Mr BioFile Interviews by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: WTA no. 13. Won the French Open Junior Girls title in 2015 (def. A. Kalinskaya).
DOB: Nov. 15, 1997 in: New York, N.Y.
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 130
Residence: Begur, Spain
First tennis memory: I remember the first time I began to play clay tennis. It was a small court. And I remember my first match at the age of eight … I lost 6-0 6-0. I remember my first victory, my first trophy. I have very good memories of that.
Tennis inspirations: Maria Sharapova, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
First famous player you met or encountered: Sara Errani … because I used to train at the same academy and I met her in Valencia.
Early tour memory: I think it was the moment that I … did third round in Miami (2015, as a wildcard, defeated two top hundred ranked players Cetkovska and Zheng before losing to Karolina Pliskova 57 16).
Greatest career moment: Winning Indian Wells (2021). I’m a little bit still in shock. Winning a tournament like this has always been a dream. I’m really proud of it. I’m very happy.
Most painful moment: I had like a bad moment like two years ago… I wasn’t winning so much matches, I was not very consistent. That wasn’t a very good moment.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate.
Funniest players encountered: Novak Djokovic is very funny. I don’t know, my idol is Rafa Nadal, so I like him.
Favorite sport outside of tennis: I like futbol, so I’m a Barcelona follower.
Three athletes you like to watch & follow: Lionel Messi. I really like Usain Bolt. And then I like tennis players – I don’t really see many sports.
Why do you love playing tennis: Well, I started doing it and I never stopped. I really love it. I’m very individualistic, and tennis is a very individual sport, so I really like it.
Funny tennis memory: I remember one time I went to a match with no rackets [smiles]. So it was very awkward [smiles]. I had to ask my opponent for a racket [laughs]. It was a disaster. I was only 13. I was young, but it was no excuse. (Result of that match?) I won. I was so awkward.
Strangest match: At US Open qualifying a few years ago. I was, like, very nervous, I was playing very bad but I was all the time in the match. I won the match (6-4 in the third set) but in my head I was so, so nervous.
Qualities most admired in others: I really like people who are honest and who are fighters. I think I’m a fighter, so, I really like people who fight for their things. And that’s most admirable for me.
(Note: I did this Biofile with Paula at US Open after one of her matches. Check out Scoop’s tennis coverage at www.tennis-prose.com)
