Status: Southern Methodist University senior. Winner of a national title this fall — USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in Flushing, N.Y.
DOB: 3/15/88 In: Wroclaw, Poland
Early Tennis Memory: “When I won my first tournament, when I was six-years-old. It was a little, small tournament, not a big deal. After I won that I wanted to keep playing more, bigger tournaments. That’s how I got into tennis because I just love winning.”
Tennis Inspirations: “It would be Sharapova, Serena and Monica Seles. I just love the style they play. They hit flat and hard, very, very tough mentally and physically. They are my inspirations and they still are.”
Nicknames: “Mar.”
Favorite Movies: “Troy, Shudder Island, Meet the Parents, any movie based on Steven King books.”
Last Book Read: “About a year ago – The Last Symbol by Dan Brown.”
Current Car: “No, never had one. But I’m hoping it’s gonna be a Maserati someday [laughs].”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Macadamia and white chocolate.”
Greatest Sports Moment (so far): “This one is hard…right now I’ll say winning the National Indoor because it was totally unexpected and it’s the most recent. And also competing in the junior Grand Slams and winning two WTA $10,000 Futures tournaments (in Poland and Holland).”
Most Painful Moment: “There are a few. But I think having to miss the match in the third round of the [2004] Australian Open juniors. I was playing really well, but I injured my knee in the second round and I kept playing. I won the match but the doctor said I couldn’t play the third round match. My flight was in a week so I had to watch all the players get to play when I could walk barely. I was wishing I could play.”
Toughest Competitors Encountered: “I remember the match with Ana Ivanovic in Junior Fed Cup. It was a great match, we played in Czech Republic. No one expected me to win. She had two match points but I came back and managed to win. I think she double-faulted on the first match point. It was a very important match; it was the decisive match to qualify for the Fed Cup European Championships final eight. Also, Denise Dy who plays for the University of Washington. We played three times and each match was about three hours. She’s really tough mentally and physically.”
Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: “Basketball and swimming. I’m not good in either of them but I really enjoy playing basketball and I follow swimming.”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “I remember there was a doubles match at Orange Bowl under 18s in Miami, Florida. I played doubles with Nicole Vaidisova. We were supposed to be a decent doubles team – she was really good, tall. I was excited and we were playing first round on center court. We were winning easily, like 6-1, 3-0. Then on a point, I was behind the baseline and the ball was going out but I hit a swing volley and we ended up losing the point. I started to think about it during the match. After that point I froze and we ended up losing the match. We shouldn’t have lost that match. I don’t know what I was thinking to hit that swing volley, I guess I just wanted to play so well, maybe I wanted to impress. She ended up winning the singles.”
Best You Ever Felt On Court: “I think I played my best tennis during the National Indoor. I feel my best when I’m 100% healthy. At National Indoor, from the first round to the final, I felt like it was my tournament. I felt the best.”
Favorite Players To Watch: “Rafa, Roger. I used to like Safin a lot, he was very fun to watch and never boring. Because you never knew what his attitude would be. Serena – I like her tennis but she’s moody sometimes. I talked to Sharapova once at the French Open, she seemed nice.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “One was after winning a match point. I was so exhausted because it was like a three hour match, and I forgot what the score was. My opponent was ready to play the next point. Somebody on the side of the court was like, ‘What are you doing? You won the match; get off the court!’ It was an important match – the European Championships under 14s, so we didn’t have any linespeople. I went back to pick up balls to serve and then I realized that I had won the match [smiles].”
Why Do You Love Playing Tennis: “I think because I love competition and fighting. And I love winning. I love to be the best. By winning matches in tennis is like the best feeling ever. If I lose, I want to play the next tournament. Tennis gives you the opportunity to feel winning and I love it.”
Funniest Players: “I watch a lot of tennis on The Tennis Channel. Sometimes when they show the older matches, I think John McEnroe is pretty funny. I saw Novak Djokovic at some of the junior tournaments when he was 15-16. People thinks he sometimes shows off, the way he plays with the crowd. But that’s the way he is. He’s fun for sure.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Honesty. I really admire people who are honest to your face and not faking anything, and are 100% honest. Loyalty. And mental toughness.
Scoop Malinowski created the Biofile interview in 1992. He is the author of “Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew” which is now available at Amazon.com.
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