Vienna Padel Open: Roberta Vinci - "You have to be much more patient with Padel"
Roberta Vinci is now trying padel after ending her career on the WTA tour. The Italian is constantly learning.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jun 09, 2022, 02:16 pm
By Jens Huiber from Vienna
The draw was not exactly kind to Roberta Vinci and her partner Giulia Sussarello at the Vienna Padel Open. Veronica Virseda and Barbara Las Heras are trading as hot stocks on the World Padel Tour right now. The 2: 6 and 4: 6 from Sussarello/Vinci's point of view came as no surprise, Vinci took it with composure. The 2015 US Open finalist has only recently joined the padel tour, and the fine technique that Vinci distinguished on the WTA tour also benefits her in padel.
Roberta Vinci is not at every tour event, she also has other commitments - at the French Open she excelled as an expert for Eurosport. After the defeat in Vienna, the now 39-year-old took a few minutes to chat.
tennisnet : What is the biggest challenge in this discipline, which is new to you?
Roberta Vinci : I enjoy playing padel. Of course I want to win every match, but that's not so important at the moment.
tennisnet : What do you still have to learn?
Vinci : The most difficult thing is the defence. You have to get used to the fact that when you're at the net and the ball goes past you, the point isn't over. I have a lot to learn.
tennisnet : You played wonderful tennis...
Vinci : Thank you!
tennisnet : … how does that help you with padel?
Vinci : Especially with volleyball because I played a lot of doubles. That's the part I find easier. But there are big differences between padel and tennis. In padel you have to be much more patient. In tennis you can try to serve an ace. This is impossible with padel. Here you have to play with a lot of tactics. In padel there is no boom, boom, boom like sometimes in tennis.
#IMG2#
tennisnet : What are your goals on the padel tour?
Vinci : Right now I want to learn, enjoy, improve. It doesn't matter to me if I'm in the top 30, 40 or 50 in the world rankings.
tennisnet : How big is padel in Italy?
Vinci : The sport is growing, even if it's still far from what it is in Spain. But: You meet up with friends and just go padel for an hour. Something like this is happening more and more often.
tennisnet : One more question about tennis: Martina Trevisan surprised in Paris. Did you follow that?
Vinci : Of course. It was an incredible result for Martina. It's great to see an Italian player in the Roland Garros semifinals. Hopefully we can do something like that at Wimbledon and the US Open.
tennisnet : We didn't see you at the legends tournament in Paris!
Vinci : I was asked this year and last year. But I'm a TV commentator and I also want to play padel. But maybe next year.