Hello! My name is Dima Malev, I am 17 years old, and my whole life revolves around sports — literally.
Right now, I’m studying and training at the Rafael Nadal Academy — a place where sports become not just a way of life, but a way of thinking. Every day here is a struggle, a step forward, and a belief that limits exist only in your head.

I play tennis professionally, but it’s far from the only sport that has a place in my heart. I love golf and soccer, and it all started with a regular table tennis table that my dad set up at home.

I remember how friends would gather in the evenings, and our house would turn into an arena. Hits, returns, laughter, arguments — and the eternal “one more set!” Then my younger brother appeared. My dad would carry him in his arms, and the three of us would chase the ball around the house — to my mom’s not always enthusiastic comments. These moments are forever etched in my memory. It was then that I realized that sport is not just a game. It’s a way to be together, to live brightly, to breathe deeply.

Over time, I began to understand that life, like sport, requires harmony. You need to be able to not only give your all on the court, but also understand how the world outside it works.

In recent years, I have been increasingly drawn to business and finance. I began to wonder:

What happens to athletes after their careers end?
How do they manage their money?
What do they invest in?
How do they build a new life after big-time sports?

These questions kept me awake at night. I realized that there were many people around me — athletes, coaches, students — who were also interested in this. That’s how the idea came about to create a platform where sports meet business, where you can learn how champions turn their energy, discipline, and passion into success outside of sports.

This website is my territory of ideas, a place where I want to share knowledge, stories, and examples, where people who are passionate about sports and development can find each other and be inspired.

Because I believe that

a true champion is not only someone who wins on the court.
It is someone who knows how to build a life with the same passion with which they hit the ball.

Welcome to my world.
A world where sports meet business, and dreams become strategy.

Welcome to my academy

My first experience on the international stage! 

  
A regular tournament is stressful, but an international tournament is twice as stressful!  When you arrive, you realize that you’re not just playing against your club neighbor, but against players from Italy, Germany, Brazil… A different style, a different school. Sometimes it seems like we’re playing different sports!

Our international landing party

It was the 2018 Champions Bowl World Final in Umag, Croatia. I went there with my coach, Yegor Grygorenko. His support was invaluable (here we are in the photo, next to that very poster — looking so serious, but panicking a little inside !).

I still remember that nervousness. It’s not just training, it’s the official start. You’re standing on the court, and the thought in your head is, “Wow, I’m representing not only myself but also my country!” It’s an incredible feeling.

I didn’t win that tournament. But I definitely won something much more important:

Two main lessons from my international trip:

1. Tennis without borders (aka “Styles VS Styles”)

It really is a global game. You have to quickly analyze your opponent’s technique, and your usual tricks that worked at home may not work against someone who trains using a different system. Forget about templates — learn to improvise!

2. Adaptation is your best friend 

The hotel, food, courts, and sometimes even the climate change. If you don’t learn to quickly switch to “travel” mode (sleep, eat, recover), you simply won’t have enough energy for the match. There is a lot of beauty around, but you have to remember that you are here to work.

Your first international tournament is like a ticket to the big world. You gain invaluable experience and realize how much work you still have to do to catch up with the leaders.

I am very grateful to Yegor Grigorenko for preparing me for this step!

And to you, my readers, I wish you not to be afraid of your first step in any endeavor! Hard work pays off! See you on the court or in my next article, where I will tell you how we train at Rafa! 

My small championship gallery