First Mexican Woman to Play in Wimbledon Since 1996 Follows in Grandfather's Footsteps
Fernanda Contreras Gomez got a chance to play in Wimbledon for the first time in her life, and she became the first Mexican woman to be able to play in the prestigious tournament since 1996.
She qualified for the tournament last week but lost to Poland's Magda Linette in the main draw, 6-1, 6-4, on Monday. But while the Mexican lost her first Wimbledon match, she remained enthusiastic about the experience.
Contreras Gomez told the Associated Press that it was still cool to be able to walk around the grounds, and it seemed she still could not believe that she was part of it all, adding that she wanted somebody to pinch her.
The interview revealed that she moved with her family from Mexico to Austin, Texas, when she was 13, and then played tennis at Vanderbilt as she studied mechanical engineering.
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Fernanda Contreras Gomez's Grandfather, Mexican Tennis Legend Francisco 'Pancho' Contreras Serrano, Also Competed in Wimbledon
Fernanda Contreras Gomez boasts quite the pedigree in Mexican tennis. Her grandfather is Francisco "Pancho" Contreras Serrano, who managed to reach the semi-finals of Wimbledon for the Mixed Doubles in 1958.
Her grandfather also competed in Singles matches during the prestigious tournament in England. As she grew up, Contreras Gomez would hear stories from her grandfather about his days competing around the world.
The Mexican tennis star followed in his footsteps, qualifying for the French Open in May and winning her first-round match in the main draw. She then qualified for Wimbledon last week, ranking 154th overall before getting eliminated by Linette.
Contreras Gomez already expected that touring as a tennis player would be tough. She had already heard tales from her grandfather about the hardships of the tennis tour, especially its travel aspect.
The young tennis star told AP that Francisco "Pancho" Contreras Serrano missed the births of each of his four children because he was away on tour.
However, he managed to give a middle name to each of his four children based on where he was playing at the time of their birth. They were Altamira, Cleveland, Brisbane, and of course, Wimbledon.
The 24-year-old Mexican star told the outlet that she experienced jitters with moments of happiness and anxiety while the tournament was going on. She also said that her grandfather was very proud of her achievement in qualifying for Wimbledon.
"He said: I'm so proud of you. Another F. Contreras is in the Wimbledon draw," said Contreras Gomez about her phone call with her grandfather.
Mexico's Prestigious Tennis History
While Tennis is not a sport Mexicans are known for, the country has produced Tennis stars who all performed well on the world stage. Chief among them is Rafael Osuna Herrera, better known as "El Pelón." He is best known for winning the U.S.
Open in 1962 and being the No. 1 ranked amateur in the world. According to Ranker, he is the most successful player in the history of Mexico.
Other Mexican tennis greats include Osuna Herrera's Doubles partner, Antonio Palafox, as well as Mario Llamas, Francisco "Pancho" Contreras Serrano himself, Raul Ramírez, and many more.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
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