Interview Galfi: ‘I came here with no expectations’

After a successful junior season, Dalma Galfi has had a bumpy road in her professional career. The now 25-year-old Hungarian hopes to use this summit week as a springboard to a longer heyday.

Libéma Open has played an important role in your career for years. You made your WTA debut there as a top talent in 2016. What do you remember about that?
‘I got a wildcard then but know that at that point in my career I still pretty much hated grass tennis, haha. Since then, I’ve also always had a hard time being good right away in my first grass tournament of the season. But this year, I’ve been able to build some rhythm from the qualifiers and it’s going well.’

You beat the likes of Arantxa Rus and last year’s finalist Veronika Kudermetova this week. How does that feel?
‘Yes, not bad. I honestly came here with no expectations. I have suffered some nasty defeats after all. But important for me is that I can rely on my serve at the moment. Especially on grass, that helps a lot.’

You made a big impression in the juniors. In 2015, you were even the number one seed and won the US Open. How has the journey been for you to where you are now?
‘With a lot of ups and downs. At the beginning of my pro career, things went quite nicely and I reached 136th place. Everything went quite fast and, in hindsight, I was not mature enough to hold my own at that level. Then I had some tough years. In 2022, I was proud to enter the top 100. This week’s success helps me get close to that top100 again.’

Is that your main goal at the moment?
‘I’m a little less oriented on that now, because with that very thought I’ve been too busy. My main goal now is to try to enjoy the process. I think that attitude helps me.’

You’ve been at this tournament for quite a few years. What is typically Dutch for you?
‘The ‘stroopwafel’, haha. I like to treat myself to that after a win.’

Is there anything you would have liked to have known ten years ago?
‘That I should have appreciated junior time more. In hindsight, I think those are the best years of your career, the time too when you make friends.’

If you could travel to any point in world history, where would you go?
‘The 1970s or 1980s. When humanity was not so enthralled by technology and social media. That period strikes me as a beautiful time to live in.’

Is there a film you can watch over and over again?
‘Harry Potter, I’ve put that one on many times. I’ve never read the books, but I want to start doing that too.’

As a child, were you obsessed with anything other than tennis?
‘I was always dancing. To be specific: Acrobatic rock and roll. We would do that competitively in teams, where we all dressed up in fancy dresses. I had to stop doing it because it put too much strain on the joints and was therefore incompatible with tennis.’