Spanish eyes smile as Mintegi Del Olmo makes history at Wimbledon
Spanish eyes were certainly smiling, beaming in fact, after Ane Mintegi Del Olmo became the first girl from her nation to win a Junior Grand Slam title at the Junior Championships at Wimbledon.
It was not an easy ride for the 17-year-old as she was forced to battle back after her opponent, Germany’s Nastasja Mariana Schunk, claimed the first set in impressive and convincing fashion.
Mintegi Del Olmo levelled matters in the second before seizing control in the third and posting a 2-6 6-4 6-1 triumph on Court No. 1. In the process, she became Spain’s first Junior Grand Slam champion since Alejandro Davidovich Fokina triumphed here in 2017.
In addition, she is the first Spanish girl to be crowned a Junior Grand Slam champion since Paula Badosa at Roland Garros six years ago, while other than Davidovich Fokina, Hall of Famer Manuel Orantes is the only other Spanish junior to win here and that was in 1967.
“It is so special to be the first player from Spain to win a girls’ title at Wimbledon. I am so proud, it’s amazing,” said Mintegi Del Olmo, who trains at TEC-Carles Ferrer Salat in Barcelona.
“In the first set I was a little nervous but slowly, when I finished the first set and the nerves calmed down, I started playing better. Nastasja played very well – she was incredible in the first set – but I got better and played very well in the third.
“I needed to have a good mentality today and that was the biggest thing I had on court today. I stayed on the court, focused on every point and didn’t let my concentration drop.”
Mintegi Del Olmo was cheered to victory by her friend and frequent doubles partner Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva of Andorra, who was sat in her box for the duration of the contest alongside her father.
Jimenez Kasintseva was one victory away from setting up a showdown between the two but lost to Schunk in the semi-finals, although her prior knowledge of successfully navigating a Junior Grand Slam final proved priceless.
Aged just 14, Jimenenz Kasintseva topped the podium at the 2020 Australian Open and was an important source of advice for Mintegi Del Olmo.
“Vicky is my friend and last year we played the Australian Open and a lot of other tournaments together,” she added. “For me, it is so special to have her supporting me.
“She did give me some advice. Vicky told me that I needed to focus just on the match and to think about nothing outside of the court. She said that I must stay all the time playing with concentration.”
As with the all-American boys’ final between Samir Banerjee and Victor Lilov, this clash was a showdown between two unseeded players who possibly did not expect to be competing this far into the tournament.
For Mainz-born Schunk, who was making her Junior Grand Slam debut here, reaching the final, navigating her way through five matches which went to a third set and competing on Court No. 1 all adds up to a host of treasured memories.
“Even though it is tough right now, later this evening or tomorrow I know I will be really happy and proud of myself,” said Schunk, who remains unsure of her participation at September’s US Open.
“I have fought so many good matches this week. The experience has been great and I have never seen anything like this before. Everything here is so cool and this week will help me in the future. I will go back home having seen a lot.
“Today wasn’t my best match. The first set was pretty good but then I was feeling as though I was getting a bit tired and wasn’t moving as well anymore.
“Ane then started playing better because she wasn’t as nervous anymore but also because I wasn’t as aggressive as I had been. She was then really good in the third set and it was tough for me. But, as I say, I am proud of myself.”
In the girls' doubles final, meanwhile, top seeds Kristina Dmitruk of Belarus and Russia's Diana Shnaider overcame Belgium's Sofia Costoulas and Laura Hietaranta of Finland 6-1 6-2.