Luciana Aranguiz
04/10/2020 - 16:03
Clarín.com
sports
Regardless of what happens in her next match, in which she will face the Ukrainian
Elina Svitolina
, world number four, this Roland Garros
will mark a break in the career
of Nadia Podoroska.
In sports, because it will allow you to get at least among
the best 70 players in the ranking
, which will open direct entry to important competitions.
But also, economically, because Rosario has already secured
a prize that exceeds the earnings that she had accumulated in her career
.
The victory in three sets against
Barbora Krejcikova
, who gave him the pass to the quarterfinals of the French "great" -his best historical performance in this category of tournaments-, assured Argentina a check of 283,500 euros, about
332,129 dollars
.
That is far more than what he had earned from wins in his ten years as a professional this week:
$ 301,547
.
In this unusual season, the
Russian
had accumulated $ 89,584 in prize money.
So far this week in Paris, he has almost
quadrupled that sum
.
What does that money mean for Podoroska?
Peace of mind to continue working without worrying about the expenses that a career in tennis of the highest level entails.
This was admitted by Rosario, after her victory on Friday in the third round against Slovak
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
.
With her victory against Krejcikova, Podoroska secured a prize of 283,500 euros. AFP Photo
"What is changing the most at this time is the financial aspect and it gives me relief. Having achieved these results positions me totally different. I can continue to pay the salary of my coaches and team and continue traveling around the circuit; continue focused on training and improving. Until recently, I did not have that support, that security, "the Argentine recognized.
A more than welcome relief after a 2019 in which his career was extremely difficult in financial terms.
She had confessed it herself, after hanging the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Lima 2019 and getting the ticket to the Tokyo Olympics, suspended for 2021 due to the global health crisis.
"I hope that thanks to this I can get sponsors. The truth is that I am in a very delicate situation," said Rosario, who won an extra prize with that consecration that helped her stay afloat: an ENARD scholarship for " Pan-American excellence ".
After winning gold in Lima 2019, the Rosario had recognized that she was in a difficult economic situation.
Reuters photo
The panorama today is very different looking towards the future.
Also if you talk exclusively about tennis.
The quarterfinals will change the scene of Podoroska's career from now on.
La
Rusa
will appear in the next update of the WTA rankings
for the first time in the top 100
.
The live ranking - the one that is updated with the results of the day - places her today in the
69th step
, although we will have to wait for the closing of the French contest to know exactly what position she will occupy.
But beyond the number that finally appears next to his name, the fact of having sneaked into the elite of the circuit will open many more doors for him and guarantee him the possibility of competing in the most important tournaments in the world.
Rosario will now enter the top 70 of the world ranking for the first time.
AFP photo
Podoroska will have a guaranteed place in the
main draw
of the Grand Slam.
You will no longer need, as you did in this edition of Roland Garros, to dispute the classification to be able to get into the main competition.
And the higher it can be in the rankings in the preview of those tournaments, the better positioned it will be facing the draws and will have a better chance of avoiding the top favorites in the first rounds.
This great present is not only great news for Podoroska, but also for an Argentine women's tennis in need of a benchmark at the highest level, who helps to add support and promote development.
The Rosario became the first Argentine to reach the quarterfinals in Paris this Sunday since 2004. At the end of last week, when she overcame the last round of qualifying and got into the main draw, she had cut a drought of five years without Argentines in the main competition of the tournament.
Podoroska became the first Argentine to advance to the quarterfinals in Paris since 2004. Photo Thomas Samson / AFP
With his good walk on the French brick dust, he could seduce
new sponsors
to support women's tennis in our country, historically relegated to men's.
And also to inspire her compatriots, who day by day fight against the current to make a career in a highly competitive sport at a disadvantage compared to players from other countries, especially Europeans and the United States.
Podoroska has already made history in Paris.
Regardless of what happens in the quarterfinal against Svitolina, the most important thing will come later.
Because Rosario will have the challenge of continuing to improve and not waste everything that has grown in recent weeks.
It will only depend on her to be able to make the most of this dream week in Paris.
HS
