Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/560492
ITFWORLD SUMMER 2015 21 www.itftennis.com F or the last 25 years or so, Roland Garros has become synonymous with being the perfect locale for Spanish players to flourish. Recent Spanish past champions are Rafael Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Albert Costa, Carlos Moya, Sergi Bruguera and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. So it came as something of a surprise that by semifinals time this year there wasn't a Spaniard left in contention in either the men's or women's main draws. But that didn't prevent Roland Garros from welcoming a brand new Spanish singles champion to its ranks. Paula Badosa Gibert, a 17-year-old Spaniard with strong roots in the USA, was the happy senorita taking home the junior Roland Garros trophy compliments of a 63 63 victory over 16th seed Anna Kalinskaya of Russia. "It's an amazing feeling," said the 12th-seeded Badosa Gibert. "Winning a Grand Slam is a great achievement. I am delighted with it." Badosa Gibert's parents, Mireia and Jose, were models living in New York when she was born. She spent the first seven years of her life in the Big Apple until the family re-settled in Spain. Nowadays her parents own an apparel store. While Badosa Gibert admits fashion is in her genes, her life is all about sports. An aggressive baseliner who favours her backhand, Badosa Gibert was playing in her first junior event of the year in Paris. She never dropped a set during her run to the title, but was seriously challenged in the semifinals by top seed Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic before securing the 64 76 win. Undoubtedly, Badosa Gibert's recent showing at pro events helped her handle the pressure of being on the big stage at a Grand Slam. Gifted with a wildcard into the Miami Open in March, the then No. 419-WTA ranked Badosa Gibert upset two top 100 players in Petra Cetkovska of Czech Republic and Zheng Saisai of China before falling to Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic in the third round. As Badosa Gibert left Roland Garros, she planned to leave the junior game behind. But she was thrilled to have left a permanent mark there. "It's going to be amazing the last tournament I won, and it's also Roland Garros, too," she said, smiling. BADOSA GIBERT CONTINUES SPAIN'S WINNING HABIT