Interview in the newspaper la Provincia days before Magüi leaves for Australia to start the season.

(Translation from Diario La Provincia (28/12/2003))

"I dream everyday of playing in Athens"

    Magüi Serna is the best Canarian tennis player ever and the third Spaniard after Arantxa and Conchita. Unless she has an injury or she has a terrible season, she'll be representing Spain in the Olympic Games in Athens next summer. It will be her second Olympic Games after having played in Sydney 2000, together with Arantxa and Conchita. Fan of Real Madrid, Magüi is in the exclusive group of sportspeople of elite such as Sergio García or Juan Carlos Ferrero that receive a personal congratulation from the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, when she gets a win. This year she has found herself and she is the number 22 of the WTA ranking at the end of the season. A great privilege. Her life is fascinating, but not easy at all. Next Wednesday she'll start the New Year during a flight to Australia. "I'll be watching over if there's a champagne bottle in the pilots cabin", she says smiling.

    The happiness is back in Magüi Serna's face after having ended the season in the place 22 of the WTA ranking. The Canarian won the tournaments in Estoril and Budapest with the solidity and stability showed during the whole season. She looks much more relaxed, maybe, I think, because with the experience and age she doesn't have to show match after match that the people that said that she would be one of the first players of the world weren't wrong.

Question: Had you thought of finishing the year with your best end of season ranking and thinking of the Olympic Games in Athens?

Answer: More than thinking of it, I'm looking forward to representing again my country in the Olympic Games. In this occasion, I'm even more excited than when I went to Sydney, because we'll play in the home of the Olympic Games and I have much more experience to enjoy it. I dream everyday of playing in Athens. On the other side, finishing the season being the number 22 of the world has been a nice surprise. Anyway, in spite of having started the season in the number 50, I always thought that my goal would be being top 20.

Question: Anyway, I see that you love the topic of the Olympic Games...

Answer: Of course. Anytime I have represented Spain, when I was amateur and now when I play the Fed Cup, I feel really proud and excited of being able to do so. Much more, of course, if you talk about the Olympic Games. I think it's the greatest honour for a sportsperson.

Question: Has the year 2003 brought you more things apart from improving your ranking?

Answer: Sure, it has brought me positive aspects such as security and hope. Seeing that in a year I almost reached my best ranking (21, year 2001) gives me a lot of moral and confidence to face the future.

Question: Will Australia be the starting point to a new improvement of your ranking?

Answer: I hope it is that way. I have been training till death during two months, morning and afternoon, with Fernando García Lleó and Joaquín Sanchís, to have a strong start of season. Australia is the first chance and I hope that I can take it.

Question: How many tournaments will you play this year?

Answer: More or less like last year, around 25 tournaments. I'll start on 5th January with Gold Coast (Australia), to follow with Sydney and the Australian Open. Later I'll play in Paris, Antwerp, Dubai, Qatar, Indian Wells and Miami. This will be my schedule till the end of March.

Question: Is women's tennis as competitive as men's tennis?

Answer: I think so. In the last years you can see results that you coudn't see earlier. Earlier, the top 10 didn't lose to much lower ranked players and, however, currently they lose to players ranked 80 or 90 in the world. You have to see the changes in the top 15 to see that the matches are much more competed now.

Question: Would you be surprised if you were currently the number 12 of the world?

Answer: No. Tennis is now much more competitive. Except for players such as the Williams, Clijster, Henin or Capriati, the rest can win anyone. I should maybe have more continuity and solidity to be there, but I'm working hard on it and I hope that I can get it.

Question: Do you still think that you did well moving to Gran Canaria?

Answer: Of course. Honestly, I think I have showed that a professional tennis player can have a good preparation here. I've been lucky finding a coach such as Fernando García Lleó and a teacher of physical preparation such as Joaquín Sanchís, and excellent facilities at El Cortijo Club de Campo, where I train and prepare when I'm in Gran Canaria.