Spotlight on Alexander Anderson: His Journey to Worlds

Pictured: Alexander Anderson with his teammates.

ALAMEDA, California. — Being selected to represent your country in team competition is a dream for nearly every tennis player, regardless of age. That dream became reality for NorCal’s Alexander Anderson (Davis, Calif.), who helped lead the United States’ 14 & Under team to a runner-up finish at the 2025 ITF World Junior Tennis Finals in Prostejov, Czechia. 

Anderson started playing tennis at the age of six at a summer camp and has worked with his coach, Lukas Burger, throughout his junior career in Davis. Anderson spent the summer training on the clay with USTA National Player Development as one of just three boys selected in his age group to represent Team USA, and is eager to improve every day he is on the court.

We caught up with Anderson (AA) and Burger (LB) in a quick Q&A below:

Q: How long have you been playing tennis? How did you get started? 

AA: I started playing tennis at the age of six at a summer camp. After a few days, the coach of the camp told my parents that I was the only kid actually focused and taking instructions and that I should start private lessons. I started soon after and fell in love and am still going after it as best I can every day.

Q: Where are you training now? 

AA: I’ve been training with the same coach since I started in Davis, California, Lukas Burger.

LB: I’ve been fortunate enough to be a huge part of Alexander’s life since he was five years old… I am very proud of his accomplishments, especially since he was selected after he had to miss out on a USTA camp which would help solidify their decision.

Q: How did you feel when you found out you were selected to represent Team USA at the ITF World Junior Tennis Finals? 

AA: I had a sudden feeling of shock, but then almost right away it changed to joy and excitement.

Q: What was the first thing you wanted to do or tell someone after hearing the news? 

AA: First thing I wanted to do was get on the court and start working as hard as I could to prepare. The first person I wanted to tell was my coach, since he has been on the journey with me since the very first ball I ever hit and has dealt with the ups and downs with me.

LB: I was very proud of Alexander – “the first thing that I wanted to do is call my coaches.” I love playing the right way, and looking to be an all-court player still gets the job done! It makes me really happy that I can pass on the type of game that my coaches Steve Stefanki and Kevin O’Neill gave me.

Q: What was your favorite moment or memory from Worlds, on or off the court? 

AA: My favorite memory was just getting to represent my country alongside two of my best friends and compete with our flag on my chest.

Q: Have you made any new friends from other teams or countries? 

AA: Yes, I made some great friends from almost all the countries. but most of all Czechia, France, Hong Kong and Japan.

Q: What’s one thing you learned from playing on the team that you’ll take with you? 

AA: That no matter what situation you are in on the court, you have to keep battling because you have your country on your shoulders and you do not want to let them down.

Q: What was it like training with the National Player Development team this summer? 

AA: It was very intense, but so much fun to train as hard as we could on the dirt at the National Campus [in Orlando, Florida].

Q: Did you learn anything new on or off the court that really stuck with you? 

AA: The main thing was learning how to hit heavy when I get pushed back instead of hitting flat.

Q: What are your takeaways/highlights from a solid year so far, including winning Boys’ 16s NorCal Sectionals at 13 years old, and a singles silver ball at the Level 1 Clay Court National Championships? 

AA: I have gained a lot of confidence recently, especially knowing that my game can compete with the older players already. Getting the silver ball at Clays also meant a lot to me since I have never done very well on clay. That just showed me that all my work and focus to get comfortable with the surface is paying off.

Q: How have those tournaments prepared you for Worlds? 

AA: Sectionals prepared me for Worlds because I got to play a bunch of guys that are way older than me and had to get used to a much harder and heavier ball. Clays prepared me for Worlds because it was on clay so I got to play serious and competitive matches on that surface.

Q: What’s one goal you’ve set for yourself in tennis over the next year? 

AA: Just to keep improving and building more and more little habits that can improve my game 1% every day.

Q: If you could give advice to another young player dreaming of representing Team USA, what would you tell them? 

AA: I would tell them that if you are at any big tournaments, to play like you never know who is watching and to try your hardest until the last ball.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do to relax when you’re not playing tennis? 

AA: Play some video games and hang out with my dog.

Q: If you could play doubles with any pro player in the world, who would you pick and why?

 AA: I would like to play with Novak Djokovic, who has been my idol since I first started tennis. In fact, he is one of the main reasons I decided to even start getting serious about the sport.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

AA: Thank you for this opportunity to talk about my passion for the sport of tennis.

LB: I have been a very influential person in his life, and am very thankful that he and his family have trusted the process and allowed me to guide him through his journey in tennis…he has been an influence on me as well, he continues to grow his game, and make most of his days a masterpiece, and continues to make me excited to be on court.