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By ROCKY STANLEY - The Independent
Posted: 01/08/06 - 01:08:24 am EST
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She remains gracious, humble and an artist with the tennis racquet.
Ashland's Julie Ditty, who turned 27 this past week, is The Independent's 2005 Tony Curnutte Memorial Sportsman of the Year.
Now four years into a productive career on the highly competitive pro circuit, Ditty responded to the accolade in typical fashion.
“I feel really honored to receive that award,” Ditty said from her training base in Hilton Head, S.C. “I know there are a lot of great athletes and deserving people out there. It's also nice to be recognized for your hard work.”
Last year saw Ditty win six doubles titles on the International Tennis Federation circuit, which serves a proving ground for the WTA Tour. She attained a personal-best world doubles ranking of 101 in December.
The former Vanderbilt All-American is poised to move into the top 100 in 2006.
“That's the next goal,” Ditty said. “I'm still working on my singles, trying to get my ranking up (268th currently). You play the bigger tournaments. I think one of these times I will have a breakthrough.”
At the same time, she doesn't want to become fixated on the ratings.
“You can't worry about it too much,” Ditty said. “If you do, you're going to put too much pressure on yourself. If you're playing well, the ranking is going to go up.”
Ditty, a smart left-hander, is pleased with her direction after being coached by the husband-wife team of Yves Boulais and Patricia Hy for the past year. Hy was ranked as high as 28th during her pro career.
“It's great working with both of them,” Ditty said. “I feel like my game is improving every day, every time I go out to practice.”
Ditty earned $31,953 in prize money last year, bringing her career total to almost $93,000. In singles, she was 25-24 including four wins over players ranked between 108-165.
However, doubles continued to be Ditty's calling card as evidenced by her 45-17 record.
Early in the year, Ditty teamed with Vladimira Uhlirova of the Czech Republic to win titles in two $10,000-level Florida tournaments as well as a $25,000 event in Rockford, Ill. They also finished runner-up in April at a $75,000 tournament in Dothan, Ala.
“We connected at the very beginning,” Ditty said. “There was a lot of chemistry.”
Uhlirova left for Europe to test the WTA waters, but Ditty partnered with Ansley Cargill to win at Allentown, Pa. ($25,000) in June. The next month, Ditty and another American player - Teryn Ashley - joined forces to reach the finals in Louisville ($50,000).
Later in the year, Ditty found more success with Venezuelan Milagros Sequera and Canadian Stephanie Dubois.
Ditty and Sequera won titles at Albuquerque, N.M. ($75,000) and Troy, Ala. ($50,000). In between, Ditty and Dubois advanced to the semifinals at the $50,000 Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital Classic in Ashland.
Ditty's response to all the success?
“I think I've picked some good people to play doubles with,” she said with a laugh.
There's some truth there, to be sure. Uhlirova is currently 92nd in doubles, while Sequera is 96th after being ranked as high as 29th last January. But one of Ditty's strengths is her uncanny ability to adapt her game to mesh with other players.
Along with her skills on the court, Ditty is respected around the circuit for her character and friendly nature.
“It's important to have a good relationship off the court as well as on the court,” she said. “All the players I played with, I'm also pretty good friends with.”
Ditty said it's important to keep life on the tour in perspective.
“On the court, everybody wants to win,” she said. “Everybody's after each other. Off the court, you have to separate the two. That's one thing I think my parents (Jack and Juanita Ditty) taught me when I was younger, the importance of making friends wherever I go.”
Ditty, who graduated from Vandy in 2002 with a degree in Elementary Education, enjoys interacting with young people. Locally, she often volunteers at junior tennis clinics.
“I feel like I'm myself when I'm out there working with them,” Ditty said. “There's nothing like seeing the smiles on their faces when they hit a good shot. It makes me happy seeing kids out there having fun.”
Last month, Ditty participated in the Cabell Huntington Hospital Tennis Classic for the second time in three years. The charity event benefited construction of a Hospice House in Huntington.
“People have given so much to me through my tennis, it's nice to be able to give back once in a while,” said Ditty, a Russell High School grad who won three Kentucky high school singles championships and went on to enjoy a prolific college career.
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com
or (606) 326-2671.