A young tennis talent was climbing her way towards Greece’s elite, earning a place among the country’s top 12 under-16 players. Her future in tennis seemed as bright as the summer sun in Athens.
Few would have imagined, least of all Alexandra Giannadaki herself, that she would soon be making her name in a completely different sport: bowling.
Earlier this year, Alexandra won the Greek national title, and on Saturday, October 3, the 19-year-old took silver in the women’s competition at the European Championship of Champions in Ankara.
“Bowling unexpectedly came into my life and completely swept me away,” Alexandra Giannadaki told BowlingLife’s Erikas Jansonas. “I was never supposed to become a bowler — I was ‘born’ a tennis player.”
The Week That Changed Her Game
During her first year, Alexandra bowled one-handed and began discovering how much happened behind a single shot: the oil on the lane, the movement of the ball, the equipment and the decisions that connected them. There was something familiar in all that detail. It reminded her of tennis.
“The more I learned, the more I wanted to understand.”
One summer, Giannadaki decided to see what bowling with two hands felt like. She gave herself a week to try it. It turned out to be what she describes as the best decision she has ever made.
Her progress afterwards came faster than she had imagined. Now, looking back on a journey that has brought her a national title and a place in a European final, she still finds it difficult to take in.
“Looking back, it is still quite unreal to think that I started bowling almost unexpectedly and that it eventually led me to representing Greece and competing for a European title.”
Reaching the ECC already meant something to her. Standing on the podium made the experience even more rewarding.
“Right now, it feels almost unreal. When I think about the countless hours I have spent practising, the dedication I have given to the sport, and the sacrifices I have had to make along the way, it is incredibly rewarding to see all of that effort come back to me in such a meaningful way.”
Finding Answers on the Lanes
In Ankara, the details that had first drawn her into bowling became central to her success.
“By Saturday, I felt much more confident and composed, and I was able to commit to every shot with a clear mind and trust in the decisions I was making.”
She also credited the connection she has with her coach.
“I also cannot overlook the importance of communication and understanding between a player and their coach. In our case, my coach, Aris Vlachakis, and I were very much on the same page throughout the championship, and that trust and communication definitely contributed to the result,” she said.
Walks Away As A Winner
Alexandra led the women’s standings into the semifinals with 6,546 pins over 32 games, 219 pins clear of Ireland’s Hannah Masterson. Giannadaki then beat Sweden’s Hanna Engberg in two games, 201–179 and 222–208, to reach the final against Nicole Sanders of the Netherlands.
The title was within reach. Sanders, however, won 204–176 and 223–192 to take gold for the Netherlands.
Giannadaki did not feel that her confidence had deserted her in the final. She explained that the difference came down to execution and finding the right ball reaction at the right moments. The adjustments she and her coach made did not quite produce what they needed.
“I was very close to putting everything together, but I did not quite manage to take that final step when it mattered most.”
While there was disappointment in coming so close, it did not undo the rest of the week. She believes she leaves Ankara a better player than the one who arrived.
“Even though I lost the final, I am still walking away feeling like I won.”
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