Tennis Prose




Dec/20

11

Facing Greatness: Angelica Gavaldon

Our latest installment of Facing Greatness asks former WTA no. 34 Angelica Gavaldon, who reached the QF of AO twice in her career (1990 and 1995), what would you say were the two best performances played against you?


What was the best tennis played against me? Mmmm… I don’t recall…I remember me being in the zone only ONCE in my career. But someone in the zone against me? I can’t recall…I remember getting bageled at Wimbledon 60 60 by Kristin Radford. But I don’t know if she was in the zone. Or it was me just deciding to arrive a day before to England to play Wimbledon with ZERO grass preparation [laughs].


Q: Did you ever win a match at Wimbledon?

I won a couple of matches at Wimbledon. I made third round there twice. I beat Majoli first round the year she won Roland Garros.

Q: Which of all the greats you played impressed you the most – Seles, Capriati, Graf or Navratilova?

I was never impressed by anyone. I know it sounds arrogant but you can’t be too impressed and compete against them. I had respect for everyone. I grew up with Jennifer and Monica. I think we were named “New kids on the block” at one point. Along with Anke Huber and Magdalena Maleeva. I had beaten Huber and Maleeva in the pros and Jennifer in the juniors. They all made top ten in the world except me. I took a year off at 17 and lost my momentum.


I respected Steffi Graf more than anyone because I found her always super classy, quiet, introverted, and she was a champion even when she lost. I was always drawn more to character than talent or how well they played. And Graf was my favorite.

***

Gavaldon retired in 2000 and has an academy in Coronado, California. She created a clothing label Angalo Active wear in 2007. She holds pro victories against Graf, Coetzer, Mandlikova, Novotna, Huber, Majoli, Gi Gi Fernandez, Maggie Maleeva and represented Mexico in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.

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