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Gabriela Sabatini Says Interview Anxiety Shaped Her Career and Hastened Her Early Retirement

Her newly detailed fear of post-match interviews explains why the former world No. 3 sometimes fell short of finals.

Overview

  • In a conversation on Agustín Creevy’s YouTube channel, Sabatini disclosed that fear of post-match interviews led her at times to lose semifinals to avoid speaking.
  • She said the pressure of media exposure was a factor that kept her from the top spot, noting she peaked at No. 3 in 1989.
  • Explaining her 1996 retirement at 26, she said she was mentally exhausted despite feeling physically strong.
  • She recounted years of work with sports psychologists to address extreme shyness, on-court emotions, and media obligations.
  • Reflecting on the era’s scrutiny, she said press criticism weighed on her and expressed relief that she did not have to navigate social networks then.