By Scoop Malinowski
Status: WTA no. 160. Career best ranking was 135.
DOB: April 21, 1996 In: Netherlands
First Tennis Memory: My first… oh God… I have an older brother, three years older than me, Adrian, he was playing tennis all the time. I was doing ballet at the time. After ballet practice my mother used to take me to pick up my brother after his practice. And one day his coach (Sylvester Jorna) asked me why don’t I start playing? Because I’m a ballerina. I remember he just shoved the racquet in my hand. We played a couple of balls and just fell immediately in love with it. I loved playing tennis, loved the feeling of the ball (age 5).
Inspirations: Yeah, absolutely Roger Federer is a huge inspiration to me. Clijsters – loved her game. Loved watching her play aggressively from the back. And obviously Serena as well. Seeing how aggressive they were from the baseline and how in control of the points they were, was really inspirational for me.
First Famous Player You Met Or Encountered: Actually Sabalenka. And I had to play against her [smiles]. Three years ago, WTA 250 s-Hertogenbosch. I lost 3 and 3. But it was a very competitive match. But honestly, she played very well. She served well mainly. She was coming off a streak where she was double faulting a lot in her matches. And I had to play her and she hit zero double faults and aces left and right. I played a really good match. It was a great experience to see what my level was against someone like that. And I was really happy with how I did.
Current Car: I have a Toyota Corolla.
Last Book Read: Surrounded By Idiots. It was a really good book. (Note I gave Arianne a copy of my Facing Monica Seles book after this interview.)
Greatest Career Moment: Winning NCAA 2018 while I was playing for University of Mississippi. Really amazing experience. Cherry on top of my college career.
Most Painful Moment: Getting badly injured in my freshman year. Just started college, just finished my fall semester, the two months into spring semester, I broke my wrist. For the rest of the semester I was so lost with myself. I had just started a new life and it just fell apart. I hit too many balls – stress fracture.
Favorite Tournaments: I really enjoy the tournaments in Asia actually. The hard court nice humid conditions. I love playing in Singapore, Hua Hin, Thailand, Hong Kong. Also I’m a big foodie, just going to those places is great.
Best You Ever Felt On Court: Going back to that NCAA tournament, not only did I play well in that final but I played very well in that tournament throughout. Being able to play as aggressive as I did for 4-5 matches each day back to back was really great. I think that was the best flow that I had in my entire tennis career. It gave me the extra push to convince myself that I am that good. At that level, it made me want to play professionally.
Funny Tennis Memory: Honestly, I had so many moments on the court that I shared with a coach at the time or doubles partners at the time, parents, friends of mine. There’s so many to name.
Strangest Match: I’ve had it once – when I was 12-13 – junior tournament, I had a really old racquet that used to belong to my brother. And I ended up playing with it. And it was the only racquet that I had at the time. I was playing this point, really good point, and then I went to swing for a forehand and the ball just kept on going. And I looked at my racquet and the head was at the net. My racquet had just broken while I was playing, like someone sawed it off. I just had the grip in my hand. I thought that racquet was going to last forever. Clean cut, as if someone sawed it. My uncle played with it, passed on to me, and I broke it.
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: One time I was up a set and 5-4. I think it was 30-40 or 40-30, I lost track of the score. I won the last point. I yelled the biggest COME ON! And I finished and I started walking to the net. And the umpire says, “Deuce.’ No way! Oh my God! I was so embarrassed. This was in college. So I went on, continued playing and ended up losing that match. So that was really embarrassing.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Pistachio.
Favorite Meal: Thai, pork dish, basil sauce, spicy stir fry.
Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: American football.
Three Athletes You Like To Watch And Follow: My husband is huge on the Atlanta Braves. He’s trying to get me into baseball. I follow the Braves. I love watching Coco Gauff. And I really enjoy watching Sinner as well.
Why Do You Love Tennis: Ever since I was little, I knew this was the thing that challenged me in the most unexpected ways. And it still does. It’s taught me so much about myself and about life and everything. It’s overcompensating everything. It’s teaching me everything about life.
Favorite Meal: Thai, pork dish, basil sauce, spicy stir fry.
Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: My husband is huge on the Braves. He’s trying to get me into baseball. I follow the Braves now. I love watching Coco Gauff. And I really enjoy watching Sinner as well.
People Qualities Most Admired: Loyalty, Just a mutual respect for anyone. And I appreciate a good intellet as well.
Arianne Hartono · Aryna Sabalenka · Coco Gauff · NCAA · Roger Federer
