New at The U: Estela Perez-Somarriba
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Estela Perez-Somarriba is one of three freshmen on the University of Miami women’s tennis team who have started their college careers this month.
Hailing from Madrid, Spain, Perez-Somarriba recently began her dream of living in a different country and is quite enthusiastic about her future at Miami, as she shares in an interview with HurricaneSports.com . . .
Q: You’re about a week into your time at Miami. How would you describe how it has been so far?
A: This is so exciting. I love the girls. We went shopping, we had to buy all the stuff for the room, and I love it. Also, I have started my classes and I love them all. The team, the atmosphere, I love it.
Q: How has it been different or similar to what you were expecting it to be like?
A: This is what I expected, but it is better than I expected because the coaches, the teammates and everyone is pushing you and they want the best for you. This is what I was looking for.
Q: What has been the hardest part of adjusting not just to college, but to living in a new country?
A: Well, the most difficult part for me maybe is that all my life I was with the same coaches and with my family. Although I traveled a lot, I love my home and I love my country. Here, I have . . . to do many things that before I didn’t have to. I love to travel and to [learn about] new cultures, so the most difficult thing maybe is being away from home.
Q: Are you excited, though, to get the new experience of living someplace else?
A: Yeah, so much so. All my life I dreamed of living in another country, especially in the U.S., and now I am here so that’s really exciting.
Q: Have you decided what you want to major in and, if so, how did you decide that?
A: Yeah, I have decided. Now I am doing economics, but I’m thinking I’m going to change it to finance because I love the business world and I want to found and own my own company or business after my tennis career. So, I’m so excited to study.
Q: How would you describe your style of play on the court?
A: I am so aggressive. I play with an offensive style and I think on the mental side I am very good. I think I’m mentally strong, so that’s very important, I think. That is a really good thing about me. I think I do my best every match and I do what the match asks of me.
Q: When you think back on your decision, what was it that made you feel like this was the place you wanted to go to school?
A: Well, after college I want to play in pro tournaments and I think Miami is the best place [to prepare me] for that because of the coaches and because of the girls. So, when I was a recruit, I was really focused on the tennis part. So, Miami is the best place for me.
Q: Is there anything academically that you’re most looking forward to for college?
A: People told me that Miami is one of the best universities [to get] a business degree from. So, that’s really important because I’m going to study that.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
