While many embrace seeking a master’s degree as a way to secure themselves a career in a field they are truly interested in, Louis Desmarteaux had gone through a period of uncertainty throughout the academic journey to his. He had put aside his life as a professional tennis player to finish his degree, and had started teaching private tennis instruction to support his tuition. While that may not seem like the worst scenario for someone to be in, Louis Desmarteaux’s enduring sense of competition made him long for an opportunity to compete on the clay again.

As a young child, Louis Desmarteaux was a star player in a junior Canadian tennis league before he moved to the United States. When he attended college at St. John’s University, he played on the school’s tennis team all the way up until he received his bachelor’s degree. He took a short break from academia after that and played in the USTA New England League while giving tennis lessons for income. In 2010, he placed first in both the singles and doubles tournaments in the USTA New England League.

After completing such a milestone, Louis Desmarteaux was temporarily appeased with his tennis success, and decided to enroll back in school. This time he attended Northeastern University to get his MBA, and the rigorous studying and hefty workload proved to get in-between him and his racquet. He still gave lessons, but no longer had the time for competition.

The day he received his Master’s degree, it was time to get back to the court. Louis Desmarteaux joined the Boston Pro Tennis League, an elite group of some of the best tennis players in the greater Boston area. The BPTL’s mission is to “Promote and develop the growth of tennis in the Boston area by showcasing the best tennis talent in the region – creating a competitive and fun avenue for top players to again compete at the highest level, and encourage greater tennis participation at the venues the league touches.”

Louis Desmarteaux is proud to be playing with the BPTL, and recently celebrated his first anniversary with the league. He sees it as the first of many to come.