Magda Linette has never competed in a Grand Slam tournament for so long before. At most, she reached the third round, and at this year’s Australian Open she was in the stake almost to the very end. It is not surprising that when, after she fell in the semi-finals, the question was asked about her immediate plans, the Polish woman immediately said: rest.
Linette raged on the court in Melbourne, and the media torpedoed her loved ones
Tennis players competing at the highest level are used to living out of a suitcase. Hence, at every possible opportunity, they usually return to visit their loved ones. Her hometown of Poznań is the first goal of Linette, who has achieved success in her life in Melbourne in recent days. She also has some catching up to do, as she admits that her brilliant performance has not gone unnoticed.
– During the tournament, I wrote back to my loved ones on a regular basis. There were lots of congratulations. During the tournament, I didn’t realize the full-time interest, because I didn’t browse the web much. However, I heard from parents and friends that they were a bit torpedoed (smile). So it was a bigger shock for them so far. I will find out when I return to Poland. But it’s nice that many people wrote to me. It’s nice to know that I made so many people happy. I hope tennis will become even more popular.
Although professionally she changes her place of residence very often, privately she is still a fan of travelling. In one of the interviews, she once said that she did not allow herself any shopping madness, but if there was such a possibility, she usually opted for attractive trips.
The semi-final of the prestigious competition in Melbourne gave her not only pride and satisfaction after working on the court, but also a significant advancement in the WTA ranking and a generous bonus. On Monday, he will move from 45th to 22nd, a career-high spot on the world list. And according to the tournament roster, she should get a check for $925,000 for reaching the top four. Australian dollars. For the time being, however, exotic vacations do not threaten her for another reason.
– Reward yourself after the Australian Open? There is no time to travel now, so it will probably be something material, unfortunately (smile). There won’t be much time to enjoy and celebrate. I’ll spend a few days with my family and then back to hard work. Because it’s the beginning of the season and there are many tournaments ahead of me – explains Linette.
“Sunshine State” won Linette’s heart. A wealth of companionship for training
And the aforementioned hard work is done in Florida, where he has his training base. The Polish woman admits that after her first visit to the United States she did not become a fan, but the “sunny state” suits her.
– I feel very nice there. Surprisingly, because when I was in the USA for the first time, I didn’t really like this country. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I spent over three months there and became very attached to this place. I found my places there. So when I left there and couldn’t come back, I missed Florida a lot – admits the Polish woman.
He adds that the region has many advantages. One of them is the constantly attractive weather, another is the convenience and availability of everything. For Linette, the sporting aspect is also very important.
– There are also so many people to train there. There is really no better place in the world to play tennis – sums up the Poznań resident.
Indeed, he cannot complain about the company for training. According to him, there are about 20 players from the top 100 in the world ranking
– In addition, there are also tennis players outside the TOP100 and juniors. There is also a nice atmosphere – for training and a quiet life – lists Linette.
Arguments with the coach. It’s hard to get out of your comfort zone
And in Florida, he trains with Mark Gellard. She returned to work with him after a year’s break before the previous season.
“I think one of the mistakes I’ve made before over the years was that I sometimes pushed too hard and trusted her too little. Magda asked me about it during the pre-season, when planning starts, etc. She said: “I’m 30. I know what I need”. So I said, “Okay, you decide, I’ll trust you with this.” She was making a lot of decisions now. And that’s what it’s about. We – as a staff – only help her – he reported.
Gellard also told us that both of them are very stubborn, which often results in arguments for a just cause. Linette confirms that she has more and more say in various arrangements, but points out that she has quite a lot of work to do.
– If I want to stand my ground, I have to put such arguments on the table that (laughs). It is not easy. Mark has a strong opinion on everything. He can justify everything very well. When I think I’m right about something, I have to argue it really hard. But I’m starting to break through. It’s not easy sometimes, but it also teaches me a lot – assures the 30-year-old.
He adds that the difficulty lies in the fact that the coach’s task is to “squeeze as much out of the player as possible”, which usually involves going beyond the comfort zone.
– And we humans sometimes don’t know where ours ends. Where can we exceed it, and in which case will it be too much – the tennis player analyzes psychological issues.
And she repeats that verbal skirmishes with the trainer are a huge learning experience for her, and at the same time one of the most difficult things. And it confirms Gellard’s words about greater freedom than before.
– We’re giving ourselves a little more space slowly. I think it’s also important that I’m healthier for now. It makes me happy and gives me confidence. Feeling that the decisions you make are good. And thanks to this, I can also put myself on the court – the experienced player points out.
Source: Sport.PL
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
