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Home , Francesca Schiavone

Q&A WITH

NADIA PETROVA The RRussussian veteran plans a breakthrough BY CHRIS ODDO

Mooscow-Floridascow-Florida LLiviniving said that the Olym- Reflecting on 2011, Francesca Schiavone pics are maybe more important to her and won their first You were b or n in Moscow bu t li ve th an a Slam. Are you gunning for the at the age you are right now, 29. What in S ou th F lo ri da . Do y ou r et ur n to 20 12 Olympics? has changed on the Tour that has Mo sc ow o ft en ? I would still prefer to win a Slam, but helped the older more mature players I pr ob ably visit three t imes a y ear to the Olympics are only every four years. have success? see my parents, but right now I’m work- This is something that is very personal The mature players have so much ing on my Florida house, so as soon p u for each Russian player. It means a lot experience. They know how to deal C e

l as it is finished I will have my parents c r i to win Olympics because then you are with days when things aren’t going C

y l coming over to spend time with me, i

m kind of set for life in the country. their way; they know how to keep their a F

especially in the winter months. A

T heads cool. W Do you have a goal to play in the 2012 When you are in Florida, what do you Games? You’ve had a great career. What more still miss about Moscow? I’m looking forward to them. It’s going do you want to accomplish? What I miss the most is summer to be tough in singles. I’m working to I’m quite happy with my results, with months, going out in nature, swimming bring my ranking back, and if it’s not my ranking. I’ve maintained a pretty in the lakes, barbeques, picking berries going to be possible in singles, I think I consistent spot in the top 20. The only and mushrooms. And of course my have a pretty good shot at doubles. thing that I’m missing, and I really mom’s home cooking. dream to achieve before I retire the sport, is to win a Slam. Russia makes me think of novelists like Grand Slam Desire Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. Do you like Do you still feel that same competitive So, is winning a Slam is your main goal their works? spirit or has it diminished? for the next couple of years? My favorite so far is War and Peace. Of course over the years it has dimin- Yes, that’s exactly what I’m working on ished a little bit. right now. Olympic Games Do you know that there are currently How has Russia developed such strong only five active players with more wins > women players? AT-A-GLANCE than you? It’s a tough question. I think it’s just I actually don’t think about it at all. I NAME | [RUS] the hard environment that we grew up take it one match at a time because you DOB | June 8, 1982 in. We all wanted to have a better life, know tennis has become so tough, the Birthplace | Moscow, Russia and we saw a great possibility in sport overall. Tennis was still kind of new, first round might be as tough as the Currently Resides | Miami, FL final so you really have to dig in. I don’t and there was a huge wave of new play- Height | 5’10 ¼” keep a count of matches, head-to-head ers at the same time, so there was huge Turned Pro | 1999 competition. The competition helped a with other players. I just really try to Plays | Right-handed [two-handed lot because we all wanted to be on the work on court and focus on winning. ] Fed Cup team, the Olympic team and So you leave the counting up to your also be the No. 1 Russian player. Career-High Singles & Doubles fans and the media? 3 [5/15/06] & 3 [3/221/05] Exactly. Current Ranking Singles & Doubles | 31 & 29 Style + Signature Shot Aggressive, all court Favorite Surface | Hardcourt, clay Titles Singles & Doubles | 10 & 19

21 JAN/FEB 2012 I TENNISVIEWMAG.COM