Eight years ago, Rebecca Marino announced that she was retiring from tennis, exhausted from cyberbullying and suffering from depression. Monday night, at the National Bank Open, it was therefore a player who came from very far who eliminated the 16th favorite, the American Madison Keys, 6-3 and 6-3.
“This victory means a lot to me. It was a long epic. Not just coming back to the game, but also coming back from a long injury I suffered [au pied, qui l’a tenue à l’écart fin 2019 et en 2020]“, Rejoiced Marino, Monday.
“I will always remember the energy of the crowd. It was electrifying, ”she added.
Marino has long been one of the brightest prospects in Canadian tennis. In 2011, at just 20 years old, she reached the final of the WTA tournament in Memphis. In July of the same year, she was ranked 38th in the women’s standings, which is still a great feat for a Canadian player today.
But two years later, his heart was no longer in tennis. To recharge his batteries, the athlete from Vancouver therefore chose to take a long break, which she described at the time as “retirement”.
“I’m happy to have taken this season at the time. It allowed me to rediscover my love for tennis. Some people didn’t understand at the time, but I’m really proud of what I did, ”said Marino.
During her break, she traded the racket for rowing. Then, three years ago, she chose to make a gradual comeback, especially in doubles. A comeback that led her, at the age of 30, to her first victory in the big picture in Montreal.
Far from the 220th row
And what a victory! In this slugger duel, Marino did not look like a player ranked 220th in the world. It was no small task, as the American standing in front of her is a former top 10 member, a finalist in Montreal in 2016 and the US Open in 2017.
“I knew it would be a tough game. Keys has a powerful serve and a powerful forehand, but I knew I also had a powerful serve and a powerful forehand. I am happy to have seized my opportunities. ”
Marino surprised by realizing the breakage from the start. A turning point in this game, according to the Canadian, who does not believe that she would have gotten away so easily if the outcome of the first game had been different.
She then scared herself by losing her serve at the start of the second set, but quickly responded, before slipping away with this important victory.
Marino will face another big puncher tomorrow: the Spaniard Paula Badosa, 31st in the world. She will also begin her doubles career alongside her young compatriot Leylah Fernandez. The pair will face French Elixane Lechemia and Briton Ingrid Neel.
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