After a few days of reunion on the track, Paula Badosa he finally announced who would be the person who will accompany him in the last tournaments of this great 2021. The chosen one has been Jorge Garcia (Valencia, 1979), a man who has known her for a decade, when they worked together in the junior stage of the Spanish. Ten years later, their paths come together again, although both arrive at this stop with a large dose of experience in their suitcase. Break Point spoke with the Valencian coach hours before debuting at the WTA 500 from Ostrava.
When does Paula contact you?
We met at the US Open, we were talking and there I already helped him a little. When the US Open ended, we spoke again and agreed to continue working together.
Did you see her emotionally well?
Man, I was a little pissed off. It is a situation that no one would like to happen, to be left without a coach just before the American tour… it is not very pleasant. When we contacted, she had already been here for three weeks and the truth is that I saw her well, she was training and playing well. I did not ask him about what had happened either, the subject did not come up.
How have you organized?
I have uploaded two weeks to Madrid and in the future she will also come to Valencia for a few weeks, we will move between these two cities.
Who accompanies you in the project?
The same team that he had with Javi remains. David Antona continues as a physical trainer and Dani de la Serna as a psychologist and dietician. We haven’t touched anything.
Almost ten years later, your paths cross again. How do you remember that stage?
I worked with her when she came to Valencia when she was 14 years old until she was almost 18, at which point I left with Sara Sorribes. Later, when Paula started working with Xavi Budó, I was back in the project, but at that time I couldn’t travel much because she belonged to the Lozano-Altur Tennis Academy and the circumstances didn’t happen, so I had to leave her and she continued with Budó. We have never lost contact, since I was 14 years old we have continued to talk.
It can be said that it is a second stage, even a third.
You can say, yes (laughs). When she was at TennisVal when she was 14 years old, I was the one in charge of her along with Pancho Alvariño. Now I am alone in command, that would be the difference.
Did you imagine that it could go this far?
Of course, you could see that he was very talented. At that time he left us some results that confirmed it, you saw that he had something special. You watched her hit the ball and it was clear that she would end up being a good player. They have won Roland Garros Junior, that means that you are very good, then things have to be done and that injuries respect you.
How has Paula changed in these ten years?
Now she is a professional. Train like a pro, think like a pro, tennis is her lifestyle. It’s like a little machine, everything works perfectly.
For you it is a unique opportunity, do you feel the responsibility?
Yes, it is a very nice challenge. Paula has not stopped growing since the season began, now she has just reached the top30, what you must not lose is calm and patience. We must continue working in this same line and it will surely continue to reap more fruits. He has had a spectacular 2021, my job now is to give continuity to his work.
Without forgetting about G-Tennis.
Of course, I’m still linked to the Academy, we have other players to keep traveling with. The structure is maintained, with the difference that now there will be weeks in which I will travel to Madrid and others in which Paula will come to Valencia.
This week you start in Ostrava, nerves?
None. He has trained very well these two weeks, we really want to close the season well with the remaining tournaments. We will play Ostrava, Indian Wells and then we will see what there is.
And when the year ends?
Now we only think about ending this season, but the normal thing is that we also start in 2022, it is a long-term project.
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