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Business News/ News / Business Of Life/  For Sania, it’s about Golden Slam: Marion Bartoli
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For Sania, it’s about Golden Slam: Marion Bartoli

The 2013 Wimbledon winner-turned-commentator on what she is looking forward to this year, and life off the court

Marion Bartoli. Photo: Ramesh Pathania/MintPremium
Marion Bartoli. Photo: Ramesh Pathania/Mint

NEW DELHI :

In 2013, when French tennis player Marion Bartoli announced her retirement, fresh off her first and only Grand Slam victory at Wimbledon, many were surprised. As with every player on the circuit, she had said it was her childhood dream to win a Grand Slam. Two-and-a-half years after signing off from the tour with that dream realized, Bartoli continues to be on the circuit, this time as a commentator, and is in India as brand ambassador for the second edition of Rendez-Vous à Roland Garros, a tournament that’s being held at the courts of the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA). At the tournament, on till tomorrow, the Indian wild-card entries for this year’s French Open juniors’ draw will be selected. Bartoli, who unveiled the DLTA’s newly laid clay courts, talks about pursuing her passions—especially fashion designing—the recent match-fixing allegations in tennis, and her favourite players. Edited excerpts from an interview:

It has been three years since you retired. What have you been doing that you couldn’t when you were on tour?

Oh my gosh, that’s a huge topic. First of all, I’ve been to Central Saint Martins, a fashion school in London. I really wanted to move into fashion as a fashion designer when I retired from tennis. It’s always been a passion of mine. I knew I had to get a proper degree. Since then, I have released my first jewellery collection. And I’m about to release the sportswear collection I’ve been designing for Fila (a sportswear and accessories brand). Monica Seles, who was my idol, used to wear Fila while playing on the tour. So for me now, designing for the brand that my idol wore is quite incredible.

I’ve lost 30 kilos as well. I went from having a tennis body, basically with a lot of muscle, to the body I have now. But I’ve been embracing my new life so much, I absolutely adore it. I love every single day.

When you won the Wimbledon, commentator John Inverdale remarked on the black dress you wore to the celebratory dinner. You replied saying, “Have I dreamt about having a model contract? No. But have I dreamt about winning Wimbledon? Absolutely." Recently too, many comments have been made about Serena Williams.... Are such comments on the rise?

I think it’s always been around in the female circuit. In the male circuit, you never comment on the look, you always comment on the results. Except probably with Stanislas Wawrinka’s shorts last year, which was definitely a fashion statement; probably not in the best way! But I think he himself made fun of it and there was actually a Facebook page made for his shorts only, which was a funny way to sort of turn it around. But at the end of the day, everyone has a comment... Sometimes you’re too lean, sometimes you’re too strong, sometimes you’re too muscular. I still work with John Inverdale. We are now commentating for the same channel. He actually apologized…. But, for me it’s not important. What’s important is the way you feel about yourself, and if you’re comfortable in your own skin. Because at the end of the day you never can please everybody…

Who are your current favourites on the tour?

Serena Williams. She’s a very close friend. She’s very, very funny. When she’s outside of the court, she’s a completely different person…we do karaoke together. Which obviously, when you think about the champion she is, it’s quite incredible. As well as Venus (Williams), who I think is a truly remarkable character. Playing at 35 or 36 years of age and still winning is absolutely incredible. On the men’s tour, I obviously love Roger (Federer) because he’s so flawless when he plays on the court, it’s beautiful. But I know all of them are practising so hard: Roger, Rafa (Rafael Nadal), Andy (Murray), Novak (Djokovic)...

Speaking of the top players though, the recent BBC-Buzzfeed investigation alleges that 16 of the top 50 players are involved in match-fixing—were you ever approached?

First of all, my father (who introduced her to tennis) always warned me of this and told me how to deal with it…but I train harder to win, not to lose. So that’s what is important to understand. If a junior comes to me now and asks about it, I will tell her or tell him how to react and what to do. I know Andy Murray said he has been approached by somebody, so obviously it’s in there, and it’s not (good) to ignore it. But what is necessary to do is to educate everybody. To me, as a sportsperson you’re trying to win. If someone is going to tell me I’m going to pay you to lose on purpose, I mean…. It’s our part now, even as retired players, to go to juniors and speak to them and say, “That can happen, and this is the right reaction."

Do you have any favourites for the forthcoming tournaments—the Rio Games, Wimbledon and the French Open?

I don’t have favourites. But I’m very interested to see what the outcome would be, because I think there is so much on the line for everybody. For example, for Sania Mirza it’s about trying to do the Golden Slam—winning all the four (Grand Slams) in a row with Martina Hingis. And for Novak Djokovic, can he finally win the French Open? He has been winning everything, but last year he lost to Stan Wawrinka (at the French Open). Can Wawrinka defend his title? How about Rafa Nadal, is he going to play better now? I have no idea what the outcome would be, but I’m sure it would be very interesting.

You just spoke of Djokovic’s dominance on the men’s tour recently. But in the women’s tour, there are always new players coming up, other than the Williams sisters. Why do you think this happens?

I think it’s beautiful. If it didn’t happen this way, I would have never had the chance to fulfil my childhood dream. The same goes for Flavia Pennetta and Angelique Kerber. I think it’s just great that it’s not just one person winning. Obviously, Serena has won many times. But you still have your place if you’re there and you’re practising very, very hard. And you might have just one time, one chance, but the players who are able to grab it will leave memories forever. That’s why I love the women’s circuit more—because you get that chance. On the men’s…you still have it. Like you have Stan Wawrinka, who won two Grand Slams (2014 and 2015), you have Marin Cilic, who won the US Open (2014), so you still have it, but it’s less so. The titles go more to the top 4. What’s amazing about the female circuit is that—yes, you almost pick Serena as the winner every time—but you still can sometimes, not very often, have one or two extra names that can have their childhood dream. Because, for all of us, it’s our childhood dream of being a Grand Slam champion coming true. That alone for me is a beautiful story.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vangmayi Parakala
Vangmayi Parakala is a multimedia journalist who focuses on literary culture, while keeping an eye on how the internet and mobile phones influence literature, photography, and communities. She also edits the Books and Relationships sections at Mint Lounge. Currently based in New Delhi, she is an alumna of the Department of English at the University of Delhi from where she earned her M.A, and of the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, from where she earned her M.S. degree.
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Published: 10 Feb 2016, 08:31 PM IST
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