What’s the best part about competing at Western Illinois?
The best part about competing at Western Illinois is able to play in a team. I used to play on my own back in Spain, and it was kind of lonely, I am glad I can experience what it is like to play in a tennis team.
Do you have any pregame superstitions?
It may not be a pregame superstition, but I always wear a bracelet that I touch whenever I am feeling anxious or nervous, before and during the match. I also play with my racquet’s strings a lot in between points to calm my nerves.
Do you have a favorite professional tennis player who you emulate your game after?
My favorite professional tennis player has always been Roger Federer. I remember watching his match against Rafa Nadal back in Spain and being the only person in the room cheering for him. I’ve always been mesmerized by his technique but what has always caught my attention is his peace of mind. He always seems collected even when he is struggling in his matches and has really good sportsmanship.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice that I’ve ever received was from my coach in Spain that told me to think of a tennis match as a marathon and not a 100-meter race. I used to be inconsistent in my game when I was younger. I would win really hard points and lose the next point in my first shot. Thanks to his advice I started thinking about the importance of every single point.
If you could play any other sport outside of tennis, what would it be and why?
I think I would play volleyball. My father is a volleyball coach in Spain, and I used to go watch my father team’s games whenever I could. It was actually a hard decision for me to decide between tennis and volleyball since I used to practice both of them when I was younger.
You can only watch one movie and listen to one song for the rest of your life. What are they?
I would choose The Shining since it is a movie that can have as many meanings as the ones you want to give it. Every single time that I watch this movie I realize something that I haven’t had before. As for the song it would be Numb by Linking Park since it never fails to get me hyped up.
