13-year-old Sask. tennis sensation smashes her way to 3rd national title [Video]

When Isabella Ruyu Yan grins, and you see her braces and small stature, you might think of her as cute or sweet. But when the 13-year-old steps onto the tennis court, there’s no mistaking her laser focus and desire to crush her opponents.

That steely determination has seen the young player from Regina win three national titles in a row: U12 in 2023, U14 in 2024 and most recently the U16 national title — toppling players two years older and bigger than her.

“It’s super insane that I won U16 nationals,” Yan said after returning to her home court at the Lakeshore Tennis Club. “I never thought I could win nationals at the start, but the moment you win that last shot, it’s amazing. I love the feeling of winning.”