ZARAZUA Renata

General
MENTAL PREPARATION
She says she has focused on sports psychology as a tool to develop her as an athlete. "The mental game and mental health play a big role in the sport. Once you can control your mind, everything else flows. I'm still in the process of getting mentally stronger and reading about this subject is one of the things that has been helping me. I also read athlete blogs and I find that most of what the athletes think and share is that if you work hard and do the right things, then your time will come sooner or later. They all share the same thoughts in different ways, so you just have to find the best way to learn it so it works for you." (itftennis.com, 11 May 2021)

GRANT
She has been a recipient of a grant through the International Tennis Federation [ITF] Grand Slam Development Fund since 2017. "The financial assistance has been very helpful. I have been able to cover my expenses when I travel and I can always have my coach, or my mum or dad, with me as opposed to travelling alone. This makes a huge difference and is motivation for me to keep working hard and to get better results. Being able to travel with my team is so important, and we can make better choices when it comes to planning trips. Before, the first consideration was always the budget. The assistance has meant less travelling and fewer decisions based on money. Not having to think about money so much has allowed me to focus on my game. I don't think it is a coincidence that I have been at my highest ranking these past few years [speaking in 2020]." (itftennis.com, 11 May 2021, 20 Mar 2020)