Miguel Daz, president of the Spanish Tennis Federation, define a Carla Surez as “a 10. As a person and as a tennis player. It’s not just me saying it. We have seen him in this year of his goodbye. “Indeed, although a tennis player never ceases to be so, we know that Carla Surez Navarro hung up the racket this year.
And it has been a good year. The Canarian tennis player retired from the Billie Jean King Cup, It was Olympic once again and, on each track, it was the object of tributes and received the affection of friends and rivals of the circuit. Did you have a level to follow? Maybe, but “it was a very thoughtful decision.” In fact, his plan was to leave it in 2020, but the pandemic and the disease that overtook, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, advised him to postpone it for a year. But no more: “I had thought about it very much. It has been many years and I have enjoyed them all. In the end, deciding to say goodbye was putting things in the balance. I made the decision and I am calm and happy that I did.”
In the image, Juan Ignacio Gallardo, director of MARCA, Luis Mediero, president of the RPT, Carla Surez and Miguel Daz, president of the RFET.MARK
Neither has affection made him change his mind, although he is grateful: “S. It is appreciated so much affection after so many years competing. For me it is also positive, it is important to know that people have had fun with you, they had a good time, who has seen your delivery. I have always tried to treat everyone with great respect and that affection has been returned to me not only in recent months, but throughout my career, and it is really appreciated “.
A moment in his career: his first Roland Garros
If she had to choose a moment in her career, Carla went to “that first Roland Garros, in which I reached the quarterfinals starting from the previous one, and playing with Mauresmo on center court”. In those 15 years since then, he has missed one thing: “that preparing the play and having fun has been lost a bit. Now, whoever hits the hardest has more options.” And a note: by postponing her goodbye Carla was able to play with the public again: “I don’t understand sport without fans, without passionate people … playing without the public during the pandemic was a bit sad, the essence of the sport was lost, but there was to adapt “.
Now, it will be difficult to call Carla Surez an ‘extenista’: “We get the ‘ex’ because being an elite athlete involves many things, You have to have a routine, push yourself to the maximum, when it comes to eating, resting in a certain way … Those are the things that you deviate a bit from. Obviously, you’re never going to detach yourself from what your sport is, but I know about that part. “
DOES NOT CLOSE
So, the question is obvious. Carla answers it: “I’m not going to close doors. Tennis has been my life, it has given me many things, more than I expected, and if I can contribute my grain of sand obviously than be grateful and try, but in the short term I would like to disconnect, rest a little. They have been many very demanding years, away from family and friends and I think now is the time to be with them and enjoy themselves. “
Y Carla is optimistic about the state of our women’s tennis, to which she has contributed so much: “I see the future very well, really. I think we have players from whom we can expect a lot, who are working hard and I would love to see them succeed. Our leader is Garbie, who has shown a lot this year. Paula has broken many barriers, I see a lot of potential for him to stay among the best. And then many more. As Sara Sorribes has finished in the top 35 and that must be appreciated. We have a hopeful future. “Carla Surez is tennis. One way or another.
.
