1. She Loves That Shakira Video. “I think Rafa’s very lucky, because Shakira is an artist. She’s great, but so is Rafa—he has a good personality, fantastic body. It’s a good mix. They could dance and make a beautiful video with a fantastic song.”
2. Her First Crush Was . . . Not Normal. “I was 16 or 17. He was one year older than me. We kiss each other, and I remember it was fantastic. I did everything to stay with him, but it was not easy. He was very, very, very strange.”
3. Celebrations Don't Require (Full) Nudity. “When we were in the third round, [her team said], ‘If you win Roland Garros, we run all the Champs-Elysees without nothing.’ I say, ‘No, please, with underwear.’ [After the final], we finished dinner with all the team and friends. We were close to the Champs-Elysees and I say, ‘Now it’s your turn.’ So they take off pants, they take off T-shirt . . . they remain with shoes and underwear. They run through the first light and then came back.”
4. The Italian Media Call Her “La Leonessa” [The Lioness]. “They give me [the nickname] 10 years ago. So I say to them, ‘That’s a beautiful name, but now it’s time to change the animal.’” What animal should they use instead? “I didn’t say I don’t like. Now it’s my name. I know that it will be for all my life.”
5. She's Fast But Discreet. “The fastest I ever drove was 240 kilometers per hour [150 m.p.h.]. Where? I can’t tell you.”
Originally published in the November/December 2010 issue of TENNIS