This time, she lost to the Romanian Jacqueline Christiana in the quarterfinals – 3:6, 5:7. The Latvian tennis player reveals that she did not expect anything from this competition, as it was the first important tournament after her return, besides, her daughter fell ill and she also fell ill the previous week.
“Now I feel better every day, I am also taking antibiotics,” informs Anastasija Sevastova, who always plays well in Romania and became the “WTA 250” champion there in 2018.
Our athlete is returning to big tennis for the second time, but for the first time after the birth of a child. “This time is different because I can’t train as much because I have a daughter who is still young and to take care of,” says the new mother.
“I need this period of time, it is important. Maybe I don’t train that much, but I do it effectively.
It was quite a while before returning. I did not return immediately after six months since giving birth. My daughter is now a year and two months old, now a bit older.”
Did you change the way you organize your life during tennis season? “Yes, now it’s just about organizing. If something doesn’t work properly, it’s about organization again,” explains Sevastova.
“But it’s wonderful and different.
If something fails and I have to lose, I would forget about it much faster. Because you have to return home to your daughter and take care of her.
You should be happy for him, but I would forget about the loss in a second. During the match I still feel the pressure to play well, but after the match I forget about it.”
Aside from being a mother, have you changed your perspective on tennis in any way? “Not really. I still love tennis. I still think it’s the best thing I can do.
Anastasia Sevastova trusts the process.#TO2024 ???? pic.twitter.com/ozVYoZFtao
— Transylvania Open (@TransylvaniaOpn) February 9, 2024
I have achieved a lot by playing tennis. I don’t think there will be anything else I can do at the same level,” says the athlete, who has earned more than 8,200,000 US dollars in prize money during her career.
“But I probably think more about the fact that after tennis now there are other priorities to look forward to. I had that feeling before when I stopped playing. That’s why
after the birth of a child, now it is even more wonderful, although being a parent is not an easy job.”
Sevastova’s next tournaments will be in America – the Austin “WTA 250” will start on February 26, while at the beginning of March she could use the special rank (SR 65) to enter the Indian Wells “WTA 1000” qualification.
“I have my goals, of course. But I don’t think about the rank. I know that I can still play and beat good players, “top” players.
I don’t expect to do it right after I get back. It’s a process you have to go through every week. I need these matches and tournaments,” admits the Latvian tennis player.
“I will play my best tennis maybe in the summer or later this year. But maybe not. You can’t know that.”
