The world number five also opens up about the places he loves to visit in Dubai
Carolina Garcia during her media interview in Dubai on Sunday. — Photo by Ehaab Qadeer
Carolina Garcia, who admires India’s Sania Mirza for the impact she’s had on tennis, loves hanging out at Dubai’s JBR when she’s not hitting those ferocious groundstrokes.
He also enjoys light meals at Common Grounds and listening to music at Dubai’s Hard Rock Café.
But what you won’t find the world’s number five doing is visiting a mall despite Dubai’s reputation as a shopper’s paradise.
A two-time French Open women’s doubles champion and owner of 11 WTA titles, Garcia is among 17 of the world’s top 20 players currently competing at the 23rd edition of the Dubai Women’s Tennis Championships.
“I’m happy to be back in Dubai. It’s a very nice tournament,” said the Frenchwoman, who was also part of the team that won the Fed Cup in 2019. “It’s a big game, a big draw, tough. I’m really excited to start a 1000” event.
It doesn’t take long to discover that Garzia, now in her 12th year on tour, is ambitious, fun and carefree, and she has no problem letting you in on her inner self, having once struggled hard to overcome bulimia nervosa. eat normally again
“I like going to the Common Ground restaurant. That’s my favorite place. I also think JBR is very nice,” he says of Dubai’s elite waterfront, famous for its chic boutiques to world-class restaurants.
“Yesterday we went to the Hard Rock for coffee, a concert, and it was really nice to have something outside of tennis. In Dubai you can find anything you want. That’s good.”
Garcia also showed genuine appreciation for the impact Indian superstar Sania, who will end her incredible career in Dubai this week, has had on the women’s side.
“I think she meant a lot. She had a very long career, starting very well first in singles, then in doubles the last two years, she did an amazing job,” commented the French player.
“I think she brings a lot to tennis and women’s sport. Being from India, she’s a big star obviously in tennis, but she’s also a normal person.
“Most of the time when you cross paths with Indians, if you say you are playing tennis, they always know Sania Mirza even if they have no idea about tennis,” he added.
“I think there are very few people who can say that they inspire only the boys and girls in their country. He is definitely a big star around the world.”
Looking ahead to 2023, García was not inclined to put limits on how ambitious and modest he can be with what feeds his hunger.
“You have to take the confidence from a great year of tennis, playing well, proving to yourself that your style of play is a style of play that is working and can bring you a lot of great things,” she says. ‘You have to take that. So it’s a whole new year.”
Garcia may not be a shopaholic, but there’s one thing she’ll definitely be packing in her suitcase on the way home, and that’s the shiny Dubai Tennis Trophy.
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