Yanina Wickmayer at the Sony Ericsson Open (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Current world #33 Yanina Wickmayer broke through the ranks at the 2009 U.S. Open escalating herself into the tennis spotlight. The Belgian tends to shy away from press but I had a chance to chat a few interesting topics with her at the Sony Ericsson Open this week. Did you know she has never met Serena Williams? Hard to believe, but it’s true!
What is your most memorable moment on court?
Probably my semifinals run in the U.S. Open and some Fed Cup moments.
If you weren’t a tennis player, what would you be?
I chose between tennis and skiing, so maybe a skier.
If you could play against any player in history, who would it be and why?
I’ve actually never played Serena [Williams]. I look up to her a lot and have a lot of respect for her. She’s one of the biggest champions in women’s tennis, so maybe her.
Are you and Serena friends off-court?
No, never talked to her. (Laughs)
If you’re hosting a party, what three tennis players do you invite?
Probably [Gael] Monfils because of his dancing skills. And then the girls is tough to choose – I don’t want to be picky on them. (Laughs) But ‘Who would I invite?’ Hmm, Sabine Lisicki and Dominika [Cibulkova]. She’s a fun girl also.
What two things can’t you live without?
My dad. And …. I guess, happiness! (Laughs)
About Romana Cvitkovic
To me, she will always be the self centered brat that destroyed the Clearwater challenger. How does anyone slam a tennis ball into a lineswomen’s face and instead of apologizing, demand that she doesn’t lose the points she gained that week. And the US Open run, I watched it, as it was the year after Clearwater, and she had the audacity to revisit her signature move – slamming a ball behind her in disgust.
Look, I understand that the life of a tennis pro doesn’t make for a well adjusted person (look at Agassi V1 vs. Agassi reborn), but we should still hold them accountable for their actions.