Esther Vergeer Tops Di Toro

Written by: Staff on 17th September 2010

Esther Vergeer Tops Di Toro |

An interview with:

ESTHER VERGEER

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. They mentioned that during your streak you had only one match point or they said you’ve had a match point and it was just the one.

ESTHER VERGEER: Well, during the Paralympic Games in 2008, at the gold medal match I had one match point against me.

Q. That’s been the only one during the streak?

ESTHER VERGEER: I think so.

Q. Were you nervous during that point? What were you thinking going into that point?

ESTHER VERGEER: I was, yeah. I mean, all year long in that year, I said, you know, I don’t mind losing all the tournaments coming up to the Paralympic Games, but I just don’t want to lose at the Paralympic Games, and then it was the closest to losing at that time.

So, yes, I was nervous. Even though you only have 20 seconds in that time, I was thinking a lot of things about, like, how my parents would react or how I would react or the girl that I was playing would react or the media or would I start crying or would I have a feeling of relief?

So all kinds of different thoughts ran through my head. Then all of a sudden ‑‑ or not all of a sudden ‑‑ but I had to focus on that one point, and I was serving, so I had to focus on serving and hit the serve in, basically.

Q. How did the point go?

ESTHER VERGEER: I just ‑‑ you know, I kept it really basic, and I served to her backhand with a little kick on it.

I think she ‑‑ I believe she made the error, she made a mistake. She hit it into the net.

Q. Any idea where your streak was at that point, how many you had won in a row?

ESTHER VERGEER: No clue.

Q. Why is wheelchair tennis so popular in Holland?

ESTHER VERGEER: Um, I think right from the start when wheelchair tennis started there were Dutch players involved, and, you know, they kept up the level.

And me including, was that ‑‑ you know, I looked up to those people and I wanted to be like them. I don’t know. As they were top of the world at that time, I wanted to be top of the world, as well.

And I think that’s the reason why there’s a lot of facilities and there’s a lot of knowledge in Holland; I think that’s why wheelchair tennis is in Holland so popular.

Q. What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t playing tennis?

ESTHER VERGEER: Oh, that’s a good question. I studied management, economics, and law, so I be doing something probably in an office sitting behind a desk. I don’t know.

But management and marketing has always has my interest, so probably an office job or marketing or something like that.

Q. Are there any plans for you and Shingo to play singles, battle of the sexes?

ESTHER VERGEER: That’s funny. It’s like a rain delay now, and I was talking to Liezel in the locker room. She’s like, Well, why aren’t you playing the men’s division now? So I don’t know. Maybe that’s something to think about. Maybe, you know, try to maybe enter a couple of tournaments and try to compete in the men’s game.

But, um, you know what? I’ve never, never played Shingo before. If I see him on the court, I mean, he’s unbelievable fast, but I’m like, I could take him. (Laughter.)

I don’t know. Maybe we’ll try it one day.

Q. You let us know when you do, all right?

ESTHER VERGEER: I will.

Q. You’ve been so busy these two weeks. What are your plans now? Going to take a vacation?

ESTHER VERGEER: I’m not going to go on like vacation or anything, but I’m probably gonna go home and just, you know, have a little bit of a rest.

Then in November there’s the next big tournament. It’s the end‑of‑the‑year Masters. You know, Sven is gonna be home, so that’s good. He’s gonna be in Holland. I’m gonna train with him and practice with him.

First of all, I’ll probably have a week off, yeah.

Q. You had that pressure of that match point and the thought of relief if you did lose went through your mind. Now that you’re away from that setting, is there still a sense of perhaps relief?

ESTHER VERGEER: I think so, yeah, yeah yeah. The other day ‑‑ well, my first round was 7‑5, 7‑5 against Florence Gravellier, yeah, and she was playing so well that day.

I thought, Well, maybe this is gonna be the date I day. Maybe this is gonna be it. I don’t know. It is gonna be a relief, sort of. (Laughter.) Well, yeah, it’s gonna be a relief, but I’m not gonna do it on purpose.

Q. Have you answered the other questions, what will your parents say and will you cry?

ESTHER VERGEER: My parents will be proud of me, so they wouldn’t mind. Um, they probably, you know, would feel sorry for me if wasn’t playing well, and if I, you know, if I feel bad about myself playing that day.

Um, and I don’t think I’ll be crying. I’ll probably hit myself in the head if I was playing bad. That’s probably, you know, more ‑‑ that’s more what I’m afraid of. I’m afraid of losing because, you know, if I would play bad. I would hate the fact to lose in that way.

But if I play good and the other player is better, then I probably don’t mind that much ‑ or don’t mind ‑ but wouldn’t feel bad about it.

Topics: Backhand, Clue, Different Thoughts, Esther Vergeer, Gold Medal, Holland, Interview Questions, Match Point, Mistake, Paralympic Games, Parents, Point Esther, Tops, Toro, Wheelchair Tennis, Worl