Rebecca Masarova He won his first match at Wimbledon on Monday. In this way he fulfilled a dream, to emulate his idol Roger Federerwhich he first saw on television at Wimbledon in 2003, when the Basel-born player was four years old and instilled in him a love for the sport.
“That was the first time I saw tennis, when he won his first Wimbledon here,” recalled the Spaniard from Switzerland with EFE. “This is the first image I have of the sport. I’ve always liked it Roger. The illusion that made me win here definitely had something to do with him”, added Masarova, who needed three sets to defeat the Egyptian. Mayor Sheriff.
Your relationship with Federer They drifted apart, even though they were both from Basel, and didn’t meet until fourteen years after that final at the All England Club.
It was at the Australian Open, when Masarova, who still competes in Switzerland, is one of the most promising junior tennis players on the planet. He just won Roland Garros last year and the next day he is playing the final in Melbourne.
“I don’t think he remembers,” responded Masarova, who met the winner of 20 Grand Slams thanks to the intervention of Severin Luthieternal coach of the Swiss.
“I went to one of his training sessions in Australia and severin He said to me: “When I’m done, come back there and I’ll introduce you to it.” I went to a restricted area for players. We talked for five or ten minutes.”
“I was a little nervous and I don’t remember much of what we talked about. He was very relaxed, I think he was playing in the semifinals the next day or he just won, I don’t remember. He told me. his leg was loaded, ” he added Masarova, who remembers a very relaxed conversation.
The Spaniard spoke with Federer for five to ten minutes and posed for a photo with his idol. She wasn’t lucky enough to win that junior final, but it was an indelible memory for that girl who fell in love with the sport of racket when she saw it. Federer lose mark philippoussis in late 2003.
The race of Masarovawho transferred to the Spanish passport in 2018, had ups and downs and did not meet the expectations of a great champion who started with the junior title in 2016, but continues to fight for his dreams.
In 2023 she played in her first WTA final, in Auckland, and broke into the top 100 for the first time. He has just won his first match at Wimbledon and is looking for more, as his forehand and serve are perfect on the grass.
“I really want to play on this surface, but it is very difficult to adapt, because we play very little. This year I am very happy that I can play a lot of time on grass. My game can be good for this surface and what I have become. Working helps me has given me a lot of confidence”, sentence Masarova.
In his sports career, there was also a small break during the pandemic, when while in Basel he decided to start helping patients with special needs in a rehabilitation clinic. A vocation that comes from the family, as his father is a doctor, his mother is a nurse and his sister studied medicine and helped him enrich his life with an experience outside of tennis.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
