Interview | We’re combating with what we’ve, says Adriana Diaz

Adriana Diaz is usually a chirpy character, a livewire on and off the desk. The 24-year-old, ranked sixteenth on the planet in girls’s singles, has single-handedly put Puerto Rico on the world desk tennis map. And he or she’s managed to do that in a rustic not notably identified for the game. An attacking participant armed with a bag filled with trick pictures together with chop blocks and ‘No Look’ ones, Adriana has defeated plenty of top-ranked paddlers and has carved a distinct segment of her personal via energetic engagement with followers and her scintillating show on the WTT Tour over the previous few years.

In reality, a clip shared by WTT for the Star Contender Chennai lately confirmed a fan telling her, “I’m your massive fan.” She replied coyly, “Actually?”

The three-time Olympian, who misplaced within the spherical of 16 to Kim Nayeong of Korea in Chennai, is a big of fan of India, its meals, tradition and gamers. On this interview, Adriana spoke about her progress on the WTT Tour, on being the primary Puerto Rican to succeed in the world’s high 20 and on enjoying in three Olympics, amongst different issues. Excerpts:

You steadily come to India. How do you discover the nation?

I’ve been to India loads of instances. I actually prefer to be right here. I like Indian tradition. I respect it. I like Indian meals. So, I’m very comfortable to be right here in Chennai for the WTT Star Contender Chennai.

You’re the first participant from Puerto Rico to compete in three Olympics. Inform us a bit of about desk tennis in your nation.

Being the primary Puerto Rican to qualify to the Olympics (Rio 2016) was superb for me. On the time, I used to be 15 years outdated, so I didn’t know the way loopy it was.

I used to be like a bit of child simply enjoying the game I beloved. So, proper now once I consider it, it’s for me, it’s a pleasure to be among the finest gamers on the planet. Coming from Puerto Rico — which is a small island the place not many individuals play desk tennis — to play the game at a excessive stage is nice.

However, I believe desk tennis is rising proper now. There are various extra TT gamers in Puerto Rico. There’s additionally younger expertise. So, I’m very comfortable that I might assist a bit of to encourage extra younger children.

Desk tennis runs within the household. You and your 4 sisters play the game together with your father teaching you all. What’s the affect of getting the game play such an enormous function on the household stage too?

Yeah. All of us grew with the game. My mother met my dad whereas enjoying desk tennis. So, we type of grew up with it. Probably the greatest childhood recollections that I’ve is enjoying with my sisters for hours and being aggressive. I believe it actually helped me develop as knowledgeable desk tennis participant. As a child, I used to be the third sister. I used to be very aggressive. I all the time needed to beat my massive sister. I believe that additionally helped me to have a bit of little bit of character within the matches. As a household, we additionally helped one another rather a lot. I’m grateful for that.

You’re on the planet’s high 20 in singles and the highest 30 in girls’s doubles with Prithvika Pavade. You used to accomplice your sister Melanie in doubles and even broke into the highest 10 as soon as. How was it enjoying together with your sister?

I imply, again in 2019-2019, we had been on the planet’s high 10. My sister and I, we’ve all the time favored to play with one another. Usually, we don’t combat, however typically it’s inevitable! I’ve a really robust opinion typically however she’s extra laid-back than I’m. However it’s all the time enjoyable. My sister was right here with me in Chennai and I used to be very comfortable about that.

You will have usually been to China and skilled the desk tennis tradition there first-hand. What’s it in regards to the system there that makes them such a strong pressure within the sport?

There are various issues that make China the perfect desk tennis-playing nation. I believe an important one is that they’re a giant group. They’ve so many individuals behind them. For instance, in my case, I’m right here (Chennai) with solely my coach. Chinese language gamers have loads of physios and lots of people who know the game rather well of their groups who assist these gamers get to the highest.

And, after all, China has a wonderful custom in desk tennis. Most Asian international locations are actually good and doubtlessly the perfect in desk tennis. However we’re combating with what we’ve and what we all know. I believe there’s nonetheless rather a lot to study. However I’m very comfortable and happy with what I’ve completed.

We see you have an interest in rap music? What are your pursuits outdoors of desk tennis?

I get pleasure from loads of music. Puerto Rico has a celebration tradition. We like to bop, we prefer to hearken to music. Dangerous Bunny is likely one of the finest rappers and singers on the planet. We’re pleased with him and I often love to listen to some Dangerous Bunny (songs) earlier than matches.

The opposite factor I do is that this factor referred to as Fairly-Ugly. It’s an organization I began three years in the past alongside my sisters Melanie, Fabiola and Gabriela that produces college notebooks to help environmental and social causes by design and function. The notebooks are freed from plastic and subsequently environment-friendly and part of the proceeds additionally go to charity.

You’re nonetheless chasing your maiden WTT girls’s singles title. In WTT Contender Muscat in 2023, you got here shut, reaching the ultimate shedding to Hina Hayata within the remaining and have become the primary participant from the Americas to succeed in a girls’s singles remaining within the WTT Sequence. How shut do you suppose you might be?

In Muscat, I reached the ultimate, shedding to Japan’s Hina Hayata. I do know desk tennis may be very tough as a result of there are such a lot of gamers who’re simply pouring their hearts out. And so they’re practising day by day, particularly the Japanese, Indians and Koreans. There are lots of people who need to get to the highest and I’m one in all them. In fact, it’s very onerous, however I imagine in myself. I believe I can obtain it.

On the age of simply 24, you might have featured in three Olympics. You tried fairly onerous for the medal in Paris, however couldn’t go all the way in which. What was that have like for you? Are you able to recall the assembly with Monica Puig, the 2016 Rio Olympics tennis gold medallist of Puerto Rico, who was the primary medal winner out of your nation?

I believe that the Olympics are an important occasion in sports activities. I misplaced after main 3-0, however I’m actually proud of what I did within the Olympics as a result of simply having the ability to attain the quarterfinals within the Olympics is a big deal. I received very near it, shedding within the spherical of 16. I’m simply comfortable that I had that chance. In fact, I’d have beloved to take the match. It simply wasn’t attainable. Perhaps on the subsequent Olympics, I hope I can go a step additional and make the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. And about Monica, we’ve talked typically. I used to be really in the identical room as her in Rio when she gained the Olympics gold. I’m her fan. I hope I could be like her someday.

How massive are the World Cup in Macao in April and World Championships in Doha for you personally?

I believe each occasion is necessary, however particularly World Championships and World Cup. It’s much more as a result of, , it’s these occasions you actually need to stand out. You actually need to take it and win.

You might be fairly common for these ‘no-look pictures’ and chop blocks. You tried it within the match in opposition to Syndrela Das within the second spherical. Is it a go-to ability in your repertoire?

Actually? I didn’t know. I like to do this as a result of I would like the individuals watching to benefit from the match. My coaches aren’t comfortable typically, as a result of these pictures make them nervous (laughs).

That mentioned, if there are individuals watching my matches, I’m going to attempt to do one thing cool in order that they will simply benefit from the match. That’s simply my recreation.

How do you see the progress of girls gamers in India?

I’ve performed with Sreeja (Akula), Ayhika (Mukherjee), Sutirtha (Mukherjee) and Manika (Batra). They’re all nice gamers, actually. The pimples (rubbers) are very onerous to handle and it’s additionally very onerous for them to regulate it. I actually respect them for that. Take a look at Manika. She’s been on the high for a few years. Sreeja is rising via the ranks now. Few others have additionally completed that. Desk tennis in India is nice and I hope that India can proceed this tradition with the game.

You’re keen on languages. English, Spanish and Mandarin. How did you decide them up?

I do know Mandarin. I can perceive the language since I’ve been travelling to China since I used to be eight years outdated. I by no means studied the language… it’s simply that I’ve heard it rather a lot.

You had been a part of the Waldner Cup, the exhibition event in December 2024. You performed for Workforce World in opposition to Workforce Asia. How was the expertise?

When the organisers reached out to be to play the Waldner Cup and informed me the gamers participating — Manika Batra, Ma Lengthy, Truls Moregardh, and Hugo Calderano — I didn’t hesitate. And it was among the finest weekends of my life. It felt like a faculty journey with mates. Everybody needed to win, however we simply had enjoyable.

What does it take to be on the planet’s high 10 and and break the Asian stronghold?

If I knew, I’d have completed it already. Should you enter the world’s high 10, there are 5 Chinese language and 5 Japanese gamers. I believe they simply have a giant tradition in desk tennis. They know what to do.