Colombia's Maria Camila Osorio Serrano has plenty of experience playing in the biggest tennis tournaments in the world.
But one thing—well, one person—has nonetheless left her starstruck over the course of a decorated junior career.
"Roger Federer [has been] my idol since I can remember, when I was six years old and started playing," the No. 4 seed said after beating American Katie Volynets in the juniors second round at the 2019 US Open on Wednesday. "The first time I saw him was two years ago at Wimbledon. I was looking for him for three days in the whole club. I was walking around [the day I was] playing, and I couldn't see him. I was like, 'I give up. If I see him, I'll ask for the picture.' I finished my match, I won, I took a shower and everything, and then when I was going out, he was just right there taking pictures with all the fans."
"I just started screaming and crying, and I just went back, like, 'Oh my god, Roger Federer is right there!'" she added. "I was like, 'Cami. Relax. Relax,' and I went back and I asked for the picture. The first picture that I took, I was crying, so I'm like, 'Now, I need to take another one.' The next year, last year, I saw him again in practice, but I said, 'No, it's fine. It's normal again,' because I'm going to see him again. Then I walked, and I saw him and I was shaking, like, 'Can I take a picture? You. Picture. Me?' He was so nice. He took the picture, and this one was better, much better."
Even though she's playing in her ninth junior Slam, the prospect of walking the same halls as the game's greats is all still surreal.
"Every time I see these idols for me, I loved them since I was like a kid, and now I see them and I can't believe it. But this year, I was focused," she said. "Like all the girls, I want to win the tournament, but I'm more focused on enjoying every match. It's my last tournament as a junior, so I have the last chance to enjoy every moment on the court. I just want to be relaxed and do my game."
The 17-year-old Colombian is looking to win her first Grand Slam title in New York in her final months of junior eligibilty, having reached the semifinals at the US Open last year and at Roland Garros this year. With top seed Emma Navarro and No. 2 seed Diane Parry already out of the draw, Osorio Serrano is one of the more experienced players who hopes to take advantage of a wide-open field.
A two-time champion on the ITF women's circuit this season, the teen boasts a WTA ranking of world No. 271, and thrilled her home fans this year by reaching the quarterfinals of a WTA event in Bogota in April, before losing to eventual champion Amanda Anisimova in three sets.
"That wasn't real. I still can't believe it," she recalled of her home heroics. "I played the first match against Conny Perrin, and I played against her a few years ago in the same WTA and I lost in two sets. This year, I was like, 'No, I need to win. I want to win.' I really wanted to play and win. Then, I played Kristie Ahn, and she did fourth round here, and I was like, "Oh my god, wow!' I still can't believe it.
"Then I played Anisimova, and of course, she's really good also. She won the tournament, so I was like, 'Yeah, I did a third set with her, so it's okay,'" she added with a grin.
"I'm just really proud of myself, and I really believe that I can do better," she continued. "I just need to work hard, and maybe one day, I can be here, playing these big tournaments as a pro. WTA is totally different. They know what they're doing. They never give up. They're always fighting every point, so you need to be focused every second. If you maybe lose a point, then you can lose five in a row. I think that's the big difference."
It's all a learning process for Osorio Serrano, who goes by "Cami," and is receiving guidance from former Top 50 player Alejandro Falla and other coaches back home.
Subscribing to the theory of progressing to the next level in her own time, the bubbly teenager has big dreams, but is keeping her feet on the ground as she approaches the next phase of her tennis career.
"[Players like] Anisimova, [Anastasia] Potapova, and all these girls, they start playing one year before me in the ITFs, pros, everything. I need to work on everything: my serve, forehand and backhand, [but also] the fitness part, my body, to get stronger and fitter. I think I did really well in this tournament [last year] because I was relaxed, wasn't focused on wins and was enjoying every match. That's why I'm like, 'I need to relax this tournament and just enjoy.' That's why I say that," she said.
"Right now, I'm here as a junior, but one day, maybe I can be here as a pro, so I already have the experience. You have the opportunity to play in these big courts, with all these people watching. I think it's really good for us, for the juniors, to have this tournament. Anisimova won this tournament two years ago, and now she did the semifinals in the French Open and everything. She already had that experience and I hope, one day, that I can be there."
While she chases her dreams in the Big Apple, the city that she says she "loves the most," plans to add to her celebrity selfie collection are on hold.
"At Roland Garros and this tournament, I said, 'I'm not going to take a picture. I'm going to be focused, be focused on [trying to] win the tournament because I'm going to be there one day, so it has to be normal for me," she said.
"Maybe, I will be like them for another kid, who'll be saying, 'Camila!' to take pictures. You never know."
