Central Florida Junior Kareem Lubowski Chases Tennis Dream Inspired by His Grandfather

For 11-year-old Kareem Lubowski, tennis began with his grandfather, a racket and a dream.

Kareem first picked up the sport at age four, learning the game from the grandfather who encouraged him to work hard and believe that one day he could become the No. 1 player in the world.

His grandfather has since passed away, but the lessons — and the dream they shared — remain a major part of Kareem’s journey.

“The more you practice, the more you will accomplish — that’s the only way to make your dreams come true,” Kareem recalls his grandfather telling him, according to his personal website.

Photo courtesy of the Lubowski family.

That early passion quickly developed into something more serious. At age seven, Kareem earned a full scholarship to train at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, an opportunity that helped accelerate his development as a junior player.

Now living in Central Florida, Kareem is looking toward the next stage of that development. His mother, Marta Lubowska, says he has an opportunity to continue training in a high-performance environment at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona.

For Kareem, the goal remains ambitious and uncomplicated: keep improving, keep competing and see how far tennis can take him.

“Tennis is a long journey, but I will continue working hard, and I am determined to become the world number one tennis player,” Kareem writes on his website.

His development has also attracted support from the tennis industry. Kareem is sponsored by Volkl, and his family has built a website documenting his progress, training and goals.

Photo courtesy of the Lubowski family.

But as Kareem’s level of competition has increased, so have the costs associated with pursuing high-level junior tennis. Coaching, tournament entry fees, travel, fitness training and equipment can make the path especially difficult for families trying to support a young player over the long term.

Lubowska, who is raising Kareem as a single mother, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover those expenses and allow him to continue pursuing the opportunities available to him.

For his mother, the story is about more than rankings or trophies. She says Kareem continues to carry the memory of the grandfather who introduced him to tennis every time he steps on the court.

Photo courtesy of the Lubowski family.

“We are not asking anyone to give him success,” Lubowska wrote in a message to Florida Tennis. “We are simply asking for the opportunity to let his hard work continue.”

It is a journey that began with a four-year-old hitting tennis balls alongside his grandfather and has now brought Kareem to Central Florida, where he hopes the next chapter of his development can take place on some of the biggest training grounds in American tennis.

More information about Kareem and his tennis journey is available at KareemLubowski.com.

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Source: Marta Lubowska. Photos courtesy of the Lubowski family.

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