Moving mountains

The clay surface, the crowds, the competition; she’s preparing for it all. But she’s also preparing for life beyond the court with a Bachelor of Psychology, bringing in her love of art therapy, listening to people’s stories and building connections. Now at the end of her degree, one thing is for sure: wherever life takes her, she will remain a valued and active member of the MQ alumni.

Joya Nicolas laughs as she explains she’s a bit of a late bloomer. Well, in terms of professional tennis playing, anyway. Not for her the singular focus since early childhood, à la Serena Williams. Rather, she says, ‘I’m still on the path to becoming pro. I didn’t get into tennis until I was a bit older, but it’s not about where you start – it’s about where you finish.’

Joya knows the journey ahead is long, requiring ‘lots of patience and faith’. But, rather than comparing herself to others, she chooses to focus on her own journey, conquering herself and enjoying each moment she’s given; traits she learned from her father.

‘My dad used to hike in the mountains of Lebanon with friends and family,’ she explains, ‘and would walk down the Qadisha Valley for a picnic. The four-hour trek back up the mountain taught him a lot.

‘I remember him saying, “If you look far up to the peak of the mountain, eager to arrive at your destination, feeling stressed about how long you have left, you’ll break your neck. So too, if you look left or right, across to other mountains, you’ll lose balance and perspective.”

‘Instead, he advised, “Keep your head down and focus on one step at a time. The difficulty of your hike changes with your viewpoint – just focus on your own path,” he said, and that has always stayed with me.’

Joya’s time at Macquarie University has been a pivotal part of her journey, but it’s a different path from the one she had first planned. Originally enrolled in an exercise and sports science degree elsewhere, she says, ‘I just knew it wasn’t for me. I wanted to help people but in a more profound way.

Playing tennis full-time also meant I needed flexibility, which drew me to Macquarie. My brother-in-law told me it would be a great fit for my lifestyle, and I knew I would be supported as a student-athlete. It has been the perfect fit.

In her third year at MQ, Joya complemented her studies with a certificate course in art therapy, which confirmed psychology was the right degree for her. The fine arts had been calling her, but she finally realised she could help people and combine it with her love for art. ‘I could walk the journey with them, she explains. ‘Eventually, I’d like to become an art psychotherapist, using art in therapy and as therapy.’

But, for now, she is focused on her tennis career, which she fell into after interviewing her tennis coach at the end of Year 9 for an assignment on elite athletes. ‘My parents wanted me and my siblings to learn tennis, so we could play later in life and use the court at home, but I never really connected with it.’

That all changed when I asked my coach what elite athletes needed to succeed. I’ll never forget this; he said they need to have DDS – discipline, dedication and sacrifice. At the time, I was a perfectionist and very disciplined, so it resonated with me, but I was still surprised when he said: “You know, Joya, you would be a great athlete. You have good social support, the perfect set-up and all the right skills. Why don’t you come to our tennis camp?”

She decided to give it a go, which soon ignited her passion for the game. ‘It was the coolest thing ever,’ remembers Joya. ‘I’d only ever played tennis in my backyard; it was a completely different environment, and I loved it.’

Finally convincing her dad it wasn’t just a phase, she was allowed to go to the Australian Open not long after to watch her coach’s fiancée play. ‘It was like I entered a whole new world. I couldn’t explain it in words, but a flame was ignited inside me – I knew tennis was what I wanted to do.’

The climb was challenging, however, as she struggled to get her body and mind right for the demands of the sport. But in her first year at MQ, about five years ago, Joya started playing full-time, slowly building a good foundation to compete. ‘And here I am,’ she says brightly.

Captain of the Nationals team at MQ, Joya has just returned from the UniSport Nationals in Perth, where she and her team received a bronze medal. She also recently received the MQ Blue Award for 2022, which recognises sporting and academic achievements as well as contributions to the university.

Reflecting on her role as a sports ambassador, Joya says, ‘I’ve discovered a new love for bringing people together and connecting with others, particularly athletes. Watching them compete in their sport is invaluable, and a great way to improve in my own sport.

I’ve also been able to connect with a diverse range of people, which has expanded my networks. I’ve come to understand that you can learn from anyone at any time, as long as you’re open to receiving the lesson the moment presents.

She continues, ‘If there’s one commonality between all the people I’ve met in my experiences at MQ, it’s their openness – to life, to new experiences and to others. This has made being part of the alumni such an amazing experience.’

Right now, Joya is focusing on finishing her bachelor’s degree at the beginning of 2023, when she plans to focus solely on tennis and give it a ‘proper crack’ while continuing to nurture the artist in her. She says, ‘My dream would be to play in and win the French Open.

It’s a meaningful tournament for me on so many levels. Not only do I have a strong connection to French culture and heritage – my parents are French-educated from Lebanon, and I speak French and love French art history – but the French Open is played on clay, which is my favourite surface as it suits my game style. It also rewards players with a good work ethic.

Being a kinaesthetic learner, Joya wanted to put a feeling to her vision of playing in the French Open, so in May 2022, she went to France to experience firsthand what the tournament felt like, allowing her to enhance her training and visualisation. She also connected with Sylvestre Mang, the France Alumni Leader for MQ, which she says was a life-changing experience.

‘I have participated in many alumni activities in Australia and overseas, but meeting Sylvestre was very special,’ she says. ‘There was the MQ connection, of course, and being in Paris, speaking French, but he’s also into sport (basketball) and we share the same Christian faith.

‘The beauty about MQ is you meet so many people from all walks of life, but it’s affirming when you also meet someone who is so similar to you. A lot of my dreams and goals and vision for tennis depend on me holding on to faith in myself, and who God made me to be. Sylvestre understood that.

Many people would think playing in the French Open isn’t possible – there’s no evidence to say that someone who committed to tennis at 18 will make it professionally. My path makes no sense from a logical point of view, and there are hundreds of reasons why my dream can’t come true.

I know the journey ahead is a long one, but I truly believe that with faith and with trust, miracles can happen, and the impossible can become possible. Faith moves mountains, and it’s incredible what can happen when you believe. Don’t be afraid to dream.

A semi-professional tennis player, Joya Nicolas is currently completing a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University. She is an MQ Sports Ambassador and Captain of the Nationals Tennis team, and has a deep engagement with the MQ community through her participation in tennis and alumni events worldwide.

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