Looking back with … Conchita Martinez After an 18-year professional career in which she claimed Wimbledon among her 33 singles titles, Conchita Martinez remains intrinsically linked to in other ways. The history-making Spaniard talks to BARRY WOOD.

hile her compatriot Arantxa tennis so I don’t miss that competition life TV, I have been Sanchez Vicario once famously anymore, I go to tournaments on a more coaching some W complained that ‘grass is for relaxed way and it’s great. 18 years being players on and off, cows’, Conchita Martinez proved herself active is a long time. and I worked with to be far more comfortable on the surface Tennis Australia by claiming the Wimbledon title in 1994 What are your strongest memories of coaching in 2010. with victory over none other than Martina when you were playing? I love Australia Navratilova. She remains the only Spanish Well, everything from travelling all the and the people. woman to triumph at the All England Club. time, living in hotels, having to practise It’s very pretty. I She went on to reach the final of the 1998 and do everything possible to be at did some work Commentating and final, losing to Martina your best all the time. Hotels, new cities, with Rennae coaching have kept Hingis, and at Roland Garros in 2000, when tennis clubs, airplanes, airports. And the Stubbs when she Martinez busy since her 2006 retirement. she was defeated by Mary Pierce. She was greatest feeling of getting the trophy on was still playing twice a singles semi-finalist at the US Open Sunday, that was a great one. Didn’t mind doubles. I have and also twice finished as runner-up in the working on Sundays. I love it! been open to doubles at Roland Garros. She reached coaching and they thought it would be world No. 2 in singles and No. 7 in doubles, What is it like going out to play a great to have me work for them and help winning 33 WTA singles and 13 WTA Wimbledon final? some players. doubles titles. It is the ultimate feeling, so great to step I was also a tournament Director for out on the beautiful Centre Court at the All the Andalucia Tennis Experience for What made you decide it was time to England Club, full of people ready to watch three years, I worked for the San Diego retire from the tour? some good tennis. I wasn’t too nervous and Tournament in 2009 and 2010, I have I had a very long career, 18 years on the I was confident that I could do it. a sports consultancy and work with WTA Tour, and I was struggling with a Zonair3d, a Spanish company that is heel injury (near the Achilles tendon) What have you done since retiring, and engaged in research and the scientific for the last four years I would say. It was do you ever pick up a racquet now? development of technological applications not easy to practise anymore and I had I have been commentating matches for based on air and its components. They to modify the way of practise etc. It is make a portable bubble machine where something that you think about and at The 1994 Wimbledon you can breathe pure air and it’s great for the end of 2004 I thought I had enough champion was also recovery, great for athletics. runner-up at Australian and was going to retire, but one day in Open 1998 and the December I started playing again and in 2000. What do you think about the WTA decided that I would play in 2005. Tour now? That year was very positive for The Tour now is a little different but it’s me. I won another title in singles good, there is a lot of competition but it (in Pattaya, Thailand) and did is hard to follow a player because some quite well, and in doubles too of them are not as consistent and they do we qualified for the year end really well and then some drop off (down) championships with Virgina the rankings. So I think people are having Ruano (only four teams a hard time following players. But there qualified) so I was very are some really good players out there. happy I played that year and I had no doubt in my mind CONCHITA MARTINEZ Fast Facts that I had to stop, so I did and then had surgery. Born: 16 April 1972, Huesca, Spain Lives: Barcelona, Spain and San Diego, USA Any regrets, and is there anything you Career titles: 33 singles (including miss from those days? Wimbledon 1994); 13 doubles I have no regrets. I knew it was time and Other: A member of the Spanish Fed Cup having played that extra year made it team from 1988–96, 1998, 2000–04 and all good. I do not miss anything from Spanish Olympic team 1992, 1996, 2000 those days. I’m very much connected to and 2004

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