Players under more pressure now because of social media
NEWDELHI: In her almost two decade-long professional tennis career, Mary Pierce fought several battles. The French twotime Grand Slam winner—she reached six singles finals— had a difficult relationship with father Jim but rose to become one of the first power-hitters in women’s tennis. There was a lull after her 2000 French Open victory as she dropped out of the top 250, but her grit showed in her resurgence which saw her reach the French Open and US Open finals in 2005. On a trip to India for the Roland Garros Junior Wild Card series, Pierce was at the HT House for an interaction. Excerpts:
Can you talk about young talent in women’s tennis—sofia Kenin was a new winner at Australian Open and we also have youngsters like Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka.
It’s very exciting to see what Coco Gauff is doing at such a young age. She really impresses me with how mentally she is handling the big stage so well. Sofia Kenin won the first Grand Slam of the year. I am very happy for her. For her dad, her coach it’s very great. Let’s see how she handles the spotlight right now, because once you win a Slam, your whole life changes and it’s not easy to deal with all the attention. There’s a lot of adaptation needed. Naomi Osaka hasn’t done it well since becoming No. 1 and winning Grand Slams. These things are difficult. The top players who are so young, they need to be consistent. What Serena Williams is doing is incredible at her age. If she is able to fully get back the fitness she had before, she will be unbeatable.
Can it get lonely at times for professional players?
Being on the tour is hard because it’s a very long season. We have a break for a really short time. The season should be shorter. It’s a lonely life, you are away from your home, family, friends. So, it’s really difficult. The WTA has a great medical department. Players know if they need any help, or need to talk to somebody, there’s a hotline where they can get help.
In women’s tennis players are disappearing after winning a Slam. Is it down to quality or are the players not that strong mentally?
When you win a Slam, your life completely changes. It takes time to adapt with all the focus on you. You have a lot less free time because you have a TV show to do or a photo shoot or a special appearance somewhere. It takes your time, energy. One should learn when to say no. It’s important to have a good team around to guide.
There definitely was pressure earlier. But now with the social media and other stuff everything gets amplified a lot.
How did you handle fame after your 1995 Australian Open win?
It was tough. Everyone is watching you, expecting you to win. I know we are all human. But then there is a hell of a lot of extra pressure. The players look at you and they want to beat you. Everyone plays the match of their lives against you. They play as if they have nothing to lose and it makes it harder. It’s just the experience of going through it that helps you learn to deal with it really. End of the day, I decided I have to live my life the way I wanted and not worry about people.
What was your stress buster?
Maybe listen to music or take a bubble bath with candles or sometimes painting or go for walks in the forest.
Religion played a big role for you.
Yes. I was born again Christian in the March of 2000. That changed my life, how I was living it, what my purpose was, how I related to people— the fans, media, how I played tennis, everything changed completely for me.
You live in Mauritius now?
I went to Mauritius in 2005 for a holiday at the end of the year. I loved it. I felt like my heart was at home. I moved there in 2008.
What advice would you give young players on handling pressure?
If you feel like you are struggling with something, it could be depression, anger, fear, anxiety, something that’s happened in your life in the past, you should speak to somebody whom you can trust. One should seek help and not be silent about it and do nothing about it. There is nothing to be ashamed of. That’s the thing which needs to be lifted off. As a human being we have a heart, a mind, a body. All those things need to be healthy. When we have a cough we go to the doctor. Similarly, if something happens emotionally, it’s part of your duty to take care of that. No one’s perfect.
How was it playing with kids here.
I really enjoyed. I did see a few players that caught my eye. There was one girl and a boy who stood out. They ended up winning the final of the Roland Garros Junior Wild Card series. It would be good for them if the tennis association tries and sees how they can help the kids.
Younger men’s players are still unable to challenge the Big 3?
Science and technology has improved. Recovery is such a big thing now. When I was playing an ice-bath was like filling the bath tub with cold water, putting in ice and trying to make it as bearable as possible. Now it’s like you know what the temperatures should be, how long you should stay in there, how often you should do it. Recovery, nutrition supplements just help the athlete to recover quicker, and last longer. There are so many techniques for recovery. The next generation of players are coming up, but Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are just amazing.
Who among the younger generation can impresses you?
If you look at the era before, you had Chris Evert, Martina, all amazing players. Every generation has these rivalries. Women’s tennis now is in transition. Bianca Andreescu impressed me, playing her first Grand Slam final and wining it against Serena at the US Open. Coco impresses me. Amanda Anisimova impresses me. Unfortunately, she lost her father just before US Open; she will take some time to come back. We have to see how these girls handle the pressure.
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