A chat with rising Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova

Still to turn 20, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova has reached this week her career highest ranking at number 73 in the world, but there is a lot more to expect from the young Slovak.

Collecting the interview in Bratislava

Having been a very successful junior –she reached the final at Roland Garros in 2012- she quickly translated her game to the professional tour with success.

Despite being part of the Slovak team for the Fed Cup tie against Germany, she did not have the chance to hit the court there, but nonetheless found the time for a short talk between her team-mates’ matches.

She told me she was very happy about how things are going, but as well recognizes it has been a difficult start of the season, because thanks to her new top 100 status she has played more WTA tournaments, where the level is higher from the very first rounds.

“It is different to play WTA: they are very tough and I had to play some very good players, while before I was playing in the ITF’s.” She said.

“It is much different because I can play in the first round against a top 20 or top10, like this year in Pattaya, I got to play Sorana Cirstea, she is top 30, in my first match…so it is difficult.”

She sounded very positive nonetheless and said to be ready for the challenge, but with a touch of irony added:

“I hope to get some better draws though, so I don’t always have to play against such good players immediately. In round two or three is much better!”

 

Credits to: robbiesaurus

Having won good matches on every surface, she has proven to be a all-round players, but she still feels her best feelings are with clay:

“I change surface a lot, but I think clay is my favourite. Roland Garros is my favourite because I played final in the juniors and the clay there is very fast so it is good for my game and I hope this year it is going to be the same as the years before.”

Her next stops are in the Americas as her schedule includes Florianopolis in Brazil and then the big events of Indian Wells and Miami, but before focusing on her future I asked her about her past and which were the matches she was particularly proud of.

“Probably last year at the Roland Garros, I beat Yanina Wickmayer and before that match the qualification was really tough too.” She said surprisingly as I expected her to mention her win over Alizé Cornet in Katowice, her first ever WTA main draw match and best win in terms of ranking.

“Oh, yes…that was a really good match as well, maybe I played even better than against Wickmayer. I served really well and I feel this was one of my best matches ever.”

Credits to: si.robi

As she is ready for many weeks away from Europe shortly after the Australian swing, I ask her how does she feel about all the travelling it is required to be a top tennis player.

Well, I like travelling, but some times it is just too much for me, like I live in Kosice so it is 5 hours from here, so it can be tough as I have my brother and father there, which makes it even more difficult to stay here in Bratislava and then all the travelling for tournaments as well can be just so tough.”

She still finds a familiar environment when training in the Slovakian capital as with her lives her younger sister, who is also a promising name for the future.

“It is really good because she lives here with me in Bratislava and we practice together and of course support each other, so it is important for me to have her. Lately she has been injured so it is not a great moment for her, but now she is coming back so…”

There is no doubt that we will hear from her again in the future, because she has everything it takes to keep improving in the years to come.

Getting to know Norbert Gombos

Wednesday wasn't a good day for the ATP Challenger in Cordenons as the heavy rain that forced to suspend matches yesterday kept falling until the today's middle afternoon and despite the hard work from the organization, only one set was played, but the conditions of the courts forced once more to delay the whole thing to tomorrow. 

On outer courts a lot of players kept practicing despite the slow and slippery clay and in one of them I found one of the most interesting rising names of the circuit, Norbert Gombos, from Slovakia, who accepted to say a few words once his training was over. Gombos was born in 1990 and reached his career highest ranking just a few weeks ago being number 262 in the world:

You played really well in your first round match against the 7th seed Pashanski, how was it?

N.G. I really felt good on court, I played really well because I know he is a very good and tough opponent, so I tried my best and I felt really good because I was playing on the centre court and there was a good atmosphere, with a lot of people on the stands…I was glad that I played good tennis.

Is it the first time you come here?

N.G. yes, it’s my first time here in Cordenons. I’ve played many tournaments in Italy this year, but it’s my first time here.

How is the atmosphere here? How do you feel it?

N.G. You know, it’s always good in Italy, really good atmosphere because so many people come to watch matches and, you know, so it’s like, those are just challengers, but with so many people it feels like the ATP tour and there are always nice clubs and good organization…that’s why I am playing only in Italy now!

I see, that’s flattering for us. You played a lot on clay this year, is it because you like it best?

N.G. Yeah, that’s true. I have more points coming from clay, but I don’t care if I am playing on clay or hard courts, also my coaches say that I have a good game for hard courts, but I don’t care, I think I feel more comfortable on clay, because I was grown up on clay. This is better for me, I guess.

You’ve got one more day to rest now because of the rain and the courts, what do you think about your chances in the next round and then for the tournament?

N.G. Yeah, I mean, I am playing against a wildcard [Stefano Napolitano], so some home player, but it will be a tough match because every Italian guys always play really good at home. I have played against local wildcards before in other tournaments and those were tough matches, but I will try my best, that’s for sure.

What would you tell us about your game? What’s your favourite shot?

N.G. Well…I play very good from the baseline, I feel good there, but I improve my game all the time, thinking about new things and I believe that I improved my game, not only my ranking, so that’s why I am training very hard at home, so I try to improve always new things on my game.

Of course, there’s always something to improve, but you are doing a great job. So where are you going to play next? And what are your goals for the season?

N.G. my goals for the season? Well it was to reach top 300 and I already did it *laughs*. So now it’s to get into some grand slam qualifying, you know, it’s my dream to play a grand slam.

Well, you are not too far from that, are you?

N.G. Yeah, just like few points, but I have to defend a few from the last year, so we will see, I will fight for the Australian Open.

So maybe we will see you in Australia next year?

N.G. I hope so. *smiles*

Anyway, I think that yesterday was your birthday…

N.G. yes…

So happy birthday!

N.G. *laughs* thanks!

Did you have time to enjoy it?

N.G. No, you know, it’s always tough to celebrate birthdays on a tournament, because you are always practicing the whole day or waiting for matches…yesterday I played doubles, so it was good because we won, so it’s been the likes of a present…*laughs again* but it was like a normal day for me…

Next week are you playing another tournament or just a bit of rest?

N.G. Yes, I signed in for a 50k + H challenger in Este, so I will go there from here.

Oh ok…well, you know, playing ITFs you are always around and there are very few combined events, so it’s hard to…well first of all, do you have a girlfriend?

N.G. No, not yet. *giggles*

Ok, so, do you think it’s hard to get to know players? I mean, women players…

N.G. Mmm…I don’t think so, I have a lot friends and sometimes we meet at tournaments, it’s easier with other guys though. Sometimes I travel with my coach, so it’s good for me, but I have many many friends on tour, which is really good.

Of course…can I ask you who are your best friends on tour?

N.G. I mean, I have a really good relationship with the Czech guys and also from Slovakia, but that’s why I am playing in Italy so that I can meet some Italian guys and have new friends, you know.

Has it ever happened to you that a girl or a play approached you, like for a date or to ask you out?

N.G. No, no. *giggles* I mean, I try to keep in touch with the girls at home, but I am abroad for a long time, but when I am at hope I try to meet every friend and also girls and I also try to also…how to say it…turn off from tennis a bit, so I try to relax a bit at home and feel good.

I see, well, thank you and good luck for tomorrow.

N.G. Thank you.

Post-match interview with Janez Semrajc

The young Slovene won his place in the ATP Challenger of Cordenons by fighting through a tough draw in the qualies, where he was unseeded. In the first round he faced Croatian Antonio Veic, 6th seed of the main draw. The match was long and tough, both guys gave everything in every point, but in the end it was the talent of the Janez to prevail and give him a very important win, after the huge problems suffered in the past years.

 

Well, first of all, congrats for today. You played a really good match.

J.S. Thank you.

I think it wasn’t easy, because your opponent had a much better ranking that you, how did it feel out there?

J.S. Ehm…it was really tough because I played qualies, two matches were three hours long and in the end of the second set I felt the tiredness and it was strange…

You also went down of a break in the 3^rd set, but had a great reaction to that…where did you find the energy to do that?

J.S. I don’t know, I just said: “play, just play hard and be aggressive, just do everything”, I was too tired so I just tried to break his game, otherwise I couldn’t win today.

Totally. How’s it going this season? You did quite well in a few futures in Austria in the past weeks and played San Marino the last one, now you are in the second round here, so it’s going well.

J.S. yeah, in the past I got a lot of problems with mononucleosis when I was 19 and I was 320 and then I had to rest for 4 years because of this disease and it was very tough mentally to stay focused on tennis or quit. This year at the beginning I played some futures…I played bad…and I was thinking to quit tennis, then I got called for the Liga and I said, ok, it’s good money, so let’s go and play. I won some matches against good guys despite two months  with no tennis, so I thought, ok, I can play tennis. So I played those futures in Austria, one I reached the SF, the other two I won, yeah…last week in San Marino it was not the best day, but also the guy was really good.

I see, you probably were a little tired too…

J.S. No, he played really well in this tournament. *laughs*

Ok, well, did you check the draw already?

J.S. oh, no, I know I play in the next round Schoorel, but I never played him.

Well, today you played very good down the line shots, are those your best shots in your opinion or?

J.S. I think my best shot is the backhand, wherever I play it. Then serve-forehand combo.

These indeed worked today…anyway, how does it feel now? I mean you came back from a serious disease and thought about quitting tennis and now, how does it feel to know you can still do it?

J.S. Reborn! It’s a very good feeling because also, I started very good this season, not the beginning, but then a semifinal and two titles, you know, maybe tomorrow it’s my day!

Yeah! Let’s hope for that! And you’ve already reached a semifinal in a challenger before.

J.S. yes, two times. Yeah, but with the disease I still feel tired and it’s hard to recover. I am not so physically prepared because of this and you know, it’s strange when you  play qualies and you reach the semifinal, but you are too tired to play more.

You played really long matches in the qualies as well, so it’s tough for sure.

J.S. yes, against good opponents, like with Ciric in the second round and I also beat him because of the heat as he got cramps in the third set, you know, long matches.

Yes, it gets tough there.

J.S. yes, and with Veic I played in 2008 in a future and beat him easily, but today it was a completely different story.

Indeed. What are your goals now? I mean, not just for this week, but for the rest of the year.

J.S. you know, just to come to main draws of challengers, three-hundred and something, you know, to start the new season and play more challengers and maybe reach the qualies of Australian Open, it’s tough, but you never know. You have to be 317, so I must gain 140 points and it’s tough, but everything is possible.

You played a lot on clay in your career, do you think it’s your best surface or did it only happen because most tournaments around are played on it?

J.S. it’s just because of the tournaments, you know, I also play well on hard, like sometimes I practice with Kavcic and when I do, I easily play better with him on hard, because he likes clay and it’s strange to play with him on hard.

So you think hard is your best surface?

J.S. no, I don’t think so. I don’t know, all surfaces are good. I like to play on clay because when you go to tournaments you know it’s the same, with hard you never know, sometimes it’s slow, sometimes it’s fast.

Yeah, true that. So, is it the first time you come to Cordenons? How do you like it here?

J.S. yes, it’s my first time. It’s a nice place, really nice swimming pool, yeah, I never used it, yet, but I think, I don’t want to use it. Well, nice organization, the courts are slow, but that’s ok for now, for me.

So, where are you going to play next?

J.S. next week I am playing another future, 10k, because I must play some futures, you know, last week I lost first week qualies, if I had lost this week in the first round qualies, I needed to play some matches.

For sure, but now, with that result you will go further in the ranking, so you can start to enter bigger tournaments.

J.S. well, you know it’s only 10 points or something like this, it’s not so much.

Well, a few more wins and you’ll get more points.

J.S. hopefully *smiles* you know, it’s difficult because I feel my legs are so heavy, so now I am heading to massage, so maybe it will be better.

I can see and then your opponent played yesterday so he has got one more day to rest.

J.S. And he’s such a hard hitter, so I will have to run a lot *laughs*

Oh so you did check his game!

J.S. I know him because we are the same age, from juniors tournaments…last year he played very good and I think he’s won some tournaments, but this year he has fallen in the ranking so I dunno.

Hopefully you get your chances! Thank you and good luck for tomorrow.

J.S. Thank you!

Getting to know: Anastasia Grymalska

Today we are proud to introduce Italian youngster and hope for the future Anastasia Grymalska. Of Ukrainian origins, the girl has won 10 ITF titles, all of them on the clay of 10k tournaments, as to remind us which one is her favourite surface. This year she won one title in Mallorca, where she conquered one more final and then only few weeks ago reached her first final in a 25k event in Brescia. Just there, she was interviewed by Michele Galoppini, from TennisTeen.it, whose interview prepared with my help, is here translated in English.

How do you feel about being in Brescia?

I really like it, last year I made the Quarterfinals, defeated by the eventual finalist (Beatriz Garcia Vidagany), who now plays together with me in the team events. This year I am playing well again, so I hope I can go further.

How would you rate this first half of the year?

At first I tried to played a bit more on fast courts, but it didn’t end up too well, then I won a title in Mallorca and I made it to the final in the following week. Nonetheless, up to a month ago it wasn’t really going that well, but starting from Caserta I am playing much better. Last week in Maribor I played well and I could get a Special Exempt to play this week in the maindraw, since I was the 2^nd seed in the qualies!

 

What are your goals for the second half of the season now?

Well, the main goal is to make it to US Open qualies.

So being around 220-230 by then?

Exactly.

You have already had the chance to play a WTA event, like in Palermo. What do you think about them? What’s different from ITFs?

In Palermo I had one of the best experiences in my life, since I played with Flavia Pennetta. Surely it’s a completely different environment, let’s say that it seems like a 5 stars hotel, while ITFs are more like 2 stars, but I ain’t complaining! It’s just different, as for how they treat you as for the organization.

Do you follow the results of the main tour?

 Yes, yes.

Who’s your fave player?

I really like Sara Errani, because her game-style is similar to mine. But I also like Stosur. I mean, I really like the players who think on court and use tactics too. I like the players who fight and suffer on court.

Who do you think it’s the strongest player?

Serena of course! When she’s on, she’s unplayable.

Who don’t you like?

Well, I don’t know personally many players, so I can’t tell. Certainly I can’t suffer players who don’t think on court and can’t really make you understand what they are going to do, because they don’t know either.

If you could steal a shot from a fellow player, who would you steal: -the serve?

Let me think…Stosur’s I guess, her kick is amazing.

-the forehand?

Roberta Vinci’s, it’s such a fluid movement.

-the backhand?

I really like Jankovic’s backhand, such a solid shot.

-Volleys?

Once again to Roberta.

Who is your tennis idol?

In Bastad I had the chance to dine with Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, it was at the gala’s night even if I had just lost in the qualifying rounds. I had never talked to them before, but they were really keen: humble, funny and easy-going. Roby did even give me tickets for Istanbul’s master. They are such nice persons, both on and off court.

What do you like and don’t of the life of a professional tennis player?

I really like the life of the pro, as much as I love training. I could stay out there the whole day working and improving; my coach tells me that often I would go for too much and tells: “Enough, you’d better rest!” At the end of the day it’s a sign of insecurity, I mean, going for more and more. But then it’s hard to keep solid friendships or relationships, but as long as I can express myself it’s all good. So I guess tennis doesn’t help your social life, but as long as I am ok with myself it’s all good, that’s what means the most.

And what if you didn’t become a tennis pro?

Eh…sometimes I thought about it, mostly during some crisis and I think that the easiest thing would have been studying to become a translator or a touristic guide, since I can speak English, Italian and Russian, as I was born in Kiev, but as for now, I won’t think about it.

Since you are always travelling around the world, what’s your opinion about international food?

I never complain about food, differently from what many players do, nor for things like overcooked pasta.

What’s your opinion about the “screamers” on court? Do they bother you?

Honestly, I have no problems with them, screams don’t annoy me, sometimes I grunt too when I am in crisis. I probably believe it annoys the crowd more than it annoys me, opponents’ grunts might actually pump me up.

How’s your relation with umpires? Do you always accept their decisions or do you go for talks at times?

Probably a few years ago, whenever someone would make a bad call I would waste a few points overthinking about it, but now I don’t do this anymore, I accept it and move on.

What’s your favourite curse?

Whom to? (Laughs) No, no, I don’t use them much, maybe if I make mistakes I say something nasty to myself or scream: “ è uno scandalo” (that’s scandalous) or “che cazzo!” (what the fuck?), but that’s it.

Would you tell us something awkward or funny that occurred to you on court, like yesterday you hit the net with your head?

Luckily yesterday I didn’t get hurt! But nothing too bad there, the first time I played here in Brescia though my opponent got a penalty point and I don’t even remember why, because I was just too shocked by that happening as it was the first time I saw that!

Do you follow or play any other sport?

Not really, I practice some yoga every now and then. Now I have a mental trainer too, so I’ve got no time to spend outside from tennis.

One last question, has a tennis player ever hit on you? Maybe a fellow girl?

Unluckily no. But it’s well known that there are more and more relationships between girls and so woman-woman couples. As for boys, since I always play women tournaments it’s hard, but next week I am playing in Padua, which is a combined event! We usually have to wait for Slams, that’s why my goal is the US Open!

Getting to know: Daniela Merighetti

In a cold and slightly cloudy evening, among the streets of Cortina, a very smiling Daniela Merighetti welcomes me in the hall of Savoia's hotel, where she sleeps with the rest of the Italian team. It's the night before Downhill's race, still she looks very relaxed and very kindly grants a few time for me and a little talk to me, whose result is the following interview.

so, Daniela, better known with the nick-name of Dada, was born in Brescia in 1981 started her career as a specialist of slalom and giant slalom, moving later to the speed races, where now has taken her place among the best names.

So let's start by asking you, how does it feel to be back in Cortina after last year's victory?

Coming to Cortina is always a great emotion for me, because it's my favourite slope in the whole tour and then, well, last year I won my first race ever here, and the only one so for, hoping it won't remain the only...

Sure, and then we arrive here strong of the 2nd place in St. Anton and today's training went...
well! (best time scores in the only training done -editor's note-)
well indeed. so?
I am even more motivated than last year. You know, we can say that last year it was rather much of a surprise, I mean, I was feeling great and I knew I could make it to the top 3, but coming here with a 2nd place in the last downhill, I am not expecting to win, but I know I can do it, that's it!

Other than Cortina, where else do you enjoy racing the most?
I really like Garmisch, snow it's always hard there and I enjoy the course setting a lot.

Making a little step backwards in the past. You arrived to world cup for the slalom, your first podium arrived in Giant Slalom and then...you've reinvented yourself as a speed specialist.

Yes, after the nth injury to my knees I was struggling to come back in GS, results weren't satisfying and so I tried downhill and it immediately went great, so from then on I didn't do speed only, but almost, you know, results were much better there.

We can say, love at first sight?
More or less, I can say I didn't feel like a true speed specialist at first.

When did that breaking-point happen?
It was a FIS race in Bardonecchia, I was starting with such a high number because my points were really high...I didn't even put on the national team's race suit, but a very shabby old one from FILA ("una tutina sfigatissima" orig.)

Don't you miss racing in GS and slalom though?
Of course I do, well, I did until a few years ago. Now, not really, but I missed racing in GS a lot.

Going to a more hot topic, how's the atmosphere of the top group? I mean, Maze, Riesch...Vonn and Riesch that are best friends on one day and foes on the other...
Well, honestly, we see each other almost only during races, in the sense that we train in different places and such, so we don't see much of each other. I am quite much of a friend with Maze and Gut anyway and with Maria (Riesch) too. I don't have much of a intercourse with Vonn, we just say hi when we meet, that's it. I just find the friendship between Riesch and Vonn odd to say the least, it doesn't look much true.

Do you think it's possible to be friends when you race at such a competitive level?

Yes, I do think so. Because I think at first should come respect for the athlete and for yourself. You have to be sincere and admit when someone has been better than you, tell her she's done great and recognise it. So yes, I think it's possible to have friendships with other athletes.
Because you know, generally it's believed girls can be a lot meaner than boys.
Well that's true, but if a friendship is true, it surely is stronger than such things.

Going back to past again, how was your first time on snow?
Terrible! My first time on snow was traumatising. honestly I don't even recall it, I must have been 6 and a half or something. I was going just because my older sisters were going too.
At first I didn't like it at all, but then I started with some small races and the team mates were cool, so I kept it going.

I think the answer is already known, but I want to hear it from you. Which is your best moment on skis?
Well, of course, last year here in Cortina, when I won the race and then singing the national anthem.

...not very nice to be asked, but what about the worst one? or the biggest disappointment, the one which was harder to move over?
Oh, you know, there are many, but you forget delusions, still I would say injuries, all of them, from the first to the last.

Moving to what is in my opinion a great compliment, you know, finding the best form of your life...
late in the career. (she very brightly smiles)
...exactly, well, I think it's a such a great message for the youngsters, since nowadays girls (and boys too) give up when still very young if they don't immediately score big results. What is the reason behind that in your opinion?
In my opinion if you have a big passion and you really want to arrive to the top, things seem less heavy. Skiing is such a difficult sport, very traumatic and there are a lot of variables. You know, one day you ski amazingly and the day after not even close and you can't understand how could that happen. But that teaches you to never give up and keep hanging on, because when victories or good results happen, you are wholly paid back for your hard work and all the sacrifices. I've never given up and in the end one could see it, I started to win - well I won (laughs) my first race at 30 and so I hope to be a good example for the younger girls.

Absolutely, mostly because, generally more often in women ski, there's a big pressure on girls to achieve great results while still young, so many girls crumble after the big steps of European Cup or World Cup.
Yes, absolutely. And then World Cup and European Cup are very different and a lot of girls, we've seen in the years, failed to prove themselves from one to the other tour and often good names of WC get bad results if they race in EC. It's very weird I know.
Coaches should still understand that every girl needs her own times to mature and so if they see something good in her, she should be given time and support even if results don't arrive immediately.

Life as a sportsman is about goals, isn't it? What are yours?
Actually I don't set much goals for me, I just think of staying healthy and so I do everything it takes to do so, in gym as on snow. So whenever I do that, I just get what it gives, of course having been on the podium last year, I wanted to be back this year, but the most important thing is to do your best at the end of the day.

The day you'll call it a career, will you be working as a trainer?
Until last year I didn't even want to take the ski instructor course, but now I think I should after all, but I am sure I won't teach skiing, not immediately at least. I will do whatever it will inspire me the most then, I've never considered it, so I don't know yet.

Outside of the world of skiing, how is Daniela Merighetti?
When I am home, I honestly love to spend time with my family and my nephews, and seeing my friends and having some fun with them too.

If you hadn't gone on with what was then a splendid career as a skier, what do you think you would have ended up doing?
I don't know, I loved playing volleyball, but I was a better skier, so it was what I went on doing, but volleyball is still my favourite sport, not skiing. So I don't know what I would have been doing, probably studied a bit more, I did only my high school because after that I knew skiing would have been my life and so I didn't take further studies.

The important thing is seeing you happy of your choices even now, after all, if you kept it going for years the passion must be very strong...one last question, what other sports do you enjoy the most or practise?
As I said I love volleyball, but I also enjoy tennis, mostly watching because I am a terrible player (schiappa - orig.)...really, unwatchable! And I think that's it...and I don't like football.

Well since this blog is about skiing and tennis, I couldn't have had a better guest. Thank you so much and all the best for tomorrow and further.
Thank you and good luck to you too.

Sadly in today's race Dada couldn't confirm the great result of last year and of the training as a big mistake almost made her fall, relegating her to a 28th place, far from the podium she was probably going to take otherwise. At the end of the race, she still looked positive and could even smile and be kind to the crowd and in a brief talk told me how that result won't affect her positivity and that she'll still go and try her best tomorrow and after. One can't but be behind her after such a display of kindness and true goodness, so good luck Dada!
 

Getting to know: Ula Hafner

Today I have the pleasure and honour to interview one of the most interesting names among the youngsters of the tour, Slovenian young talent Ula Hafner.

-So Ula, let's introduce yourself first, they know your name already, which is a start, but when and where were you born?
My name is Ula Hafner and I was born on 9th of July 1993 in Ljubljana ,Slovenia

-Describe yourself in 6 words, 3 qualities and 3 flaws.

As qualities I would say that I'm a hard worker, easy going and positive person who likes to talk a lot. As for flaws, well I can be so damn stubborn even in situations when it would be better not to be, as 2nd flaw I would say I'm really grumpy when I'm tired or nervous and my 3rd flaw is that I hate fast changes, it makes me totally confused and lost so let's say that fast adjustability is not my second name.

-When did you start skiing?

When I was 3 years old I say to my mum and dad:'' I want to be a skier!'' and since then I'm skiing but with skiing in local ski club SK Alpetour Škofja Loka I started when I was 5.

-Did you have an hero you tried to emulate when you first started skiing? Do you still have a hero or at least a favourite skier?

Yes I had, when I was little I was a big fan of Janica Kostelić and Bode Miller and I was telling everyone around me that one day I would be as good as them. Now I don't have any hero and when anyone asks me about favourite skier I always say that there is no bad skier in world cup and it's hard to decide who is my favourite. Nonetheless I must say in last season Mikaela Shiffrin totally impressed me so maybe I should say that she's my new hero.

-Did you use to practice any other sport before dedicating yourself to skiing? Do you still enjoy them nowadays on your free time?

Sure, 1st I've been dancing then swimming it was pretty much serious and in between I was trying myself in all other sports, but it was more for fun ,professionally I continued just with skiing.

And yes of course, when skiing season is over I start with running ,swimming ,surfing ,cliff jumping ,tennis ,climbing and all other sports.

-Going back to skiing, what is your happiest memory related to the world of ski races? And what was your biggest disappointment?

My happiest memory is surely my first win on Topolino race, when I was still racing in children categories because even if I knew that I was not a bad skier, I've never thought that I could really win such a big race and I was totally surprised when I won it... so it's really my favourite memory even if I always like to look back and remember all my children categories' races.

Biggest disappointment...hmm...I'll say my wjc (World Junior Championships) in Les Houches and Les Planards- France it was my 2nd year of racing in FIS (season 2009-2010). I expected way too much from those races and then my gs race was a disaster full of mistakes and my slalom shape was good before World junior championship so we were all dreaming about top 10 and after a good 1st run I didn't finish my 2nd run so we were all totally disappointed.

-You've had one of the most impressive first season on FIS circuit, but since then you seem to be floating around that level without any great improvement. This is a very common scenario in women skiing, what do you think is the reason in your case? Do you think it's the same for the other cases too?

You are so right when you say that after first year of my racing in FIS I'm just floating around without any really great improvement. It is hard to say what is the main reason, but truth is that in my1st year of racing in fis I was training with my club, later they put me in women C team and then B team and it was pretty much different because when I came in team there were no money left for alpine skiing in Slovenia and staff was always trying to find good cheap training and, as we all know, it's not always the best so I lost myself a little bit maybe. Before I was always used to do not really much days on snow, but days I had were always efficient, hard and sometimes more difficult than trainings I had with team, so maybe that's one of the reasons, but like I said it's hard to say what went wrong. So if it's hard for myself, I guess it's harder to say for all the others.

-Your first race of this season was in Levi for the Ski WC and you were close to qualify, but since then things didn't exactly go well. How do you think you'll make this season turn to the best?

Levi world cup race, especially upper part of it, was great for me, but afterwards I honestly expected much more from ec races before new year, because on trainings I was still fast but on races I wanted too much and I was doing too many mistakes.

At the end of December I decided to take more than 10 days off, put my head on "off" and now I'm back on snow and I'll continue step by step -first I will go on FIS races then back on EC and try to prepare myself as good as possible for WJC and the rest of season.

-Being an athlet is a matter of goals, what are yours and how do you set them?

My goals at the start of the season were really high, something like: EC top 15 in slalom and GS constantly whole season-long, then WJC top 10 gs + sl and some placements in WC top 30 in slalom or GS, but I like to say that when I'm without goals and I think just on good runs I'm the best, so goals for the rest of season are : do my really best and show best run I can show in given moment.

-Skiing is an individual sport, but having a good team to train with is very important for one's development, do you agree on that?

Of course I agree on that! When you have a good team and especially a good staff who knows how to find good training and good conditions, it's much easier to succeed.

-It's generally believed that girls are a lot meaner to each other, even inside the same team, when it comes to individual sports. Have you ever experienced somethings alike? Do you think it's hard to make good friends in the circuit?

Well on my luck I didn't have such an experience yet -we are all good friends in team ,but honestly I always make good friends with men easier than with girls, maybe thats's because when I was little I was all the time training with boys and playing games with boys, somehow we could say that eversince I have had more men then women friends :) But I think it is not that hard, you can be good friends with another girl, but just until the race begins on race day, we are all fighting for the same goal after all -to win and there is no friends in that game.

-Being a professional athlete means training all year long, for skiers it is -if possible- even harder as you have often to take long journeys to train or race, how do you cope with studies?

Yes, you are right it's far away from being easy and when it comes to school I can say that normally I have just 2 months time to do everything for my school, but at the same time dry-land trainings starts so it's really difficult, still not impossible. I am still in high school which I should have ended last year but because of skiing I risked and so I am one school year behind my school mates.

-What about love?

Love, I'm in relationship with Slovenian cross-country skier Rok Tršan and I have to say that I'm really happy to have him! :)

-Since you are often travelling around the world, what is the thing you miss the most when away from home?

There is more then one thing I miss when I'm travelling around, but let say that i miss the most my bed ,mum and her food, my boyfriend and my dog.

-Anything else you want to say to your fans and our readers?

I would like to say to all my fans and readers thank you a lot for all the support and keep on following alpine ski racing and other sports!

It's been a great pleasure for me, I wish you all the best for the new year and your career!

thanks a lot Giulio!

Giulio Gasparin