Rchosen for the glow it generated Arantxa Sánchez Vicarioweeks before winning Roland Garros in Paris, the second Grand Slam of the four she achieved in her entire career, Conchita Mart�nez claimed its place, its space, with the historic triumph in the All England Clubwhere she became the first Spaniard to lift the Wimbledon trophy.
Was a July 2, 1994 in London. In a memorable final. Spanish tennis was experiencing great moments. He had not achieved the continuity, the permanence that was provided later Rafael Nadal but he enjoyed occasional successes but with a certain stability over the time that the performances of Sergi Bruguera, Carlos Moy�, Alex Corretja, Alberto Berasategui, Albert Costa or Juan Carlos Ferrero in the men’s tournaments and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and Conchita Martínez in women’s events.
Contemporaries, cronies of the same breed, they embodied the good health of women’s tennis worldwide that faced without complexes the consequences of the dominance they had established. Chris Evert and above all, Martina Navratilova, still present, and those that came later. Players who marked an era, who imposed their absolutism like the German Steffi Graf and also the Swiss Martina Hingis. Among them, others like the Serbian Monica Seles o la frances Mary Pierce.
Among them, in the bid, without traumas, of t� at�, Arantxa and Conchita, a guarantee of struggle for victory and success. Arantxa reached the top, number one, with four Grand Slam titles and eight other lost finals. Conchita reached number two in the female ranking. A Grand Slam title and two that resisted her, being beaten in the final. The 1998 Australian Open and 2000 Roland Garros, beaten by Mary Pierce.
Two Arantxa finals
When the Aragonese woman Monz�n I faced these last two appointments, in Melbourne y Par�s, had already conquered London, had already triumphed at the All England Club. I had already achieved Wimbledonsomething that Aranxa, with more impact, he never achieved. The Catalan played two finals, in 1995 and 1996. She lost both against Steffi Graf.
The year 1994 was the year of the explosion of tennis, especially for women. Aranxa gan� Roland Garros on June 5 to Mary Pierce. Months earlier, in Australia, she was runner-up, surpassed by Graf which he won months later, at the end of the season, in New York, at the United States Open. Conchita had already broken barriers at Wimbledon. All the finals of the four Grand Slams had Spanish prominence. In addition, the two were proclaimed champions of the Federation Cup, the current Billie Jean King Cup, the women’s Davis Cup. It was the third of the five successes achieved by the Spanish team that both led.
Adem�s, Sergi Bruguera conquered Roland Garros, the second in a row in his career, after beating his compatriot Alberto Berasategui in the final. It was a year to remember. Spanish tennis was in fashion.
Memorable July 2
Thirty years ago, that July 2 was special, memorable for Conchita Martínez, queen in a place inaccessible to the Spanish. Only Manolo Santana in 1966 had managed to include his name in history. Lili Álvarez, three editions in a row, in 1926, 1927 and 1928, touched glory on the grass of London. But the final fell in all of them.
Until the arrival of Conchita, no one managed to triumph in the oldest and most prestigious tournament. In the cathedral. After defeating a legend. TO Martina Navratilova who had in his hand, at 37 years old, the possibility of achieving his tenth trophy in the All England Club, something unprecedented. Left-handed, mythical, legendary. Feared, favorite. Eighteen majors in a career that lasted until he was 50 years old. Nine Wimbledonthree Australian Opens, two Roland Garros, four Australian Opens.
In Wimbledon reigns silence, calm. Tradition, strawberries. The essence of sport as always. Everything is different. It is the place that any player longs for.
At twenty-two, Conchita Martínez became the first Spaniard to lift the winner’s Cup at the All England Club. In those days the Aragonese She was already an established player. Located at number 3 in the world, with eighteen titles in his history, an Olympic medal. But that day, that final, she did not count as a favorite against a legend like Navratilova. She had to go through her journey with the comparison, with the face to face with Arantxa, more awarded, more awarded.
The talent of the player from Monz�n did not find the reward that her partner did. Different, opposite. Conchita had the gift, the class, the virtue. She only lacked, at times, the finishing and mental toughness that the Catalan always had, somewhat less virtuous, stronger with her head. More faith.
Wimbledon He rewarded the Spanish woman as she deserved. In a long match, three sets (6-4, 3-6 and 6-3), balanced, with the Princes of Wales, Charles and Diana, as exceptional spectators, as luxury witnesses. And with his childhood idol, with his role model, as a rival in the final. Conchita Martínez, who a year before was on the verge of reaching the final, beaten by the world number one, Steffi Graf, did not fail in the next one, despite her little experience on grass.
It was only his third presence in Wimbledon. With solvency and a high level of tennis, the Spaniard dismantled Martina and won the first set although she later lowered her level. He seized up Conchita that he did not see a way to alleviate his rival’s attempted reaction. With the second part going uphill, the Aragonese woman requested medical assistance, the help of the court physiotherapist to alleviate some discomfort in her back that set off alarms.
The improvement did not prevent the loss of the second set despite the resurrection of Martínez, who lost 4-0 and righted himself. But he gave it up and the duel was resolved in the final round. In the decisive set, the Spaniard started with 2-0; later with 4-2 and he already maintained his advantage. The triumph, the success of his life, did not escape him. He had in his hand the most legendary triumph, the most desired, the one that does not change for anything.
“It is an immense joy. You only breathe after the last point. A lot of happiness. A success that I wouldn’t change for anything.”
Life went on for Conchita Mart�nez. With her name registered among the greats of tennis, she bid for two more Grand Slams. I didn’t win them. It did not reach the number of successes of Aranxa, to the consideration that many gave to their partner, their rival. Thirty-three titles WTA, two silver and one Olympic bronze, all in doubles, five Cup titles Billie Jean King. Nothing to reproach. He opened the way.
Thirty years later, Conchita looks back. The All England Club. Two trophies for Rafael Nadal, one for Carlos Alcaraz, also Garbi�e Muguruza, whom he later trained, the next one who was able to triumph, after her, on the grass of London, twenty-three years after Conchita. The story asked Conchita. Thirty years ago, now. And tennis has not forgotten it.
