Kuznetsova travels round the world to keep word
Kuznetsova travels round the world to keep word
Reuters, Bali, Indonesia
Svetlana Kuznetsova is a woman who keeps her word and just five days after winning her maiden grand slam title in New York the Russian was back in business on a much smaller stage.
It would have been easy for Kuznetsova to make excuses for not travelling to the holiday island of Bali this week, especially as the Wismilak International tournament's US$225,000 purse is just a fraction of the million-dollar cheque she picked up for her U.S. Open exploits.
A bomb explosion in Jakarta last week, which killed nine people, could also have been used as an excuse but the thought of skipping the Tier III WTA event never crossed the Russian's mind.
"I know I need a break but if I give my word I have to do it, no matter what," said the world number six.
"I know everyone would understand if I didn't come but it's important that I keep my word and I want people to respect me.
"I also like being in Bali and it's a good place to get calm.
"If I went to Russia there would be so many crowds. I could have gone to Spain to practise, but I have a good feeling in Bali."
Kuznetsova beat compatriot Elena Dementieva in front of 23,000 fans to win the U.S. Open trophy. Her first singles match since that triumph was witnessed by only a few hundred spectators.
She defeated Australian qualifier Samantha Stosur 6-4 6-4 to reach the Bali quarterfinals.
Kuznetsova admitted the last few days had taken a toll as she attempted to come to terms with being in the spotlight.
"After I won I was up until four in the morning. I had to pack and only slept for four hours before playing the doubles final (on Sunday)," she said.
"Then I went straight from the courts and doing the press and photos to the flight, and the flight was so tough.
"It was 24 hours and I was dead when I got here. But now I'm feeling great.
"I still can't believe that I won, you know. When you're on the court and you hear 'U.S. Open champion' you say, 'Wow, who is that? I don't see any champion'. It's just great. It's amazing."
Kuznetsova might not have turned out to be a professional tennis player as she grew up in an environment of world-class cycling.
Her father, Alexander, coached five Olympic and world champions while her mother, Galina, was a six-times cycling champion and holder of 20 world records.
Her brother, Nikolai, was a silver medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
"My father just lives by coaching people. He coached my mum, he coached my brother, he still coaches a cycling team," said the tennis champion.
"His goal is to make cycling grow as a sport in Russia. Since I was five or six he had a guys' cycling club and everyone lived in the same house. I was staying with these guys and I raced two races."
Despite her family's deep roots in cycling, Kuznetsova failed to excel on two wheels.
"In one of those races I did well: I came last," she explained, dissolving into giggles.
"I was maybe eight years old and they were 15 maybe. The second one I didn't even go to the end.
"I was so bored and I stopped. The next day they said: 'If you don't go to the end you don't cycle any more'. I did one more training and then didn't go any more.
"My father told me to try something else, and I did swimming for a while and after that I started playing tennis.
"At first we thought I'd started really late but it worked out well and my father and mother helped out. All that I have and what I am now is all from my mum.
"If I didn't have her looking after me so much I wouldn't be here. She was pulling me forward all the time when I was young.
"At the time I didn't realise it would end up being my future."
A move to Spain by the family paved the way for Kuznetsova's tennis career as she joined the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona where she was given tips by former professional Emilio Sanchez and his sister, multiple grand-slam winner Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.
Sanchez-Vicario became the Russian's mentor and she taught Kuznetsova about the importance of sticking to one's promises.
The 19-year-old has followed her mentor's advice by travelling halfway around the globe to play in Bali.
Although she has yet to celebrate her U.S. Open triumph, Kuznetsova remains contented.
"If I won I was going to buy something," she said. "But I couldn't find anything I wanted. I have everything I want and am so happy about it.
"I don't need anything. Maybe a diamond or something nice, I don't know.
"But I'm really happy and have everything in my life. I'm just so happy to be playing tennis."