For tennis fans, the WTA’s week in Madrid is a time to handicap the field as it heads into the French Open. For WTA Rising Star Donna Vekic, the Mutua Madrid Open is an extra special spot on her schedule, as it puts her just 20 minutes from the home of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, her favorite football team.

“It’s really lucky that we have a tournament in Madrid, so whenever I’m there I always try to go if I’m not playing,” Vekic told WTA Insider.

“My whole family has been fans since Davor Suker played for Real Madrid. There’s a picture of me as a three year old in his kit!”

Growing up watching Real Madrid matches, the talented teenager attended her first in the Spanish capital only a few years ago, but enjoyed the added bonus of getting to tour their home arena, the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

“Their facilities are really good and it was nice to see it from the inside. I guess we can say it’s a little bit bigger than most tennis stadiums!”

Coached by countrywoman and 1997 French Open champion Iva Majoli, Vekic soldiered through a sophomore season following a maiden WTA title in 2014, where she upset Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova to win in Kuala Lumpur. The Croat nonetheless enjoyed her share of highlights despite a few disappointments, taking out fellow WTA Rising Star Caroline Garcia en route to her best Grand Slam finish at the French Open and ending the season with a second Tashkent Open final – having reached her first in 2012 at just 16 years old.

Trying to shine in an individual sport, the now 19 year old admits to sometimes envying the team structure so familiar to her as a football fan.

“In tennis you’re always on your own on the court, whereas in football you have another 10 players with you. You win as a team and you lose as a team. It’s all about you in singles, which is great when you win, but when you lose you can’t say, ‘oh, it’s because someone else missed that shot!'”

With the 2015 season behind her, Vekic jumped at the chance to become an honorary member of Real Madrid as it takes on the Futbol Club Barcelona in a match-up known as El Clásico on November 21.

Joining a cadre of elite athletes and celebrities that includes Adrian Peterson, Klay Thompson, and Weston Peick, the WTA Rising Star contributed a short clip of herself cheering on her team wearing a t-shirt with #HalaMadrid emblazoned across the front.

“I watch most of their matches and I feel so honored to participate in something like this! It’s all so exciting!”

As one who plays a sport famous for its tranquility, Vekic advised those tuning in for El Clásico for the first time to expect a high-octane environment – on and off the field.

“It’s obviously a lot louder [than tennis matches]. The atmosphere is always amazing and I think the fans are a little bit crazier than in tennis, too.”

The Croat will likely be glued to the screen on Saturday for what she considered a must-watch event.

“If I’m not going be there, I will definitely be in front of the TV! It’s such a big sports event that you have to watch it – even if you maybe aren’t even a fan.

“But for me… Hala Madrid!!”

Check out Vekic’s appearance in the #HalaMadrid video below: