👧 Yade Akyuz | Tennis Papers interview, January 2026
“I want to win Roland-Garros.”
Yade Akyuz is a Dutch-Turkish U12 junior tennis player born in 2015 and based in the Netherlands. Ambitious and highly motivated, she is already setting big goals, including winning Roland-Garros in the future.
This profile is based on an exclusive interview conducted by Tennis Papers in January 2026.
📘 Yade Akyuz | Biography, January 2026
| Name | Yade Akyuz |
| Date of birth | November 17, 2015 |
| Nationality | Dutch 🇳🇱 Turkish 🇹🇷 |
| Residence | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| Age started tennis | 7 |
| Tennis age category | U12 |
| National ranking | #49 |
| International ranking | |
| Tennis club | Amjoy Tennis |
| Coaches | Annemieke van Sambeek Yens Leenstra Margo Span Tommie Wacanno |
| Sponsors | EA Advies & Begeleiding Letselschadebalie.nl |
| @yadetennis2015 |
💡 Eindhoven, Netherlands 🇳🇱 – city of design, tech & innovation
🏭 Birthplace of Philips and a hub for high-tech creativity
🎨 Renowned for Dutch Design Week and modern architecture
🚀 Home to startups, research & smart industries
🌿 Balanced with green spaces and a human-scale city vibe
🍽️ Enjoy international cuisine, cafés & local culture
✨ A dynamic mix of innovation, design & everyday livability
🎙️Yade Akyuz | Interview, January 2026
Hello, introduce yourself please.My name is Yade Akyuz, I am 10 years old, I was born on November 17, 2015.
I have dual nationality – Dutch &Turkish. My city of residence is Eindhoven, Netherlands.What languages do you speak?Dutch & Turkish.
At what age did you start playing tennis?When I was 7 years old.
Are there other tennis players in your family?No, only soccer players.
In which club do you train?Amjoy Tennis.
Who are your coaches?Annemieke van Sambeek, Yens Leenstra, Margo Span and Tommie Wacanno.
What is your weekly training routine?
- Mondays: 1 hour physic and 2 hours tennis
- Wednesdays: in the morning – 1 hour tennis, then 1 hour physic and 2 hours tennis at the KNLTB instroomtraining for talented players in the Netherlands
- Thursdays: 1 hour physic and 2 hours Tennis at the KNLTB Regio training for highly talented players in the Netherlands
- I play national ranking tournaments in the Netherlands in the weekends
What is your greatest strength as a player, and what do you need to improve?Speed and explosiviness are my greatest qualities.
What I want to improve is to gain more experience abroad.What is your age category and your national ranking?I play U12, my ranking is #49.
What have been your greatest successes so far?I won the national doubles tournament.
In which countries have you played tournaments?Netherlands and in Spain at the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Do you have any sponsors?Yes, EA Advies & Begeleiding and Letselschadebalie.nl
What is your goal for 2026?Play the Amjoy Cup and win a national silver tournament.
What is your tennis dream?I want to win Roland-Garros.
Who are your favorite tennis players?Paolini, Sabalenka & Alcaraz.
What do you enjoy outside of tennis?I like to play football.
Who would you like to dedicate this interview to?To everyone who believes in me – especially my parents and coaches.
Yade, thank you for the interview 🙌
Tennis Papers wishes you all the best in your tennis journey 💜🩷
