I said to Svetlana Kuznetsova that I wanted to do a blog piece on her and then asked her to give me the beginning.
Sveta smiled: “Just say … ‘I’m back’.”
So there you have it Svetlana Kuznetsova is on the road...
I said to Svetlana Kuznetsova that I wanted to do a blog piece on her and then asked her to give me the beginning.
Sveta smiled: “Just say … ‘I’m back’.”
So there you have it Svetlana Kuznetsova is on the road to placing herself among the best players in the world. The 27 year old Russian reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and it is her first “quality finish” at a Slam since the 2011 French Open.
“Well, if you would ask me before coming to Australia I would say I would laugh, definitely, but I wouldn't be so sure about it,” she said about her rally. “I think tournament of Sydney helped me a lot because I had few matches. I have been working hard, but still I didn't have much time to do what I like to do with my fitness condition and everything else.
“Yeah, it's amazing. It's my best result. I have been two times to quarterfinals, so I'm just kind of replaying that. It's very good result for first tournament, for first Grand Slam, and especially I don't remember when I was in quarters.”
When Svetlana laughs you just can’t help yourself but laugh with her. She has an infectious laugh and with that you realize she is one of the nicest people in tennis. You can’t help but like her and she is very popular amongst her peers. But probably in the second half of 2012 there would not have been that much laughing from her as she was forced to hang up the racquets and grip onto crutches.
“I never had a thought of stopping tennis. I was just laying in bed, and I was like, thanks my knee. At least I can rest, you know,” she said. “When the knee was sore it was so annoying to walk with the crutches all day long. I went to Thailand, I went to Bali, on the beach with crutches, all day long, and I had blisters on my hands.
“This was the most annoying thing, and then recovery. But anyway, I had time home and just refresh my mind, and then I just understood that I want to play this game. I mean, I always loved it, but I wanted to have this desire to bring me back; this is what happened.”
In one sense the break was a blessing for her because she was able to get time to herself and to do things that for the last ten year had not been possible with all the training and travel that came with playing on the tennis circuit. She had time for friends and family and that all assisted in recharging batteries.
Difficult times help make you appreciate the great moments and her love for tennis was emphasized. You want those times to come back and because of that she kept her focus.
“It’s a good experience if you can go through them,” Svetlana said. “When you play over and over every year the same tournament, the same players, it’s quite difficult. But still, this is a game. This is what we face. I’m just happy to be where I am right now.
“I never feel sick of the game because I love tennis a lot. I have been sick of the travelling, I’m like the judge now talking to you guys but I never hated tennis. I love tennis and I enjoy tennis. I have not been missing it at all; now I’m back I feel fresh and I feel like I want to play.
“It took me time to realize that I really love tennis. I did know that I love tennis but to feel like I really wanted to play and work … I take it really slowly.”
The two time Grand Slam winner wants to improve every day, that’s the goal but doesn’t set numbers. Definitely she “wants to be in the top because this is what I am here for”.
“With my game I can achieve anything,” Svetlana said. “My time is not to stop yet.”
Just as Sveta said at the beginning, “I’m back.” That’s good for women’s tennis.
