The 49-year-old Argentinian, who won her only major title, the US Open, almost 30 years ago, rising to a career-best No.3 in the world, said, there’s greater attention on young players now than ever before.
“It was very different those days, we didn’t have social media,” Sabatini, who first made the French Open semifinals as a 15-year-old, back in 1985, said.
“Today there is even more attention, people are more connected. They have a better communication with athletes. But, yeah, the pressure and attention is always there. It’s one of the hardest things to deal with. I remember many times I was more focused on what people or the media wanted me to become than what I really wanted.”
Sabatini, who now lives in Switzerland, was presented with the ITF’s highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award on Tuesday in Paris.
Sabatini hasn’t watched the 17-year-old sensation Amanda Anisimova, who is in the quarterfinals here, and all set to take on defending champion Simona Halep in the last eight on Wednesday, but said there’s no secret in the advice she’d give the young American.
“You have to have goals,” she said. “Try to put your attention in your team, in your tennis. I know these days it’s difficult, but it’s important to focus on the things that are important that will take you to the next step. Have dreams, have goals. Also have a good team, that’s the key.”
