Russian tennis player Anna Kalinskaya after reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, she said she was proud of herself.
Kalinskaya defeated American Sloane Stephens in the third round with a score of 6:7 (8:10), 6:1, 6:4. The 25-year-old Russian will play the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career; her opponent will be the Italian Jasmine Paolini (26th seed).
— How did you manage to turn the tide of the match?
— It was a bit disappointing to lose the first set, after having had so many chances to win. I had several break points to take the advantage, I led in the tie-break. Sloane played very good tennis and is a great fighter. I had to reset after the first set and change my strategy a bit.
— What does it mean for you to reach the 1/8 finals of a Grand Slam tournament?
– It’s exciting. I’m very happy to have played so many matches and I’m looking forward to the next one.
— When you arrived at the tournament, did you have the feeling that something similar potentially awaited you?
— I work hard, I train every day, because I am a professional. Of course, I didn’t know I could reach the 1/8 finals, but it makes me very happy. I am proud of myself,” Kalinskaya said at a press conference.
Kalinskaya is 75th in the world rankings; after the Australian Open, the Russian will rise to at least 52nd position.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
