GRAN CANARIA, July 31, 2024
Jil Teichmann has a special connection to Spain. The daughter of Swiss parents, she grew up in Barcelona after Jacques and Regula Teichmann fell in love with the metropolis on the Mediterranean during their honeymoon and decided to stay there. The 27-year-old has spent most of her life in Spain. Although Teichmann returned to Switzerland at age 14, four years later she went back to Barcelona for practice.
This week, Teichmann is competing in the ITF W100 DISA Gran Canaria. In her opening match on Wednesday, the World No. 214 rallied past Victoria Kan of Russia 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“It was tough today. We both played well and only small things made the difference,” Teichmann said after the first-round battle, which lasted two hours and 44 minutes.
First-time visit to Gran Canaria
Surprisingly, this is her visit to the Gran Canaria. “It’s very nice here,” Teichmann said. “Two times we went out for dinner to Meloneras. The sunset is beautiful. I have been here for two days now and I am really enjoying my time so far.”
Meloneras, located in the southern part of Gran Canaria, is one of the island’s most enchanting spots. It’s the perfect place to unwind and enjoy yourself. One can take a leisurely stroll along the expansive promenade, jog by the sea, or savor the finest after-dinner drinks with breathtaking views.
“I heard that all of the Canary Islands are different. You have good weather and good food. That’s what I need to be happy. I think that I will be back for holidays,” said Teichmann, eager to explore more of the archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
“My family lives in Switzerland. We travel a lot and so I can’t really tell you where I am based. I love Biel. A lot of people say that it’s not that nice there. But I think it’s great. The city is situated next to the lake. I went to school there and have a lot of friends there.”
In what language do her thoughts revolve? “It’s a mixture of German, Spanish and English. The worst part is on court. It depends on whatever comes out first. It’s difficult to explain,” said Teichmann, who captured her first two titles on the WTA Tour in Palermo and Prague five years ago. In 2022, she advanced to the fourth round of the French Open at Roland Garros, reaching a career-high Ranking of World No. 22.
“I had a bad year last season. I lost many close matches in the third set. In February this year I had to deal with a back injury,” Teichmann said. “Unfortunately, many things came together. But now I am on my comeback trail. I played many smaller tournaments, went through different situations and I am slowly building up.”
And what are Teichmann’s goals for the rest of 2024? “To win as many matches as possible,” she said.
Top two seeds from Spain advance
Meanwhile, the top two seeds of the ITF W100 DISA Gran Canaria have both booked their spots in the second round. No. 1 seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who finished runner-up to Julia Grabher in Maspalomas last year, remained untroubled in her first-round match. The World No. 77 beat Italy’s Camilla Rosatello 6-0, 6-1 in one hour and seven minutes. Bouzas Maneiro will next play Seone Mendez of Australia.
Earlier, Marino Bassols Ribera cruised past Belgian wild card entry Ysaline Bonaventure 6-1, 6-0 in only 46 minutes. The No. 2 seed will next take on Dutch qualifier Demi Tran.
Fourth favourite Nuria Parrizas-Diaz of Spain, who was previously successful in Gran Canaria in winning a ITF W25 tournament in the capital city of Las Palmas five years ago, defeated Amandine Hesse of France 6-2, 6-4
“The first match is always difficult and my opponent played better in the second but I tried to stay focused at every point,” Parrizas-Diaz said. Up next for the World No. 144 will be Italian teenager Giorgia Pedone.
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