Wimbledon | Mintegi, first Spanish junior champion at Wimbledon

Ane Mintegi did this Sunday at Wimbledon what no Spanish had achieved before: being junior champion of the Grand Slam of the grass. The 17-year-old from Gipuzkoa, who lives and trains in Barcelona, ​​at the TEC Carlos Ferrer Salat, She came back to beat in the final the imposing German of her same age, although with a worse ranking, Nastasja Mariana Schunk: 2-6, 6-4 and 6-1 in 1:58. “I am very happy, thanks to my team and the one I have in Barcelona. This is amazing,” said Ane in her beginner English during the delivery of a trophy that the Canarian Magüi Serna stroked in 1996, but fell to Amelie Mauresmo.

Only two Spaniards had triumphed before at the All England Club as teenagers: Manuel Orantes (1967) and Alejandro Davidovich (2015). The girl from Idiazabal, with magnificent conditions to be a great player, emulates the deeds of two other tennis players from the Navy who won other majors, Lourdes Domínguez and Paula Badosa, who shone in Paris in 1999 and 2015, respectively. In total, Spain has had 14 champions with Ane (see table).

Mintegi, 27th in the junior rankings, is a veteran of Slams. This was her seventh participation in the highest category of tournaments, and that was noticed before a debutant who lost steam as the minutes passed. Ane was bothered by the wind in the first set and she missed more than usual, but she tuned herself, controlled the elements and took out her best tennis to equalize and then go over her rival, who finished with more failures than she (40-24) and succumbed against the fifth match ball. In London she is accompanied as coach by Juan Lizariturry and his agent, Enric Molina. In the stands, her friend Vicky Jiménez, number one who had lost in the semifinals against Schunk, encouraged her and it sure gave you good advice. “He told me to be focused all the time. Last year we also played together in Australia and many other tournaments. It is special for me to have someone who supports me like her, “she said about the Andorran woman. At home, her family followed her on a giant screen installed by the City Council.

Trampoline of champions

“This week I really enjoyed it and having this trophy in my hands is very special for me,” Mintegi commented when reminded that Ashleigh Barty was junior champion in 2011 and on Saturday she lifted the senior trophy.Other illustrious winners in her youth were Iga Swiatek (2018), Jelena Ostapenko (2014), Belinda Bencic (2003), Eugenie Bouchard (2012), Caroline Wozniacki (2006), Amelie Mauresmo (1996), Matina Hingis (1994). .. “For me this is very special. Being the first girl in Spain to win Wimbledon … I felt a lot of emotion when I won. I am very happy and it is incredible,” said Ane at a press conference, who confessed that she had “slept well. “the night before the final. “In the first set I was a little nervous, but little by little, the nerves went away and I started to play better and I let go. I think the best thing I had today on the court was my mentality, because I played all the points concentrated, “he analyzed.

Alejandro Manzanera, doubles champion

Ane Mintegi was not the only Spaniard who won a title at Wimbledon yesterday. Alejandro Manzanera, 18-year-old from Almoradí, won the doubles trophy by pairing with Lithuanian Edas Butvilas. Both won in the final by 6-3 and 6-4 in 52 minutes to a pair in which there was another Armadita player, the 18-year-old from Avila Daniel Rincón, who played with the Jordanian Abedallah Shelbayh.