Love 30: Argentina wow at inaugural Masters World Champs team event
"We consider representing our country to be an incredible and unique experience. We are very happy and excited to play this championship and to represent our nation in this category for the first time."
Those were the words of Natali Balige, the captain of Argentina's women's 30 team, prior to the beginning of the inaugural 30+ event at the ITF Masters World Team Championships in March. After surging to the final in Manavgat, Türkiye, Balige was happy to reflect on the tournament's highlights.
“To meet players from other countries with the same motivation, getting to know the country and its culture was amazing," she said. "We enjoyed it as a team and we improved our competitive level. We lived the experience with all the Argentine delegation.”
The team certainly did Argentina proud. Comprising of captain and No. 1 player Balige, Mailen Villalva, Karina Natalia Lojo and Andrea Munoz, Argentina raced through the group stage before beating USA 2-1 in a tight semi-final. A final against an exceptionally strong Germany team proved a step too far, but Balige has a desire for further exposure on the World Championships stage.
"It has motivated us to try to improve our tennis level as well as our physical and mental qualities,” she added. “We have increased the frequency of workouts and took psychology and nutritional counselling sessions."
The ITF is intent on increasing the number of players competing in the 30+ age group on the Masters Tour in 2023. Balige is supportive of this approach.
"It is an opportunity to generate a space for play and competition where the main objective is enjoyment above results," she added. "While we are all competitive and want to win, the concept of tennis is recreational.
"It is therefore an excellent alternative to continue playing tennis at a good level, without the pressure of considering sport as a job. At the same time, we share a court with people of the same age group and with similar objectives."
With a silver medal already in the bag, this Argentina team has the potential to go one further in 2024. Watch this space.