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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=470 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=470>August 15, 2006
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© Getty Images
Getting To Know... Bethanie Mattek
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA - Things have been taking off for Bethanie Mattek in the last year. Last July she went deep into a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles draw for the first time, reaching the semis of Cincinnati, notching her first Top 20 win over Jelena Jankovic along the way, and this spring she reached another quarterfinal at Bogotá. This past week she reached her third and biggest quarterfinal at the Tier II event in Los Angeles, where she had her second Top 20 win, over Flavia Pennetta. While she is on the verge of a Top 100 singles debut, she has also been tearing it up in doubles for a few years now. She has also been turning heads with a unique on-court fashion sense.
sonyericssonwtatour.com spoke with Bethanie in Los Angeles.
Tell us about your hometown, where you were born and grew up.
I was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and lived there until I was 10. My dad started me with tennis there, but not serious. From there, we moved to Wisconsin, where my dad’s family lived. I stayed there until I was 12. That’s when I got serious so I moved to Florida, to the Evert Academy in Boca Raton. A week turned into a month, then years, and they gave me a scholarship. I really enjoyed my time there. I also spent one summer at Rick Macci’s Academy.
What does your family do? Do any of them play tennis?
My parents didn’t really play. My dad here and there but he worked a lot. We’d play on weekends. He played basketball in college, and some pro basketball in Asia. My mom did track and field. So, I grew up around sports. But now, my dad is a CPA and CFP, for taxes, and is also getting involved in real estate. My mom was a nurse, but I have three younger siblings, so she’s mainly a mom.
Tell us about your earliest memory of playing tennis.
My dad used to take me to the courts with a ball hopper. I had one of those little Walmart racquets, orange and silver; I remember just being so excited to go out. I was pretty coordinated and hit most of the balls, so my dad kept bringing me out there.
Tell us about your early coaching; how were you supported?
Once my dad let me go, it was coaches at academies. I worked a lot with John Evert, also Rick Macy that summer; I was in groups a lot, so you pretty much go court to court with different coaches. But I liked the atmosphere. Since then I’ve had a few coaches, like Juan Nuñez, who is coaching Brenda Schultz-McCarthy in her comeback, and right now I’m working with Scott Adams.
Who were your tennis idols growing up, and why?
My idols weren’t really tennis players. I had posters of athletes from other sports on my wall, like I had Michael Jordan and Brett Favre; I also had pictures of Lamborghinis - no pink rooms! But, as far as tennis goes, I liked watching Steffi Graf and Monica Seles play.
What type of off-court training do you do?
I love waking up early in the morning and running on the beach; I’ll be dying but it’s great. I also like doing hills on South Florida’s intercoastal bridges; I see people roller-blading there and flying; I don’t know how they get up but they can definitely come down! I love off-court training, and going to the gym, everything.
In your own words, describe your game style and your strengths.
I would consider myself an all-court player; definitely an aggressive player. My serve and my volleys are my strengths. Some slice and spin but most of the time I’m looking for a short one to come in on.
What is your favorite stop on the Tour?
New York City sums it up for me: shopping, restaurants, all the atmosphere; I like to keep busy, be active, so it’s just perfect.
What is the strongest memory of your career to date?
My best wins definitely came last year in Cincinnati, beating Bartoli and Jankovic; but sometimes the best memories aren’t wins necessarily, like just playing in big stadiums. Even though I sometimes get wiped, it’s just fun to play in front of big crowds. But this week in Los Angeles is definitely up there too. Beating Pennetta was a breakthrough for me. Good tennis; my game is coming around.
While your singles ranking has been improving, you’ve also been excelling in doubles. Is there any reason for the sudden spike?
I play relaxed in doubles. A lot of times, I’ll lose in singles and be so relaxed I’ll be solid in doubles. I’ve played with good players that have suited me. It’s a lot about chemistry. And one of my strengths is volleying, I’ll poach, I’ll cross, so that’s all good for doubles.
What do you like to do to relax away from the courts?
I love shopping and anything to do with fashion. My mom gets mad at me, because she wants me to visit all the museums, but I just like going to the shops. I had a sewing machine in my house when I lived in Miami; I’d buy clothes, cut them up and redo them. I also love to dance - salsa, meringue… I love music and dancing.
Tell us about what inspired the fashions you’ve been bringing out.
Well at the Australian Open three years ago, I got cut from adidas, and I wasn’t about to keep wearing their stuff, so I wore something I had worn to dinner the night before on the court! I’ve always liked to be different, unique; for me it’s fun. Not everyone is gonna love it but it’s me. In Cincinnati, Serena [Williams] and I were talking about my knee-highs and fashion when we were supposed to go on the court. I think she’s great. It sucks when you see people wearing exactly the same thing when they play each other. Not me!
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=470 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=470>August 15, 2006
© Getty Images
Getting To Know... Bethanie Mattek
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA - Things have been taking off for Bethanie Mattek in the last year. Last July she went deep into a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles draw for the first time, reaching the semis of Cincinnati, notching her first Top 20 win over Jelena Jankovic along the way, and this spring she reached another quarterfinal at Bogotá. This past week she reached her third and biggest quarterfinal at the Tier II event in Los Angeles, where she had her second Top 20 win, over Flavia Pennetta. While she is on the verge of a Top 100 singles debut, she has also been tearing it up in doubles for a few years now. She has also been turning heads with a unique on-court fashion sense.
sonyericssonwtatour.com spoke with Bethanie in Los Angeles.
Tell us about your hometown, where you were born and grew up.
I was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and lived there until I was 10. My dad started me with tennis there, but not serious. From there, we moved to Wisconsin, where my dad’s family lived. I stayed there until I was 12. That’s when I got serious so I moved to Florida, to the Evert Academy in Boca Raton. A week turned into a month, then years, and they gave me a scholarship. I really enjoyed my time there. I also spent one summer at Rick Macci’s Academy.
What does your family do? Do any of them play tennis?
My parents didn’t really play. My dad here and there but he worked a lot. We’d play on weekends. He played basketball in college, and some pro basketball in Asia. My mom did track and field. So, I grew up around sports. But now, my dad is a CPA and CFP, for taxes, and is also getting involved in real estate. My mom was a nurse, but I have three younger siblings, so she’s mainly a mom.
Tell us about your earliest memory of playing tennis.
My dad used to take me to the courts with a ball hopper. I had one of those little Walmart racquets, orange and silver; I remember just being so excited to go out. I was pretty coordinated and hit most of the balls, so my dad kept bringing me out there.
Tell us about your early coaching; how were you supported?
Once my dad let me go, it was coaches at academies. I worked a lot with John Evert, also Rick Macy that summer; I was in groups a lot, so you pretty much go court to court with different coaches. But I liked the atmosphere. Since then I’ve had a few coaches, like Juan Nuñez, who is coaching Brenda Schultz-McCarthy in her comeback, and right now I’m working with Scott Adams.
Who were your tennis idols growing up, and why?
My idols weren’t really tennis players. I had posters of athletes from other sports on my wall, like I had Michael Jordan and Brett Favre; I also had pictures of Lamborghinis - no pink rooms! But, as far as tennis goes, I liked watching Steffi Graf and Monica Seles play.
What type of off-court training do you do?
I love waking up early in the morning and running on the beach; I’ll be dying but it’s great. I also like doing hills on South Florida’s intercoastal bridges; I see people roller-blading there and flying; I don’t know how they get up but they can definitely come down! I love off-court training, and going to the gym, everything.
In your own words, describe your game style and your strengths.
I would consider myself an all-court player; definitely an aggressive player. My serve and my volleys are my strengths. Some slice and spin but most of the time I’m looking for a short one to come in on.
What is your favorite stop on the Tour?
New York City sums it up for me: shopping, restaurants, all the atmosphere; I like to keep busy, be active, so it’s just perfect.
What is the strongest memory of your career to date?
My best wins definitely came last year in Cincinnati, beating Bartoli and Jankovic; but sometimes the best memories aren’t wins necessarily, like just playing in big stadiums. Even though I sometimes get wiped, it’s just fun to play in front of big crowds. But this week in Los Angeles is definitely up there too. Beating Pennetta was a breakthrough for me. Good tennis; my game is coming around.
While your singles ranking has been improving, you’ve also been excelling in doubles. Is there any reason for the sudden spike?
I play relaxed in doubles. A lot of times, I’ll lose in singles and be so relaxed I’ll be solid in doubles. I’ve played with good players that have suited me. It’s a lot about chemistry. And one of my strengths is volleying, I’ll poach, I’ll cross, so that’s all good for doubles.
What do you like to do to relax away from the courts?
I love shopping and anything to do with fashion. My mom gets mad at me, because she wants me to visit all the museums, but I just like going to the shops. I had a sewing machine in my house when I lived in Miami; I’d buy clothes, cut them up and redo them. I also love to dance - salsa, meringue… I love music and dancing.
Tell us about what inspired the fashions you’ve been bringing out.
Well at the Australian Open three years ago, I got cut from adidas, and I wasn’t about to keep wearing their stuff, so I wore something I had worn to dinner the night before on the court! I’ve always liked to be different, unique; for me it’s fun. Not everyone is gonna love it but it’s me. In Cincinnati, Serena [Williams] and I were talking about my knee-highs and fashion when we were supposed to go on the court. I think she’s great. It sucks when you see people wearing exactly the same thing when they play each other. Not me!
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