It's much harder working off the court than on it"

An interview with tennis starArantxa Sánchez Vicario, who has retired from the game to launch a new career as the director of the International Tennis Federation Kia in Barcelona

ALEXOCHOA

"When I was playing, what happened only depended on me. Now it's completely differ­ent. I am the sporting director of ITF Kia Barcelona, and I can assure you that it's harder working off the court than on it. Now, my work doesn't only de­pend on what I do, but on others, and everything involved in setting up a tournament. We are focusing on promoting women's tennis, so now I am fighting the same fight I used to have on court, but now without the pressure, without all the re­sponsibility."


"The tournament needed a sporting director, and they thought of me. I said yes, .and here I am. I always said I'd like to do something to help women's tennis, to encourage more girls to do what I did, and little by little, we’re on the way to creating a major tourna­ment, and we're growing, thanks to the sponsors."

.
"One of our aims was to put on a WTA tournament, and now we will be able to. Let's see if, one day, we can organise a God6 tournament for women, that's one of my dreams. But we have to go forward slowly, pa­tiently."
What kind of standard are you offering at this year's tour­nament?
"As it is an ITF tournament tournament with a prize of $175,000. we have 12 players from the top 100. They are great players from around the world, and we are going to see some very good tennis is played.”

Today’s tennis is much faster than it used to be


"They play faster, and I think things are more open than ever now. There's no clear leader, there are different players com­peting, and every week a different one wins. In the old days that was unthinkable. I remember that to be the world No. 1, you had to win two grand slam tournaments and nine on the professional circuit. That’s all changed now. When I was playing, we had Steffi [Graf], who was virtually unbeatable; she was the one we all wanted to beat. a bit like the situation between Nadal and Ferrer.”


“People remember the days of Navratilova, Evert, McEnroe, Connors, Graf, myself and Monica Seles. But now things are more difficult, because there are so many new players. But it is normal that with the new generation, everything should change and evolve.”


“It’s different, because now they are stronger and faster. Before, there were players with more varied styles and different personalities.”


“Carla Suarez, an 18 year old girl from the Canaries who’s playing in this tournament, and Sandra Soler, who’s 16. They both played in the Junior Cup, and they’re going to be big names in the future.”.
"One of our aims was to put on a WTA tournament, and now we will be able to. Let's see if, one day, we can organise a God6 tournament for women, that's one of my dreams. But we have to go forward slowly, pa­tiently."
What kind of standard are you offering at this year's tour­nament?
"As it is an ITF tournament tournament with a prize of $175,000. we have 12 players from the top 100. They are great players from around the world, and we are going to see some very good tennis is played.”

Today’s tennis is much faster than it used to be


"They play faster, and I think things are more open than ever now. There's no clear leader, there are different players com­peting, and every week a different one wins. In the old days that was unthinkable. I remember that to be the world No. 1, you had to win two grand slam tournaments and nine on the professional circuit. That’s all changed now. When I was playing, we had Steffi [Graf], who was virtually unbeatable; she was the one we all wanted to beat. a bit like the situation between Nadal and Ferrer.”


“People remember the days of Navratilova, Evert, McEnroe, Connors, Graf, myself and Monica Seles. But now things are more difficult, because there are so many new players. But it is normal that with the new generation, everything should change and evolve.”


“It’s different, because now they are stronger and faster. Before, there were players with more varied styles and different personalities.”


“Carla Suarez, an 18 year old girl from the Canaries who’s playing in this tournament, and Sandra Soler, who’s 16. They both played in the Junior Cup, and they’re going to be big names in the future.”