MIAMI (WSVN) - A former pro-tennis player is going back to his roots as he trains to be back on top once again.
Lawrence Gunn, Jr. was a talented tennis player in the early 1990s who once trained with legends of tennis.
“I become number one in the state at 16 years old. In 18 and under, was top 10 in the nation, but never really got that opportunity on the big stage,” said Gunn.
Now at 43, he is a proud father of two, and he plans on putting in the work to pursue his long overdue tennis career.
“I feel like I can still compete at a high level,” said Gunn. “Granted, I put more time in on the court even though I’m a full-time police officer.”
Nowadays, Gunn serves in another way for the community of Miami-Dade: as a member of the police department, giving the term ‘serve and protect’ a whole new meaning.
“When I started playing, I had no thoughts or aspirations of being a cop, but you never know what God has in store for you and now I revisited my first love,” said Gunn, “so, think about it, I’m serving before then I started protecting. Now I’m serving and protecting.”
Gunn is now aiming to get a wildcard entrance into any tennis tournament, but the one he hopes for is the Miami Open.
“Just to play in a professional tennis tournament, not to mention at 43 years old. Who better to make it than me, the hometown hero?” said Gunn.
Gunn’s co-workers on the police force would love to see their fellow colleague make history.
“When I saw his skills on the court, I was taken aback because the skills are there. The drive is there and the energy and the tenacity is there,” said Eric Lopez, a Miami-Dade Police sergeant.
“I’m extremely proud of him,” said the director of the Miami-Dade Police Department, Freddie Ramirez. “He sets an example. He’s serving out there in the streets working hard and still makes the time to better his craft. It shows the human factor of what officers are. We have hobbies, and his is just an amazing feat.”
Gunn said God will do what needs to be done to fulfill his dream to become a tennis player.
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