World No. 20 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia doesn`t see herself as a Top 10 player, she stated during her press conference following her fourth-round exit from Coco Gauff (0/6, 5/7) at Roland Garros.
Reflecting on her match against Gauff, Alexandrova said: “Initially, I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. My distance to the ball was off every time, it felt uncomfortable.”
“In the second set, I managed to find the right rhythm, and some things worked quite well, but sometimes I still tried to finish points too quickly. It didn`t click; it was either out or the net.”
“There were definitely chances, and I certainly could have converted them. I could have at least taken that last game in the first set, but there was still a benefit: I felt rallies were possible and started to find my rhythm. Starting the second set was easier after that.”
Asked about being currently ranked 10th in the live race for this year, which is significant with half the season passed, she was asked: “Do you feel like a Top 10 player?”
Alexandrova replied: “Honestly, no. Because I am quite self-critical. The Race to the Finals, yes, shows points earned this season, but the main ranking provides a broader picture. I don`t feel like a Top 10 player; I lack consistency for that – the ability to maintain my level from tournament to tournament. It hasn`t settled yet; sometimes it`s very good, and sometimes it`s very bad. I want to find a balance and not drop below a certain standard. Right now, for the Top 10, in my opinion, my range is too wide.”
She was then asked: “But you already have a solid WTA 500 title, a win over Aryna Sabalenka, and now your best-ever Roland Garros performance. To feel that you belong, do you need to consolidate your results on grass?”
“Yes, at least consolidate on grass,” Alexandrova responded. “It`s true that almost half the season has passed, but it feels like we`ve only just started. Especially because Australia didn`t work out for me, and then Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami didn`t go well consecutively. Without those setbacks, the year would be excellent. On clay, I managed to show relatively consistent results. If I can play the same way on grass, and maybe even improve, it would be great.”
