[女娃]Chakvetadze takes the psychological approach
By Simon Baskett
MADRID (Reuters) - Anna Chakvetadze, the latest woman to
emerge from the Russian tennis production line, says her
time as a psychology student has helped her to break into
the top 10 this year.
"I studied psychology at university, although I've not yet
finished. At first I thought it was boring but it got more
and more interesting when I started to read the books and
it definitely helps me when I'm playing," she told Reuters
at a promotional event.
"It helps you prepare properly for the match and when I'm
playing I try to think about the next point and not the
last one. I also make a point of fighting all the time as
it puts pressure on your opponent when they see you don't
want to give them any free points.
"For me it is important not just in sport but in life in
general."
Chakvetadze started the year outside the top 10, but four
tour titles and a debut grand slam semi-final appearance at
the U.S. Open have helped the 20-year-old to rise to number
six.
BEST SEASON
Her performances earned her a place in the season-ending
WTA Championships in Madrid for the first time. She fell at
the semi-final stage to compatriot Maria Sharapova but
showed plenty of evidence of the talent that is likely to
make her a fixture in the top 10.
"It is definitely my best season but I've still got plenty
of room to improve my tennis and my ranking," she said.
The Moscow-born player, who is one of six Russians in the
world's top 15 and a member of the country's victorious Fed
Cup team, admits she took up tennis only because she was
desperate to find an excuse to give up piano lessons.
"I started with piano and I didn't like it and when I
started with tennis I really liked it," she said. "One day
I said to my parents I wanted to stop piano and just play
tennis. I was just eight years old and I had to stop one of
the two.
"My parents were playing a little bit and my mum was
watching tennis on TV and she really liked it and she said
'Why don't you try tennis and if you like it you can
continue it'.
"My parents never pushed me and that's good because if kids
don't want to do something like that they shouldn't have to
do it. My mum pushed me for piano and because I didn't like
it I'm not playing right now.
"Maybe if I had started a little later I would be a good
piano player but it didn't happen and I'm pleased I'm a
good tennis player."
SWITCH OFF
Her determination and strength of character were evident in
her victory over world number three Jelena Jankovic in her
final round-robin match in Madrid.
She won the first set 6-4, then lost seven games in a row
to trail 1-0 in the third but hung on to clinch the decider
6-3 and book her place in the semi-finals.
One thing she believes helps her to keep her focus is the
fact that she can switch off from the sport when she is not
on the circuit.
"My friends who I grew up with have nothing to do with
tennis," she said. "They don't know the sport and that
makes things easier when I go home. We just go out and
because they don't really follow the sport we can talk
about anything except tennis.
"During the summer I relax and stay fit by playing soccer
in the garden with my friends and my little brother who is
nine. You need that sort of freedom."
(Editing by Clare Fallon)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/tennisNews/idUKL1137603320071113?pageNumber=1
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