Flavia′s Marbella Blog Saturday Saturday, April 10, 2010

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MARBELLA, Spain - Flavia Pennetta, who became Italy′s first Top 10 player last summer, brings us the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Blog this week from her first trip to Marbella. Read all about her stay right here!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Hi everyone!

Another good day in Marbella today...

Errani and I were waiting together while the first match was on. It looked like it would be easy because María was up 62 31, but that′s tennis, it never finishes until the last point. Carla started playing better and came back and won. Errani and I were just talking with our coaches and Vinci was there too, but 10 minutes before the first match finished we separated.

Everything was working for me today. I played well and won against Errani, 61 61. I was pretty happy about it because when I woke up in the morning I was so tired and didn′t feel very good, but after the warm-up I felt really good.

After the match I went to the physio then had an ice bath and a shower, then went and talked to Conchita and Gaby for a little bit, then to the restaurant. The soccer game between Barcelona and Madrid started at 10pm and I watched the first half there. It′s half-time now and I just got back to my room. All the Spanish players were in front of the TV. I don′t really follow soccer, but Gisela is dating a guy from Real Madrid and talks about soccer a lot, so just for tonight I will support Real Madrid, for Gisela. I want her to be happy!

If I′m in the same way as the last few nights, I won′t get to sleep until 3am again. This is going to be a problem tomorrow, because the final is at 12 - these days I haven′t been waking up until 10:30/11, so I told Gaby to call me at 9am tomorrow. And if I don′t answer, please DO SOMETHING!!

It′s going to be a tough final. Carla is a good player. She has won some tough matches here so she will be confident. I′ll have to play very well to beat her. Ciao!! Flavia

***

Of the four Grand Slams, which one do you think you have the best chance of winning? Jonathan, UK Ooh... If I won one, I don′t care which one - the important thing is to win one! I really like Roland Garros and the US Open, but winning any would be great.

What do you like to do most when you′re not on court? Luisa

Most of the time we don′t have much time, but if I have time my favorite thing is spending time with friends and family, and going around whichever place I′m at and seeing everything. We′re always staying alone when we travel, so friends and family are the most important

Will you and Gisela play doubles all year? Marina, Russia

Yes. All year!

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Friday, April 9, 2010

Today′s match was very tough. Simona Halep is young and hits the ball really well. This was the first time I′ve seen her and I′m glad to make it through.

After the match I went back to the room and relaxed a little bit, then had an ice bath... the trainer told me to take one. It wasn′t easy to get in, but I did it!

Later on I went and helped with a kids clinic downtown. It was near the beach so it was a very nice place, and there were lots of young kids and important people from the city. It was just 20 minutes but it was great to play tennis with the kids and give them autographs, take pictures... it′s always nice to see them smiling!

It was tough to get to sleep and wake up again this morning, I think I am still going through the jet lag. Also, when you′re playing, there′s nervous energy keeping you up. When I finish this tournament I′ll be sleeping for a whole day probably! I didn′t have time to take a nap in the afternoon. I spent it in the training room, just chatting with the trainers (Nicky and everyone!) They are really good people. At the start of the week when there are more players here they are always so busy but now there′s more time to spend some time talking.

My coach Gabriel and I had dinner together again. It′s always just us, I don′t know why! Now I′m in the room. There′s a concert at the club, it′s just starting, so it may be tough to get to sleep again!! I′ll probably watch something on TV, there′s a movie starting, and if it′s not that good I′ll change it.

I play Errani in the semifinals tomorrow. It′ll ve very tough for both of us to play our best. She′ll fight for sure - she always fights. She has been playing really well the last two months. I just hope to enjoy myself and play good tennis

. Okay, time for some questions. Ciao!!

Flavia

***

Were you disappointed you had to miss Acapulco this year? Will you go back next year? Ricardo, Mexico

Yes. I was really disappointed. Really really really disappointed. The day I called the Tournament Director I almost cried. Making that decision was so tough. It was a shame not to go. And yes of course I′ll be back!!

How did it feel to win Fed Cup again last year? Patrick, USA

It was incredible. It was in Italy, so the atmosphere was amazing. It was tough though, because everyone expected us to win just because the Williams sisters weren′t there, and you know anything can happen. It was not easy at all!

What helps you do so well at the US Open? Matt

Last year was my second time in the quarterfinals there. I love New York. There′s something special there. I hope this year I can do it again

When you stop playing tennis, which hopefully won′t be for a long time, have you thought about what you want to do? Stefano

I always think about this! I hope to play for a long time but when I do stop, I′d like to have a family, if I can have a good guy with me! I′d like to be a mom. Also, if I can help with tennis in Italy I′d like to because we have some really good players, guys too, with our experience we can really help a lot.

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Thursday, 8 Apri, l 2010

I got up this morning around 10:30. Well my alarm was set for 10, but I kept hitting snooze... every five minutes. I was just thinking, five more, five more, five more... for half an hour! Anyway I got up and went to do a warm-up - some physical things, like with the elastic, 30 minutes of hitting... then went back to the room and got things ready for the match, like my racquets and bag. Then a quick lunch with my coach and a small nap - 20 minutes, all I really need!

I played third after 1pm. I try to do some hitting right before I play a match, so if the match right before mine looks like it′s going to finish soon, I go and do that. The one before mine today was Kim′s, and she lost the first set, so I went to hit in the middle of the second set just in case, but then she won the second set, and it kept going like that until I warmed up two or three different times! I had to be ready... but eventually I thought, okay what am I doing now?!

I won my match against Pous Tio today. She is coming back after struggling with some things for two years, but she′s a really good player. I knew it would be a tough match. The score was 62 62 but it was tougher than that.

One fun thing from today... I was hanging out with Sara Errani, and they are doing the soccer thing on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour site, where we′re all trying to break the record for kicking the ball in the air... and Errani did it! She′s so good!!! She did it 208 times! She was impressing everyone.

After my match I went back to the hotel and changed, then went to the trainer and had some work done on a few things for an hour. It′ll all be fine, nothing to worry about. Then we went to Da Bruno, a restaurant - Italian, I think, but I′m not sure. I had meat and my coach had fish - he′s trying to eat healthier these days! I just got back and am writing to you all now! Hopefully I won′t be up as late as I was yesterday. I didn′t fall asleep until 3am. I finished watching Lost at 2am and switched everything off and got into the bed, but I was just moving around and changing positions for an hour and nothing was working! But it′s normal with jet lag. I′m pretty happy that with that and not playing my best tennis yet, I′m still doing well. It′s exciting and I hope to just play better and better.

Okay I′ll talk to you all again tomorrow, ciao!!

Flavia

****

Which shot of yours have you improved the most since you started working with your coach, Gabriel Urpi? Roberto

I′ve been working with Gaby for six years now. Our relationship is strong. Sometimes we fight, but that′s normal when you spend so much time with someone! He has helped me so much with my game. When I first started my forehand wasn′t so good, and now I can make winners from it. My serve has also improved. Day by day and year by year, we′re working on everything!

How far into Lost are you? Who is your favorite character? Kumar

I′m in the last season, episode No.8. It′s one of the best shows I′ve seen. I saw all of 24, Desperate Housewives... Lost I like very much. The character I like the best is Sawyer. He′s a bit of a bad boy, and women, we always like when it′s something bad. And he′s cute!

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Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Hello everyone, it has been a busy few days... I′ve been watching Lost on my computer because the music from the player party is so loud I can′t sleep!

I got to Marbella from Miami last night. Actually we made a stop in Barcelona. I got there in the morning, went to my coach′s house, practiced a bit, then we left there at about 6 and got into Marbella around 8:30.

I was surprised when I got to Marbella... I knew it would be nice, but not this nice! It′s my first time here. Even though we both felt dead, my coach and I tried to stay awake. If I went to sleep when I got here I would have woken up at 6am today! So we went out to dinner and I eventually went to bed around 12. My alarm kept going off and I woke up a few times in the night... 3am... 6am... I think I started screaming when one of them went off... Anyway I got up at 10.

We practiced at 11 and got a feel for the courts. You can walk right to the courts from the hotel. It′s like home. After practice I had lunch with my coach and spent some time chatting with Conchita Martínez - who is our friend (and as you may know is Tournament Director here) then went back to the room, took a quick nap... then went to see the trainers to flex my leg and tape my ankle and foot, spoke with my coach before my first round match... I wasn′t feeling great but I played consistently and got through it, so I′m really happy.

After the match I came back to the room, did some stretching by myself, went to the trainer, got a massage, then tonight was the player party. It was very nice! The weather here is perfect and they had the party outside. Flamenco is such a big part of the culture here and they had it there, it was very nice. I came back and chatted with Errani and Vinci for a while... Now I′m just in my room watching Lost and hopefully getting to sleep soon... the music is still going!

I also have to say how excited I am Gisela and I won the doubles in Miami. When we saw the draw, we said, "We have a flight when?" It was such a tough draw right from the beginning, but we played well and got through every match. We spent so much time together there. I like spending time with Gisela! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, shopping... We were also the last players there - we closed the place (we were the last two in the locker room!)

I′m going to finish this Lost episode and maybe watch another one...

Talk to you all again tomorrow

Flavia