It is up in news that Livinnia Wood seems to be an extremely ordinary seven-year-old. She has four closest companions and likes finding out about parts of the body.
Yet, at 6am most days, she begins training, and says her desire is to be superior to anything Margaret Court, who has more Grand Slam singles titles than even Serena Williams.
Liv is the daughter of Ray, a deep rooted Liverpool supporter who has been a mentor at both Leicester City and Paris St-Germain.
He has a fantasy – to “make two of the best female tennis players the planet has ever seen”.
Ray, who has You’ll Never Walk Alone tattooed to his left side arm, lives in Brisbane with his Australian spouse Angela, Liv and her two-year-old sister Paloma.
When I got together with them in Melbourne amid the current year’s Australian Open, Ray appeared to be an agreeable and unassuming family man.
However, as he talks, you soon acknowledge he is making some stunning cases. He tells,
“I think I could quite easily, over a 10 to 15-year period, create a champion in any sport”.
“Talent is made, it’s not born. I think if my Dad had spent the time with me at such a young age, I would have played for Liverpool. I would have played for England without a shadow of a doubt.”
He said, “We could have gone down the route of ice-skating with Livi, and Livi would be a champion ice skater, but we chose the route of tennis and she’ll be a champion in that. I would put her up against any girl seven years of age around the globe and be confident she would beat them.” Liv explained that
“It just feels normal to me. I hit on probably every celebration of the year. I feel a bit tired but when we start getting a little rally, I feel like I’ve got more energy to start moving around on the court.” Liv said,
“Sometimes he keeps it fun and sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he hits funny shots at me and sometimes I do trick shots at Daddy. Sometimes he serves with his right hand – he’s left-handed and I’m right-handed – and sometimes I hit with my left hand.”
