Own the Podium: Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
‘I’ve always been a woman who represents my country at big moments, and I’m very happy to put Spain at the top’
A four-time Olympic medalist, Spain's Aranxta Sanchez Vicario is the only player to have won multiple medals at separate Olympic Games since the sport returned to the Olympic programme in 1988, winning doubles silver and singles bronze at Barcelona 1992, and singles silver and doubles bronze at Atlanta 1996.
It’s a wonderful feeling because a Grand Slam you have a chance to play every year. Olympics you play just every four years. Just the fact that you’ve been elected for your country is something really special and you’re looking forward to doing well and to see if you can go to the podium, see your flag and represent your country.
I’ve always been a woman who represents my country at big moments and I’m very happy to put Spain at the top, and very happy to go to the podium and win four medals and do well and participate in five Olympic Games.
I achieved my goals to be No. 1 in singles and doubles and four medals, it’s the best you can hope for as an athlete when you’re a kid, and I’m very happy because the moments were very special. Even though I didn’t win the gold I do have two silvers and two bronzes that are very special for me.
The first time it was right in my hometown, in my country, in front of all my people, so that was probably much more special because you don’t have many chances that will happen in your country. So that’s much more emotional, to handle the pressure, because they expected me to do well, to win a medal, singles and doubles. It was a little bit more difficult because the expectations were higher.
The second time, that was the time I had been No. 1 and at the top, obviously again they expected me to do well and I get back to the podium and get again silver and bronze. When you are still on the top everybody is expecting you to do well, and that was much more normal than the first time.
Every Olympic experience was different. I enjoyed every moment because I had a chance to meet other athletes from my country as well, living in the Olympic Village. It’s a completely different story, you get involved with other athletes as well from other countries. Even in Barcelona, when I was at home, I could go home, I went the first couple of days to the Village. I always say that tennis is a sport where you always have chances because there are tournaments you play every year, you can choose your calendar, and the Grand Slams, you have the opportunity to play every year.
The Olympics probably because it’s every four years, and a lot of things can happen in four years, maybe you take the Games with more focus because you say I don’t know if I’ll play the next one.
Because I started very young and finished very young as well, I’m probably privileged to play many and maybe some other people did not have the chance. But the feeling, this is for your country and you play emotionally for your country, so it’s a different way of looking at it.
I won four Grand Slams in singles, in total 14 Grand Slams and to be No. 1 in singles and doubles, that’s what you are looking for as an athlete. I’m very happy because I worked very hard to get there and achieve my results and be part of the history of tennis. My name will always be there so I can tell my kids what their mother did.
Now that I’m away from tennis it’s different, with more emotion, and you remember more what you did when people talk to you, or show you a match. They come back, the memories. It’s definitely a good feeling, a very good feeling.
It’s nice when you go to the opening ceremony and closing ceremony because that is something where you are with the other athletes. The feeling in Barcelona, the crowd was cheering for me, that response. That moment I cried so much. I will remember that for a very long time.