Arantxa Sánchez, who won four Grand Slam singles titles, six Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, competed in an exhibition match last month in Paris after the finals of the Boys and Girls 13 and under cohort of the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament.
She was accompanied by fellow Spaniard and former men's top tennis ace Àlex Corretja and brand ambassadors of Longines, tennis power couple Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.
Corretja and Sánchez also found time to speak to the youngsters about fine tuning their game and what it takes to reach the pinnacle of one's tennis career.
In an exclusive interview with Muse, Sánchez spoke candidly on a diverse number of issues close to her heart.
We began by asking the 47-year-old mother of two why she felt it was necessary to stage tournaments for up-and-coming tennis stars, such as the aforementioned, which come with all the trimmings of a grand slam event.
"Firstly, it is a great experience for these kids, because there are not many of these type of tournaments around. When you are young, the transition from junior to professional is often not the smoothest, so you need tournaments like these to prepare yourself.
"These events are special because they give you the opportunity to compete with opponents of the same age that come from different countries. They are in this tournament because they are the best of the best in tennis from their respective country. What makes it all the more special is that this tournament is held during Roland-Garros, and just like it takes place under the Eiffel Tower.
"It is a privilege and unique opportunity for the players. I am happy to see them play, give them some advice and give them an opportunity to help them improve their game. It is always my desire to see these players one day reach the success in tennis that I had. Maybe even come back to win the French Open three times like I did [smiles]," remarked the former tennis superstar.
Sánchez said she turned professional at the tender age of 13 going on 14, so she was thrust into the limelight much earlier than most players. In retrospect, she has no regrets that it panned out the way it did for her.
The positive aspects outweigh the negative ones, as she explained: "What a wonderful career I had! To tell you the truth, when I was younger I did not expect how good my life as a tennis pro was going to be. I did my best, I worked hard. I am very thankful for the people that were on my side, helped me improve, taught me the importance of listening to my trainer, of practising and always having a positive attitude towards what was expected of me. I believe this combination helped me be a better player."
When asked to pick three of her dearest career milestones, she named the 1989 French Open, where she made her Roland-Garros debut at 17 years of age, ultimately winning the tournament by beating arch rival Steffi Graf.
"It was really special, because I was the youngest player to win this event, and the first Spanish player, male or female, to win the French Open.
"Second, I suppose, was when I won the US Open in 1994, again against Steffi Graf, in a three set finale. And the third milestone was becoming No.1 in the world between 1994/95; this was extra special because I managed to accomplish this feat in both singles and doubles."
Sharing her view on just how different it is to be ranked No.1 in the world today, Sánchez remarked: "In each generation being No.1 in the world comes with its challenges. Players in my era were very strong and equally talented. I had to battle against the likes of not just Steffi Graf and Monica Seles, but a string of others. To be the best of the best you had to win and beat everyone. I am very happy to have played during that period.
"Today is different, I would say. The top spot is more open for players to snatch as long as they are consistent, especially after Serena [Williams] had a baby. While it is easier to top the WTA ranking today, you still need to go the extra mile in terms of perseverance and dedication to get there."
