To pursue lifelong dreams, people are usually willing to revert to extremes to achieve them such as quitting a stable job or abandoning financial stability. For junior Ann Selim, she decided to move halfway across the world to follow her goal of becoming a professional tennis player.

Originally from Cairo, Egypt, Selim started playing tennis when she was four years old to imitate her older brother, Antony. As she grew older, she came to realize that her potential as a tennis player was growing at a fast rate. With very few tennis academies in Egypt, she had to look outside of the country and take a leap of faith in order to find the best fit. But her family’s connections in Egypt allowed her to find the best tennis program that could take her skills to the next level.

“The academy I ended up attending was owned by an Egyptian, so my family felt comfortable moving because we had heard many good things about it,” Selim said.

The Advantage Tennis Academy in Irvine, California is where she began her tennis career in the United States. The academy features an elite full-time academic program along with tennis training to allow players to improve their tennis mechanics.

After deciding on Advantage Tennis Academy, Selim, who was 14 years old at the time and having never stepped foot on American soil, and her family packed their belongings in Cairo and set forth to Irvine, California.

“I was nervous and scared, but it was a very exciting time for me as well,” Selim said.

The anxiety quickly wore off for her due to the diversity of the academy.

 “It was a nice experience because a lot of the people there were from different countries as well,” she said. “I didn’t feel left out at all.”

For Selim, the risk she took resulted in an opportunity to play collegiate tennis at the highest level. The academy developed Selim into a five-star recruit coming out of high school. She attended the University of Oklahoma initially but transferred to Alabama after her freshman year.

“Alabama has a different family environment that not every school has,” Selim said. “Everyone is welcoming and friendly.”

While Selim excels on the court, she also excels in the duties of a college student. Majoring in mechanical engineering, time management is crucial she says.

“Being an athlete and a mechanical engineering major require a lot of time. You have to schedule your time to the minute,” Selim said. “When I have downtime, most likely I will be studying.”

Head coach of the Alabama women’s tennis team, Jenny Mainz, says that the work can be too much for some people, but has not seen any signs of Selim becoming overwhelmed.

“Ann has wanted to be a mechanical engineer since the moment she arrived on campus. That’s her goal and I don’t think anything will stop her from doing it,” Mainz said. “She does a commendable job in balancing both her academics and as well as being a competitive Division I tennis player.”

Academically, the Alabama women’s tennis team consistently has one of the top grade point averages out of the Crimson Tide athletic teams with nearly a 4.0 overall GPA. Last spring, the team achieved the perfect GPA of a 4.0.

“As a coach, I emphasize the student part of student-athlete,” Mainz said. “The goal of college is to graduate with a good degree and high GPA and then be competitive in the job market.”

On the court, both Selim and Mainz believe the team can compete for a SEC championship, but Selim finds an off-the-court goal to be more important that can influence their ability on the court.

 “Our goal as a team is to connect well and be able to have each other’s back for the entire season,” Selim said.