Around the World with Women's Tennis: Marta Falceto
May 01, 2020 | Women's Tennis
Seven athletes who call four countries home make up the Mississippi State women's tennis team roster. Their cultures may be vastly different, but they're all united by one common theme; their love for tennis and Mississippi State University.
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The following is a glimpse into freshman Marta Falceto's life in Zaragoza, Spain.
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In her first season in Starkville, Falceto owned a 14-10 record in singles, including a 7-4 ledger in dual matches at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. Falceto paired up with senior Sara Lizariturry in doubles and the duo led the team with a .714 overall win percentage and posted an 8-2 ledger in dual match play.
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What is the weather and landscape like in Zaragoza, Spain?
MF: "In my city, the weather is pretty extreme. In the summer, it's very hot and dry. In the winter, it's very cold and windy. There are four different seasons, but summer and winter are both very extreme. There are a lot of different environments including mountains, beaches, forests and islands. That's the thing about Spain – there's a lot of things from mountains to beaches."
What language do most people in Spain speak?
MF: "In Spain, the main language is Spanish. In some of the regions, there are different languages, like Catalán, Casque and Galician. I speak Spanish and English. I studied French for four years, but I don't speak it fluently."
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What is your favorite Spanish dish to eat?
MF: "My favorite typical Spanish meal is called omelet or a potato omelet. It's just an omelet made of potatoes and eggs. That's pretty much it. It's my favorite dish."
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What restaurant in Starkville is closest to the food you eat back home?
MF: "There is one place, but it's not exactly similar to my country. It's a Venezuelan restaurant in Starkville called Arepas. It's more Venezuelan or Spanish American food. It reminds me of my country because it's a Spanish environment, although the food is a little bit different."
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Describe the feeling you had when you signed to play collegiate tennis in the United States.
MF: "Until the last moment, I wasn't 100 percent sure about coming to the United States. I committed one month before moving to Starkville. It was all of a sudden, but I was very excited. Once I signed, I couldn't wait to get here and start a new experience. When I got to the U.S., I was looking around at the university and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I really like it."
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Why did you choose Mississippi State? What does it mean to you to be a Bulldog?
MF: "I was talking to several different schools, but I had a special person that helped me choose Mississippi State. Sara {Lizariturry} is another Spanish girl on the team. She and my sister were friends before they both went to college. When MSU contacted me and told me they had a tennis player from Spain, I talked to Sara. She told me about the people at the university, the coaches, the staff and the university in general. After we talked, I really thought it was the best option for me. Everything she told me about the university, that's what convinced me. Right now, being a Bulldog means a lot. I've only been on the team for a year, but I already feel like it's my second home. They're my second family. With everything that I've experienced this year, I couldn't be happier to have chosen MSU."
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Describe the transition to life in United States, both on the court and in everyday life.
MF: "One of the most challenging things was speaking another language that I was not used to every day. Understanding the lectures during the first weeks of school was a bit challenging. After a few weeks, I got used to it. It was a very different environment. The culture is different. You're all alone and far away from home, but at the same time you find a lot of people there that are always trying to help you and be there for you. It's like your second family in Starkville. Even though its difficult being away from home, all the people that I have in Starkville helped me adapt to the situation and it feels like home now. On the court, I've learned that college tennis is very different than ITF in the way that people cheer for each other and we compete as a team. The environment is much different. In the professional circle, everything is much quieter, and in collegiate tennis, it's way more energetic and everyone is cheering for each other. I like it."
Describe your family dynamic back home.
MF: "I have one older sister. She is 22. She went to a school in Florida and played college tennis. She graduated last May, and now she's starting a Ph.D. program. Both of my parents live and work in Spain. My father used to be a coach, and he is the reason why my sister and I started playing tennis. My mom played a little but mostly for fun. The whole family has been around tennis." Where is your favorite place to go in Spain?
MF: "The main cities are Barcelona and Madrid. They're some of my favorite ones. There are some islands that I haven't visited much, but they are some of my favorite places in Spain. They are islands with beautiful beaches and a lot of tourist attractions."
What holidays do you celebrate?
MF: "In my family, we've always celebrated Christmas together. In the summer, we always plan a trip with my parents and my sister. The four of us travel sometimes around Spain, but usually away from Spain. Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. We try to go to different areas to get to know other countries and places."
If you were trying to get someone to move to Spain, how would you convince them?
MF: "One of the best things about Spain is the food. The food in Spain is very natural and there's a lot of variety. It's not as expensive as it is in some other countries. You can have a great meal in any city that won't be as expensive as it may be in America, for example. Spain also has a lot of variety in terms of the environment. There's a lot beaches, a lot mountains as well as big cities. In the North, you can find forests and a lot of nature. Those are some of the best things about Spain."
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The following is a glimpse into freshman Marta Falceto's life in Zaragoza, Spain.
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In her first season in Starkville, Falceto owned a 14-10 record in singles, including a 7-4 ledger in dual matches at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. Falceto paired up with senior Sara Lizariturry in doubles and the duo led the team with a .714 overall win percentage and posted an 8-2 ledger in dual match play.
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What is the weather and landscape like in Zaragoza, Spain?
MF: "In my city, the weather is pretty extreme. In the summer, it's very hot and dry. In the winter, it's very cold and windy. There are four different seasons, but summer and winter are both very extreme. There are a lot of different environments including mountains, beaches, forests and islands. That's the thing about Spain – there's a lot of things from mountains to beaches."
What language do most people in Spain speak?MF: "In Spain, the main language is Spanish. In some of the regions, there are different languages, like Catalán, Casque and Galician. I speak Spanish and English. I studied French for four years, but I don't speak it fluently."
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What is your favorite Spanish dish to eat?
MF: "My favorite typical Spanish meal is called omelet or a potato omelet. It's just an omelet made of potatoes and eggs. That's pretty much it. It's my favorite dish."
Â
What restaurant in Starkville is closest to the food you eat back home?
MF: "There is one place, but it's not exactly similar to my country. It's a Venezuelan restaurant in Starkville called Arepas. It's more Venezuelan or Spanish American food. It reminds me of my country because it's a Spanish environment, although the food is a little bit different."
Â
Describe the feeling you had when you signed to play collegiate tennis in the United States.
MF: "Until the last moment, I wasn't 100 percent sure about coming to the United States. I committed one month before moving to Starkville. It was all of a sudden, but I was very excited. Once I signed, I couldn't wait to get here and start a new experience. When I got to the U.S., I was looking around at the university and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I really like it."
Â
Why did you choose Mississippi State? What does it mean to you to be a Bulldog?
MF: "I was talking to several different schools, but I had a special person that helped me choose Mississippi State. Sara {Lizariturry} is another Spanish girl on the team. She and my sister were friends before they both went to college. When MSU contacted me and told me they had a tennis player from Spain, I talked to Sara. She told me about the people at the university, the coaches, the staff and the university in general. After we talked, I really thought it was the best option for me. Everything she told me about the university, that's what convinced me. Right now, being a Bulldog means a lot. I've only been on the team for a year, but I already feel like it's my second home. They're my second family. With everything that I've experienced this year, I couldn't be happier to have chosen MSU."
Â
Describe the transition to life in United States, both on the court and in everyday life.
MF: "One of the most challenging things was speaking another language that I was not used to every day. Understanding the lectures during the first weeks of school was a bit challenging. After a few weeks, I got used to it. It was a very different environment. The culture is different. You're all alone and far away from home, but at the same time you find a lot of people there that are always trying to help you and be there for you. It's like your second family in Starkville. Even though its difficult being away from home, all the people that I have in Starkville helped me adapt to the situation and it feels like home now. On the court, I've learned that college tennis is very different than ITF in the way that people cheer for each other and we compete as a team. The environment is much different. In the professional circle, everything is much quieter, and in collegiate tennis, it's way more energetic and everyone is cheering for each other. I like it."
Describe your family dynamic back home.MF: "I have one older sister. She is 22. She went to a school in Florida and played college tennis. She graduated last May, and now she's starting a Ph.D. program. Both of my parents live and work in Spain. My father used to be a coach, and he is the reason why my sister and I started playing tennis. My mom played a little but mostly for fun. The whole family has been around tennis." Where is your favorite place to go in Spain?
MF: "The main cities are Barcelona and Madrid. They're some of my favorite ones. There are some islands that I haven't visited much, but they are some of my favorite places in Spain. They are islands with beautiful beaches and a lot of tourist attractions."
What holidays do you celebrate?
MF: "In my family, we've always celebrated Christmas together. In the summer, we always plan a trip with my parents and my sister. The four of us travel sometimes around Spain, but usually away from Spain. Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. We try to go to different areas to get to know other countries and places."
If you were trying to get someone to move to Spain, how would you convince them?
MF: "One of the best things about Spain is the food. The food in Spain is very natural and there's a lot of variety. It's not as expensive as it is in some other countries. You can have a great meal in any city that won't be as expensive as it may be in America, for example. Spain also has a lot of variety in terms of the environment. There's a lot beaches, a lot mountains as well as big cities. In the North, you can find forests and a lot of nature. Those are some of the best things about Spain."
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