For years, the Israeli women's tennis industry has been looking for the next name that will march it back to the front of the stage.
Generations have changed, the level of interest has been declining - and then came Glushko.
Accommodation Glushko.
At the end of October, the tennis player who will celebrate her 22nd birthday this week in Future Kiryat Motzkin won and jumped almost 200 places in the world rankings, making her Israel's No. 1 batsman.
Now, the next hope in the industry has to deal with quite a few expectations that are placed on its shoulders.
In a special interview with "Israel Today", just before the start of preparations for the first tournaments of 2022, Glushko talks about the title that provided her with the final ticket to the sports consciousness in Israel, the ambitions, and the wall of expectations built around her.
"It took me a long time to digest, even a few days," Glushko describes the moments after winning Kiryat Motzkin, "especially since a week earlier I lost in the quarterfinals of Future Netanya and was unable to show my good abilities. .
Lina Glushko opens a year in an interview with Israel Today, Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon
How do you feel about the pressure that has increased in the last two months?
"At first it was a little weird, kind of a media buzz like that. A lot of people approached me and wanted to interview me. I prefer the direction of 'Let me play tennis, compete, and that's it.' I know that as I progress in the rankings, it will also increase. "
When will the industry in Israel be able to rise back?
"Since Julia (Lina's sister; Czech), Shahar Peer, Tzipi Obziler and Anna Smashnova - have not been such dominant actresses.
There are other actresses in my generation, like Shavit Kimchi and Nicole Hirin, so we are currently the top three.
I really want to be a part of the new generation.
One of the reasons for the passion is the desire to show the younger generation that it can be done.
I hope that more girls and I will lead something. "
Accommodation Glushko.
Particularly high ambitions, Photo: Tennis Association
Tennis players, as is well known, spend many hours in training. How do you deal with that?
"Sometimes people ask me where I got motivated from. Some days I get up at five and I want to die and some days I get up in the winter, and frozen and dark and no one is awake and the whole house is still asleep. What keeps me going every morning is that I think of someone else sleeping, and I get up "
The final game of the Kiryat Motzkin tournament and the winning moment of Lina Glushko:
The comparisons and aspirations
When approaching a conversation with Lina, the family mention is inevitable.
Her older sister, Yulia Glushko, was previously ranked 79th in the world, her brother Alex is currently a coach, and so are her parents in tennis.
No wonder there is still the preoccupation with comparisons, which is not always interpreted as positive.
"It's never helpful to me, always lowers, will not help. Everyone breaks out at their own age," Lina shares candidly, but really does not come up with any complaints, "Julia is Julia and I am me. I think there will always be comparisons, but I'm happy "Being her sister. I'm proud of her for what she did and where she went, it's crazy."
How big a part of the family is in your career?
There is no doubt that it is great.
If I had not been in such a family, do not know if I would still choose this sport.
I learned to love it.
At first I was not so connected.
And it was like, okay, my parents put me in this class and your sister plays and my brother so well, I have no choice.
I should be a part of that too.
Then I learned to love it. "
Recently, a trend has begun that has gained momentum: athletes who are no longer afraid to be exposed and share with the world the psychological difficulties they are experiencing.
Like Simon Bales and Naomi Osaka, some of the greatest athletes in the world, Julia also recently shared the anxiety attacks she went through during her career, which attacked her even during important games.
And yes, the phenomenon did not miss its little sister either.
"Everyone suddenly brings it up. I thought no one experienced anything like that. In hindsight I realized where I experienced these anxiety attacks, the fears and the stresses," says Lina, "in those moments you do not understand. Then, when they talked about it, I remembered certain games. Where it happened.in tennis you are very alone.I meet once a week with a psychologist, even when I am abroad, through the zoom.
Athletes have a lot of mental work to do. "
Do you think support for smaller industries is enough?
"I personally support Rav Briach and Moore Beverages, and I also have Ofer Padida who helps me. Yes, they treat football, basketball, judo more. It pinches. I represent the country from age zero and play for the federation team for five years, and there is nothing I like to do. "More than playing for the country. I love Israel very much. I hope something will change."
What's your big dream?
"Of course being ranked first in the world, but it's so far away and I less want to talk in numbers. I have a long way to go."
Accommodation Glushko.
Wants to bring Israel back to the world tennis map, Photo: Danny Maron,
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