Remember when you were a kid and you wanted to be a professional athlete when you grew up? Now imagine you find a sport where you discover a hidden talent and lots of early success. Not only are you winning against your age group, you’re beating kids 4 years older than you. Then come the sponsors and you’re ranked as a top prospect and not only is your dream a possibility, you’re actually on a trajectory to become that pro athlete.

Now imagine you have an injury that is undiagnosable and untreatable by even the best doctors and specialists and that dream that was in your sights is gone. You realize your identity was tied to something that is now over and you don’t know who you are anymore. What would you do?

Kirsten (Lewis) Robles doesn’t have to imagine, because this is her story. Kirsten’s First Act of tennis is marked by the highs of success, the lows of circumstances out of her control, and the gratitude of a second chance and new identity.

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(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:22:00) - Cheers to Next Act: Alex Morgan

(01:06:00) - Kirsten Intro

(03:29:00) - First Act: Athlete DNA

(04:55:00) - First Act: Discovering Tennis Talent

(08:19:00) - First Act: Elite Tennis Prospect

(11:05:00) - First Act: Injury Period

(13:27:00) - First Act: Identity Shift Out of Tennis

(19:19:00) - What Separated Tennis?

(22:54:00) - Getting Back to the Pros?

(24:16:00) - Why Kentucky Tennis?

(27:44:00) - Day in the Life

(31:45:00) - What Separated Kirsten as a Player?

(37:28:00) - Favorite Memory: Alabama Homecoming Comeback

(42:34:00) - Mindset Going Into a Big Match: Empty the Tank

(47:28:00) - Favorite Part About UK?