Springvale North Tennis Club coach Stephen Sruk and his wife Sofia with baby Adam, who aced the timing of his arrival at the South-Eastern Hospital in Noble Park on Monday. Picture: Meagan Rogers.
By Glen Atwell
WHEN Springvale North Tennis Club coach Stephen Sruk left home to play tennis at midday on Sunday, his pregnant wife Sofia was already having contractions.
Less than 24 hours later, at 10.34am on Monday, the couple had welcomed their first child, Adam, into the world.
It was a whirlwind Sunday for Stephen, who was exhausted after playing a best of three-set Tennis Victoria Grade Two Pennant match at Eildon Park, then standing by his wife’s side during an epic 13-hour overnight labour.
But spare a thought for Sofia!
“It was tough to stand there while your wife is in agonising pain for that long,” Stephen said.
“It was an emotional experience.”
As was the decision to play tennis, according to Stephen.
“When I left home, Sofia was already contracting, about every half an hour. I had another player on stand-by just in case, but Sofia and I decided that I should take my spot in the side.”
Stephen is the number one player in the Springvale North team, and admitted his mind was elsewhere during the first set.
“I lost the first two games and thought, here we go, this is going to be a disaster, I just couldn’t focus,” he said.
But Stephen found his winning game, and powered to a 6-2, 6-0 victory.
Springvale North won by just four games overall, after losing two of the four rubbers.
Stephen raced home as soon as he finished his match and not long after that, Sofia went into labour.
“Adam must have known I was playing tennis, the timing was pretty much perfect,” he said.
“He took his time, 13 hours was long enough, but he was smiling and calm soon after he was delivered.”
So how long before baby Adam has a tennis racquet in his tiny hands?
“He’s got fairly big hands, so who knows,” Stephen laughed.
