In his latest weekly column, Nino Severino takes a look at the gruelling life of a tennis professional – it’s not just about Wimbledon, you know!

East Anglian Daily Times: Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki won the recent WTA Finals in Singapore. Picture: PA SPORTDenmark's Caroline Wozniacki won the recent WTA Finals in Singapore. Picture: PA SPORT (Image: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

I think back to some of the conversations I had with my wife, Elena Baltacha-Severino when we were on the world tennis tour and some of the very funny questions she used to be asked.

The funniest one was just after Wimbledon one year, a lady asked Elena, “What do you do now that Wimbledon has finished for you, do you have another job to go back to”?

I’m sure for many, tennis awareness in Great Britain is all about Wimbledon, and then for the rest of the year it will be forgotten until the world’s top tennis players once again arrive in Wimbledon.

This could not be further from the truth. I travelled the world tennis tour by Elena’s side for eight years and our tournament schedule always started in December.

I remember this vividly as we would always have to tear ourselves away from the family after Boxing Day Lunch at exactly 3pm, when our transport arrived to take us to Heathrow Airport.

This was a bittersweet occasion, it was the start of the new tennis year and everything we worked so hard for, but it was also the beginning of a six week block away from home and the family, and it started with the hugs and kisses and the goodbyes which ended the Christmas period for Elena and I.

This trip was a long one, from our door in Ipswich to our hotel in New Zealand took 33 hours. That’s pretty mind blowing when I think about it now, but then, we just took it in our stride as it was part of our very abnormal life on the world tennis tour, which always delivered many strange, interesting and funny experiences.

I remember one year, we were in the lounge in Dubai, waiting for our connection, relaxing, having a coffee, a bite to eat and a chat, when ex-Ipswich Town manager Roy Keane and his family came into view.

East Anglian Daily Times: Elena Baltacha and Nino Severino enjoy some rare down time together in between the rigours of the WTA Tour. Picture: ANDY ABBOTTElena Baltacha and Nino Severino enjoy some rare down time together in between the rigours of the WTA Tour. Picture: ANDY ABBOTT

It was a striking sight, Roy striding forwards to the restaurant area with the rest of the family all behind him trying to keep up with the pace, his wife and all five children! It really is quite amazing who you can bump into, literally on the other side of the world!

This tournament in New Zealand started a relentless year for us which included around 40 weeks of travelling.

From New Zealand we would travel to Australia for the first Grand Slam of the year in January, this would lead into another run of tournaments which would lead to the French Open in May.

That would be followed by another run of tournaments which included a phase, affectionately known as “The Grass”, which of course leads into Wimbledon, this included tournaments in Birmingham, Eastbourne finishing with the The Wimbledon championships in July.

We would leave the grass courts to go back on the hard courts and the phase entering into the last of the four Grand Slams, the US Open in New York, which started at the end of August.

Our competitive year finished with tournaments in Asia and Russia taking us to the end of October.

The Tennis Tour finale would include the World’s top 8 players all competing in the end of year WTA Finals which has just been completed last week.

The two players that made the final were Caroline Wozniacki and the tennis legend Venus Williams, who is an incredible 37-years-old.

East Anglian Daily Times: Nino Severino and Elena with the Olympic torch during an assembly at Rushmere Hall Primary School after the London Olympics in 2012. Picture: ARCHANTNino Severino and Elena with the Olympic torch during an assembly at Rushmere Hall Primary School after the London Olympics in 2012. Picture: ARCHANT

It’s strange, as life on the tennis tour is one big travelling sporting family, and both these players were a big part of our lives as we played our role on the world tour.

Both players, I must say, are incredible individuals, great athletes, competitors and great champions who know how to handle their responsibilities as tennis role models and sporting celebrities, always treating their support teams and fans with great respect.

It’s a shame only one could come out of the finals in Singapore a champion, on this occasion it was Wozniacki.

This was an incredible victory for Caroline as she entered the final having lost to Venus seven times in their last seven encounters.

But it took the Dane 89 minutes to achieve this victory, which was accompanied by a fantastic trophy, 1,375 ranking points and a staggering $2,247,000 in total prize money.

I think Caroline now deserves her close season and some family time – before it all starts again for her in December!