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James Obst has his own ambitions that go well beyond poker even if he has spent a fair bit of his life roughing it in the game of cards and skill. Aged 28, Obst is now moving away from poker to pursue his life-long dream of becoming a tennis pro. Well, 28 is definitely not early to start your career as a tennis pro, and Obst will be facing some great odds indeed.

Obst and his Farewell

Obst took to Twitter to announce his intentions, calling his last address to the poker community “Thanks”. In his tweet, Obst was quite effusive, outlining the many good moments he has had with poker and also making sure that his fans would understand the pursuit of a life-long passion as well. He is also a WSOP bracelet winner.

Having solved financial worries, Obst is finally in a position in his life where he can pursue his hobby in full without having to worry in the slightest. Of course, he is aware that his undertaking can be called “delusional” and that it won’t come to fruition, but in his own words, the path he has chosen for himself is a fulfilling one, no matter what the outcome.

Obst is well aware that the pursuit of Wimbledon is as far-fetched as such things go. He’s got a series of health issues that he has never really addressed and 28 is past the age when most pros become just that. And then again, he is willing to take on the slew of physical challenges that will push him farther from poker and closer to the pursuit of his dream, tennis.

From Semi-Pro to Pro

Even though Obst is somewhat of a semi-pro, he will need years of drilling to make sure that he can get to the point where he can become a pro worthy of Wimbledon. Even then, consider the rare opportunity that Obst has, too! Having amassed sufficient funds, he can now pursue his passion.

Every waking hour will be occupied of him doing what he pleases, and whilst poker professionals are generally the kind of players who do whatever they want when they want, Obst’s story is rather inspirational in its own right.

Having amassed millions of ready capital, there’s nothing stopping him leading a modest life and trying to undo everyone’s expectations. However, most tennis pro retire at the age of 31 or 32. Obst has always been a legend, from the age of 19 when he managed to amass $1.5 million from playing poker from his bedroom. Obst will need this time to even be able to compete with some of the most notable names.

Poker has been rather generous to him. He hasn’t exactly won staggering events, but his career has added up for the most part, with him managing to put shiny penny aside for his pursuits.