Jesse Levine - Getty Images

Levine the Good Life

July 18, 2008

Growing up in the cold Canadian winters of Ottawa, Jesse Levine spent most of his time dreaming about playing tennis. Having first picked up a racquet at the age of seven, Levine was a born natural. Then, at 13 years-old the Levine family moved to the United States where their son was afforded all of the opportunities he had dreamt of.

Living in Florida, Levine was able to start his junior tennis training at the Chris Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton and at the Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton. From there he went on to win a Junior Wimbledon doubles championship and reach a career-high of No. 14 on the ITF Junior Rankings.

After a brief, yet impressive, university tennis stint, Levine turned pro in August 2007. It was only three months later when he captured his first professional singles title at the $75,000 Music City Challenger in Nashville, Tennessee. He followed that up immediately with a championship at the $50,000 JSM Challenger in Illinois.

The first seven months of 2008 have been a great ride so far for Levine. He won his first Grand Slam match at the Australian Open in January defeating Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina. In February, he was invited by Patrick McEnroe to join the US Davis Cup team as a hitting partner. The team members on the defending squad, which include Top 10 players Andy Roddick and James Blake, insisted that Levine be brought along because they recognized his hard work ethic and determination.

Most recently, Levine was successful at a second straight Grand Slam reaching the second round of Wimbledon by defeating fellow American and Top 100 player Donald Young. Levine has consistently improved his ranking going from No. 170 at the start of the year to a career-high No. 121 as of July 14, 2008.