I don’t think too much about the rankings’

In an exclusive chat, world No 2 Zvonareva says unlike others who want to be the top seed her focus is on staying healthy & fit and that’ll take care of her standing on the WTA.

World No 2 Vera Zvonareva may have missed topping the world ranking this year by a whisker, but she has surely emerged as the biggest surprises of 2010, especially after a career-damaging sequence of injuries last year.

 

The 26-year-old Muscovite reached two Grand Slam finals this year and had pouched some notable victims twice each. The names include world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki, US Open champion Kim Clijsters and former World No 1 Jelena Jankovic.

Known for her stirring presence on the court as well as emotional and even volatile temperament. One of the most aggressive players Копия-1 when it comes to striking the ball with exceptional speed and high-tempered gesture, she admits that she has now matured as a player.

“I think I have just matured and feel more comfortable and confident in my own skin now. I am always going to be an emotional player. Simply because that is how I am, but I also will never give up and not fight.”

“Just because I get mad doesn’t mean I am not trying,” she adds.

Zvonareva’s career has been a constant battle between injuries and unexpected loss of titles. It looked as if she habitually ran out of luck in the finals.

She, however, doesn’t agree.
“If you are referring to my two Grand Slam finals this year I think I just ran into some women who played very well those days. I don’t think I showed my best but that was partly due to their high level of play.

“Of course, I am disappointed that I wasn’t able to win either of those matches, but now I have been there and hopefully I can improve on those results,” she says. As per the current rankings Vera is the world’s second-best player, but topping the list is not on her priority list for 2011.

“Everyone wants to get to No 1 in the world but I don’t think too much about the rankings. I try to focus on improving and working hard to stay healthy and fit. The rankings will take care of themselves,” she clarifies.

Hard court being her favourite, Vera is attached to Wimbledon for some special reason. “I prefer hard courts but I really like Wimbledon especially since it is the venue where I reached my first Grand Slam singles final. It is surely a special place and a special event.”

‘Exciting nadal’
She has a special admiration for the current men’s World No1 and that’s surely with a reason. “I really admire Rafael Nadal.
He is the guy who works so hard and puts 110 per cent into every shot and every match. He is exciting to watch and great for the game."

Vera hails from a family where no one else had played tennis. A daughter of an Olympic hockey bronze medallist, it was her mother who got her into the sport. “I played field hockey for fun and some other sports like football but my mom put me in tennis when I was six years old. She knew I liked sports and tennis was becoming more popular then," she recalls.

After graduating from the Russian State Academy of Physical Education and now progressing to a second degree in international economic relations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry for Foreign, Vera wants to continue studying apart from playing tennis.

 

Avinash.Rajput@timesgroup.com

Posted On Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 11:42:17 PM

www.bangaloremirror.com