Not even a week has passed since he lifted the title in the WTA Finals y Caroline Garcia it’s back on track. What, did they think she was on her way to the Maldives? Well, none of that, the one from Saint-Germain is right now in his country disputing the playoffs from Billie Jean King Cup with France in the tie that faces the Netherlands. Of course, there was still time for a last-minute interview to review his great end of the year. In a chat with WTA Insiderthe gala tennis player explains what have been the keys to her improvement and what aspects she thinks still need improvement.
confidence explosion
“The big change came in the Cincinnati tournament, there I showed myself that I could play and beat the best players in the world, and do it day after day. At the moment, week-long tournaments seem to suit me better than Grand Slams, so I need to make some adjustments in the future. That was a great experience, that week helped me build confidence in my physical condition, in my level of tennis and in my style of play. To compete in the WTA Finals you must play and win before the 8 best players in the world, it will be a great experience in my career”.
season full of happiness
“It is difficult to choose a single moment, there were many moments that meant a lot. Winning Bad Homburg meant a lot. Having that confidence in me again meant a lot. I was struggling throughout the tournament, saving MP against Alizé (Cornet), as well as a crazy match against Andreescu. It had been many years since I reached a final, many years since I won a title, so it was a great achievement for me and for my team. It showed us that what we were doing was working. Then in Warsaw I beat a No. 1 for the first time, it meant a lot that I arrived after so many years on tour”.
Second time in the elite
“I have to keep running fast and forward (laughs). Obviously, I already did well in the past, I was already in the top 4, but the following year was very difficult. It was a great lesson for me, something that will help me handle it better now. I have grown a lot in these last five years, although we still make some mistakes, but we try to do our best to learn quickly. I want to focus on the future, but also enjoy the present, see what I can improve in my game, my physicality and my mental capacity. I want to have this tough mentality over and over again.”
still can be improved
“I see many small aspects where I can still improve. I speak, for example, of my return and my volley, they can be more precise shots. Sometimes my goal is too big, so I make mistakes and make it too easy for my opponent. Another thing that can improve is my second serve, I think the first one is already very good. Aces and free points is something I really enjoy doing, so I want to keep doing it because it helps me a lot. It is an important part of my game, it makes me advance faster and get closer to the net sooner”.
Every day more defined
“My style of play is what it is, today I am much more mature than before, I am able to really embrace all the good and bad parts. I just go for it, try to focus on what I can do and what I can control, what is in my hand, that is the best way to play tennis. In the past I’ve tried to adjust some things, like being a lot more patient, going back a bit inside the track, but you can see that it never worked very well. Now I have a much clearer identity and I want to continue down that path.”
