World No. 76, Russian tennis player Anna Blinkova, recently shared insights into how she spends her time away from the court.
Q: When you mention that it`s best to rest after tough matches, what does this rest typically involve for you?
A: Besides the usual warm-up, stretching, and massage, I also enjoy simply lying on my bed and looking at the ceiling. I like taking walks, reading, and spending time with my team. I particularly enjoy talking with my team about tennis – and sometimes, only about tennis!
I`m also a very sociable person and love chatting casually with everyone at the courts. But it`s not like I`ll go out for a drink, or visit a spa, hammam, or sauna – I don`t particularly enjoy those things.
I have something of a `problem` – though I`m not sure if it`s a problem or a good thing – I absolutely love watching tennis on TV and my phone. I watch everything: men`s matches, women`s matches, major tournaments, Challengers… I watch it all, and sometimes it`s just too much. Occasionally, you truly need to switch off, rest, and do something completely different, otherwise, as the saying goes, you could go crazy.
Q: There`s a famous phrase that tennis is like chess in motion. Do you think that`s really true?
A: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I believe it really depends. It`s very important to build tactics against a specific opponent because some players make more errors on their forehand, some on their backhand. Some like high balls, others don`t. Some move around the court more, others stay more centered. Building point constructions and combinations is also crucial for winning rallies.
This is especially true on clay, where you can`t just reduce your opponent`s chances by hitting incredibly hard and hoping they`ll make a mistake, as it`s a slower surface. On clay, it`s vital to construct points intelligently, much like in chess, utilizing different court areas and trajectories.
However, at the same time, it`s important for me not to become overly fixated on my opponent. Instead, I focus on what I can do, what I do best, and not overthink things that might cause confusion or break my concentration. I often tell myself to play simply – meaning hitting into the zones where I`m most effective – and apply pressure, play aggressively with margin, and not constantly aim for the lines.
Additionally, sometimes it`s beneficial for me to just clear my mind and trust my body, my experience, and my instinct. Simply stop thinking and just fight as hard as I can.
Q: Do you practice chess now?
A: No, I`ve kind of stopped for a while.
Q: How often do you manage to visit Russia these days?
A: To be honest, not very often. Firstly, my schedule is extremely packed. Secondly, flights are quite expensive right now. Unfortunately, I haven`t been able to spend more time in Russia yet.
