Teen tennis ace Liv Hovde returns to Minnesota after Wimbledon girls victory

MINNEAPOLIS – We can kind of claim her as a Minnesotan. Liv Hovde grew up in the north suburbs before moving to Texas at age 12 to focus on her tennis game.

She is now 16, and a professional who is ranked number one for her age group in the country.

Hovde is back in Minnesota playing tennis. This is where she started life, and this is still part of her.

"I always remember everyone being so positive and helpful with me," Hovde said. "I've been in training in Minnesota ever since I was little, and I still come back every year and the people are so positive and nice. And Minnesota is for sure like a second home to me, I just love it."

She moved to Texas to up her game, and she's upped it. Hovde is the third American in 30 years to win the Wimbledon girls tournament this summer.  

"Right after Wimbledon, I started really digging into the pro life and everything. And college for sure is a great place to go, but it just didn't work out for me this time," she said.

She is on the fast track. Now a professional, and now living a life that has become international.

"Now I'm just traveling all over the world playing all different types of tennis, and I've been going to a couple countries last year to play, which was super exciting, and I can't wait to do it again," she said.

But when she comes back to Minnesota she remembers, because this is where it started, and this is still special, and always will be.

"I love playing tennis, so I just see it as so much fun and just meeting new people and going different places, and I just can't wait to do it," she said.