It was at the 2023 United Cup, representing Spain. “I never imagined being there with him, having him on the bench, telling me what I should do. They were all giving me advice, but I was only listening to him, always wanting to hear what Rafa had to say first. He treated everyone really well. I’ll always keep that desire to compete alongside him again,” said Párrizas, one of the Spanish representatives in the Billie Jean King Cup finals taking place this week in Málaga, Andalucía, the region where she was born.
With honesty, Párrizas admitted feeling that she could have spent more time among the world’s top hundred if she’d had more support. That support, she claims, tends to go mostly to younger players. For years, she traveled alone, without a coach, and it wasn’t until she was nearly 30 that she found her best game. She believes she can get back to that level if she rides the momentum of wins and doesn’t let herself get discouraged by losses.
“Is this interview in Spanish? Oh, great. I don’t like English; it makes me a bit embarrassed. It’s necessary in tennis, but well, I speak it just enough to get by,” she said at her native language at the start of a conversation that also delved into her lesser-known sides.
Interview with Nuria Párrizas
– You’re already 33. How do you see tennis at this more mature stage of your career?
– When I’ve had the opportunity and been able to have a team to travel with, I’ve given it my all, and that’s when I broke into the top 100. Honestly, age doesn’t matter to me; it’s about how I feel physically and mentally. Of course, you can always do things better, but I believe I’ve fought with the confidence that I could achieve it. At this point, I’m focused on keeping going
– Did the financial aspect hold you back many times?
– Yes. My family is humble, and in the end, my mother was the only one who could support me in that sense, but there wasn’t enough money, so I always depended on my results. That made it very difficult to reach the top.
– Did you ever receive external support?
– No, none. Everything came from my teams or the smaller tournaments I played in so I could afford to travel later. I think if I’d had that help much earlier, maybe I would’ve been up there for more years.
– Is that something that happens often in Spain? Tennis players don’t get much help without results? Or do you think it was particular to your situation?
– I was never in an academy. I went everywhere alone, traveled alone. I couldn’t afford a coach. More support is given to young talents, the younger players, those who are in academies, you know? If you’re more on your own, it’s harder to get that support. And in Spain, well, when it comes to wild cards and things like that, it’s not so easy.
– In 2022, you reached the top 50. How did that achievement feel?
– Honestly, I didn’t have time to enjoy it. Now that I’m at a lower ranking, I realize that I should have enjoyed it more. That’s why now I feel better about myself and value my achievements much more. Back then, everything happened so fast that it was like I didn’t even notice. My life changed very quickly. I just have to keep going, and the results will come.
– Do you feel ambitious to return to your best ranking and keep climbing?
– Yes, I’ve learned that in tennis, you go through different phases. There are good streaks that you have to take advantage of and try to stretch as much as possible. Then you have to know that, during the rough patches, you have two options: either you sink, or you keep working until you come back up. I’m more of the second mindset. This year, I had a tough streak of seven or eight first-round exits, but I knew I was doing things right and that sooner or later, the Nuria from before would come back.
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– How do you manage your mindset when losses keep coming one after another?
– During the season, I lost some very tough matches where I had set points or was leading in the third set, with advantages slipping away. In those moments, I tell myself that eventually there will be times when I’ll win 6-4 in the third set; my turn will come. But to get there, you have to keep working and stay present. I stayed calm, thinking, “I’m doing everything right, I’m doing my best.” So at some point, it’s going to happen, but sometimes it’s frustrating when you’re on a streak of losses.
– And on those weeks when there are no wins at all, when the alarm rings in the morning… the feeling must not be great.
– It’s tough, to be honest. It’s tough because I’m very competitive; I really hate losing. In the past, I’d take defeats badly. I’d need two or three days to feel okay again. Now, I handle it better; I’ve learned a lot in that regard. But, of course, I think not winning is hard for everyone to process. You also have to consider the way in which you lose.
– What was it like to be Rafael Nadal’s teammate when you both represented Spain in the 2023 United Cup? Not many WTA players can say they’ve had that privilege.
– Honestly, it was a dream come true. I never imagined being there with him, having him on the bench, telling me what I should do. I listened to him, only to him. They were advising from everyone, but I was listening only to him, always thinking, “Let’s see what Rafa says, let’s hear Rafa first.” He was incredibly impressive; he treated everyone really well. I’ll always have that wish to compete alongside him again.
– What was the most important thing you learned from him?
– In the end, I got to know him more personally. I used to know him just from watching his matches, seeing him with his team, but there I was able to get to know him a bit more and see up close what a great person he is. I could listen to him for a long time and would learn a lot. He really likes to talk.
– Does he talk more about tennis, or other things?
– A bit of everything. I found everything he talked about interesting.
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– And how is your relationship with the other Spanish players on the Billie Jean King Cup team? Paula Badosa?
– The one I’ve spent the most time with is Paula, and we get along really well. I’ve always felt good with the team; there’s a great vibe, and honestly, I get along well with all of them. Some of us even train together whenever we’re at tournaments.
– Do you also think about what you’ll do after tennis, or is that not on your mind yet?
– To be honest, it’s not on my mind at all. I mean, I might have an idea, but I prefer to keep it to myself because right now, I’m fully focused on extending my career as much as possible. I’ll have time to think about what I want to do once I stop playing. Right now, it’s all about playing until the end.
– Do you have any interests off the court? Any hobbies or things you enjoy?
– Well, spending time with my family is a hobby for me. I have two little dogs now, so I enjoy taking care of them and spending time with friends. I mean, I’m really appreciating life more now than before, since I was always in tournaments and not really making the most of anything. I’d be in the hotel or on the court training and wasn’t doing much else. Now, I’m doing a lot more, and that keeps me from overthinking and helps me focus on other things. Otherwise, it’s like being trapped, always thinking about tennis, tennis, tennis.
– Tattoos are a hobby too.
– Well, I got this one recently—this one’s for Xena. I have two dogs now, Xena and Goku, so I’ll probably need to get one for Goku too. But honestly, I want to get some of them removed, and I’m working on it. I’m having this one removed with laser; it used to be a diamond. I’ve done eight sessions already—around ten are needed. It’s a pain, but yeah, I’d like to remove a few. It hurts a lot, though.
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