Checking in from Los Angeles after a long flight home

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.

I'm checking in from a coffee shop in LA, about a block away from home sweet home. I finally got back to the U.S. on Saturday afternoon after four-and-a-half long weeks in Asia. While I was disappointed that making quarterfinals in Hong Kong rendered me unable to compete in qualifying for Moscow, I can’t pretend to be upset about getting home a week earlier than anticipated. The remainder of my weekend consisted mostly of rest and relaxation—reading, catching up on TV shows, lounging on the beach, and messing around with homemade vegan recipes in the kitchen.

Originally, I had planned for my season to end after Moscow. However, with my ranking currently sitting at No. 105, I find myself right on the bubble for main draw acceptance into yet another Slam. As a result, I’ve decided to extend my season by 2-3 weeks, with appearances scheduled in Georgia and Texas between now and the end of the season. While I’m looking forward to hanging up the rackets and calling it a year, I still feel I have things left to accomplish, and feel motivated to end on a high note.

After taking just one full day off to rest at home, I am headed to a pilates class in just a few minutes to get back into training. If my body feels good, I will get back on the court tomorrow, with a plan to leave for my first ITF Pro Circuit tournament on Sunday.

Between now and then, I really want to prioritize balance. It’s not easy to play a sport that requires us to compete 10 months out of the year, and I have to make sure to nurture my off court life as the year winds down in order to avoid burnout. With a Halloween party and some dinners with friends already on the books, that part shouldn’t be too much of a problem.