaller events will be expended with my home slam in mind. I am determined to get back to where I belong—in the main draw of tour events—but feel patient and ready to handle ups and downs along the way. I know that confidence is something that is earned on tour, so I’m prepared to do everything it takes to have tons of it by the time big tournaments come around again.

My Airbnb this week is awesome. I rented a two bedroom, two bathroom condo with a beautiful kitchen and a large living room with a pullout sofa for around $175 per night, which makes traveling with my team manageable, despite the relatively low prize money offered at this event.

I’m super excited to be at a tournament played on a college campus again. There’s something special for me about competing in the environment I loved so much during my time at Stanford, even if I’m out there alone this time.

I can’t wait to start getting matches on the hard courts, and will have more feedback for you at the end of this week on how the transition is going for me.