Daria Kasatkina Discusses Off-Court Projects After Reaching Roland Garros Second Week - UBITENNIS
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Daria Kasatkina Discusses Off-Court Projects After Reaching Roland Garros Second Week

Daria Kasatkina discussed sharing her personal life after reaching the second week at Roland Garros.

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Daria Kasatkina (@RelevantTennis - Twitter)

Daria Kasatkina discusses filming her life on the tour as she reached the fourth round at Roland Garros.

 

It was a comfortable afternoon at the office for Daria Kasatkina as she thrashed Peyton Stearns 6-0 6-1 to reach the last 16 in Paris.

The world number nine broke on six occasions as she was clinical in her 57 minute victory that sees her into the second week at Roland Garros for the third time.

Speaking after the match Kasatkina spoke about how happy she was with her level and spoke about her biggest strength which is her speed, “Well, yeah, definitely I played a very good match,” Kasatkina said in her press conference.

“After this moment I just realized I just know exactly what I have to do. You know, it happens sometimes that the match goes one way, but I think the level was pretty high, and I’m just happy that I was able to close the match and take all my chances.

“Well, I have to be quick because I’m not that powerful like many girls. Physically I’m not that gifted, so I have to be quick. I have to find ways how
to win, how to survive. Yes, that’s why. So I have to do it with my legs, with the brain, and try to squeeze the maximum I can.”

Kasatkina was on great form today as she looks to defend the semi-final points that she won last year.

The world number nine was also asked about her off-pitch projects including a vlog that she does with her girlfriend.

Last year’s semi-finalist admitted she likes to be creative and felt comfortable about revealing her off-court life a long time ago, “I like it, to be honest. I like to create things. I like to do this kind of thing,” Kasatkina said about a potential career after tennis.

“Also, I would like to do charity stuff. I want to help young athletes. Let’s see where and how because now it’s very — you know, the situation in the world sucks, so let’s see.

“But, yeah, I want to help and maybe to do something that’s creative. As you said, in the media, because I realize that actually I like to be in front of the cameras especially, but not the photo shoots. Photo shoots I hate. It’s not my thing at all. I enjoy, like, video, like natural things.

“Actually, I always was pretty comfortable to share things and everything. Just grow up a little bit, I become more open, got a bit fixed with my head. Yeah, that’s it. I was actually always pretty open and not a very closed person, let’s say.

“For me it’s more fun. This is how I get away a little bit from the pressure thinking about the matches and everything, so I’m taking it as a little bit of not distraction; distraction in a good way. Like a little bit of an art thing.

“We like to do these things, especially the feedback from the people, from the fans, it looks good. They like it. We’re going to try to do more and more to implement maybe, I was thinking to maybe interview some of the chair umpires because it’s going to be very interesting.

“I was thinking to talk with Amelie Mauresmo here. So, Amelie, if you are listening to this, maybe we can arrange something. It’s going to be fun.

“Yeah, because all these parts are always behind the scenes. Nobody knows about it. 95% of the fans, they see us as tennis players on the tennis court, and they don’t know who we are outside of the court and how we live and what’s going on, actually, behind the doors, behind the tennis court doors.

“I think it’s nice. If I would be, for example, the fan of some sport, I would definitely like to see more about it, more about the personalities of the players.”

As Kasatkina continues to grow the sport with her vlog and enjoy the more creative side to life, the ninth seed will hope her off-court projects helps her relax and positively impacts her tennis.

Next for Kasatkina will play a rejuvenated Elina Svitolina on Sunday.

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Asian Games Champion Qinwen Zheng Reveals Shock Departure Of Coach Fissette

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Image via https://twitter.com/WTA_insider

China’s Qinwen Zheng says she feels ‘hurt’ by the decision of her former coach to end their collaboration in order to work with another player. 

 

The US Open quarter-finalist had been working with Belgium’s Wim Fissette in recent weeks following the departure of Pere Riba who is now the coach of Coco Gauff. Fissette has a wealth of experience in women’s tennis after working with the likes of Kim Clijsters and Naomi Osaka. However, Zheng says she is now looking for a new mentor.

“I understand his decision, but my family and I feel hurt. Right now I don’t want to talk about this person (Fissette),’ journalist Bendou Zhang quoted her as saying. 

Fissette is yet to comment on his departure. He had previously coached former world No.1 Osaka between 2019-2022 and during this period she won two of her four Grand Slam titles. The American-based Japanese player is on maternity leave from the sport and gave birth to her first child in July.

20-year-old Zheng is currently ranked 23rd in the world and won her maiden WTA title in Palermo earlier this year. She is the youngest player from her country to have reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam in the Open Era following her run at Flushing Medows. This year she has beaten top 10 players Ons Jabeur and Daria Kasatkina. 

Zheng’s latest career milestone is winning gold at the Asian Games on Friday. in the final, she defeated Zhu Lin 6-2, 6-4, in the blistering Hangzhou heat.

“The feeling was incredible,” Zheng said. “I’m really happy about that. That was not an easy match today and also yesterday (in semifinal against Alex Eala). All of them are good fighters.”

It is not clear who Zheng will be working with during the Asian swing. 

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Daria Kasatkina Criticises Decision To Not Use Roof At Sweltering Pan Pacific Open

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Daria Kasatkina has taken a swipe at organizers at the Toray Pan Pacific Open for not using the roof to cover their premier court on Thursday due to the heat. 

 

The Russian played her second round match against Despina Papamichail in temperatures around 30 degrees with the humidity making it feel even warmer. Kasatkina battled to a 6-4, 6-4, win after spending more than two hours on the court. She dropped serve four times in the match but managed to break Papamichail seven times en route to victory. 

Speaking on the court following his latest tour win, the world No.13 admitted that she struggled in the conditions and implied that she believed the roof should have been closed to shield the players from the sun. Tokyo, which is where the tournament is staged, has experienced a record-breaking number of ‘extremely hot’ days this year with their autumn season being warmer than usual. Something that some warn could be a more regular occurrence due to climate change.

“We cannot do much about it. We are using the ice towels and some supplements to keep you hydrated. By at the end, you cannot fight with something you cannot control,” Kasatkina commented on the conditions during her on-court interview.
“I think in these kinds of conditions, if you have a roof, better maybe to close it. If you have these opportunities, better to use it than to make players almost die on the field.” She added. 

Kasatkina is through to her seventh Tour quarter-final of the season. Awaiting her in the next round will be second seed Jessica Pegula who beat Spain’s Cristina Bucșa 6-1, 6-2, in her second round match on Wednesday. It will be only the second Tour meeting between the two players and their first on a hard court. 

Elsewhere in Tokyo, another player to reach the last eight in France’s Caroline Garcia who beat Anhelina Kahlinina 6-4, 6-3. Meanwhile, Anastasia Pavlychenkova defeated Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. 

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Barbora Krejcikova Does The Double In San Jose

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After what has been a challenging past few weeks on the Tour, Barbora Krejcikova has returned to the winner’s circle by claiming both the singles and doubles titles at the San Diego Open. 

 

The world No.13 battled to a marathon 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, win over Sofia Kenin in what was a clash of the former Grand Slam champions. Krejcikova was pushed to her limits throughout the two-and-a-half-hour clash with there being no break in the decider until the final game. It is the second singles title the Czech has won on the WTA Tour this season after Dubai and her seventh overall. 

“Normally I wouldn’t be here,” said Krejcikova, who received a wild card to play in the tournament “I really want to thank them (the tournament organisers). It was very special. I really enjoyed my stay here.”

Krejcikova’s run to the trophy has also seen her score wins over Beatriz Haddad Maia and Danielle Collins earlier in the week. She is the first player from her country to win the tournament. 

Following on from that triumph, the 27-year-old then clinched the doubles title alongside compatriot Katerina Siniakova. The duo beat Collins and Coco Vandeweghe 6-1, 6-4.

Krejcikova came into San Jose on a four-match losing streak which started at Wimbledon where she was forced to withdraw from her secound round clash due to a left leg injury. 

“I came here with not really good statistics after my injury, I didn’t actually win any matches,” she said. “So I just came here and I pretty much was hoping and believing that I could get the first win and go from there. It’s pretty special to be sitting here having won [the title].”

It is only the second time in Krejcikova’s career that she has won both the singles and doubles titles at the same event. The first time she did so was at the 2021 French Open where her partner in the doubles was also Siniakova.

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