Question: How has your season progressed, especially as it approaches its conclusion?
Alexander Shevchenko: This year has been incredibly tough. Early on, I suffered a knee injury, which limited me to gathering only about 120 points over four months. There were serious discussions about whether surgery would be necessary, but we managed to get through it with injections. In the latter half of the season, my performance significantly improved, and I managed to accumulate a good number of points. I`m truly proud because despite significant knee issues, I was able to secure several important victories and was already playing well in Chengdu.
Question: What`s your mood like coming into the tournament in Almaty?
Alexander Shevchenko: My spirits are very high. The welcome here is incredibly warm, and I really enjoy being here. I actually played here last year. The atmosphere is fantastic, and there are so many spectators at the tournament. It`s wonderful to witness the growth of tennis in Kazakhstan. To be honest, I`ve arrived in a somewhat delicate physical condition… due to a finger problem I picked up in Chengdu. I barely managed to finish that match. I had to withdraw from Beijing, and then in Shanghai, I didn`t train for five days, went straight onto the court, and suffered a heavy defeat. That was quite predictable. I haven`t played for a week since then, but thankfully, I`ve been training pain-free for the last three days, and it feels like things are starting to click. So, while I believe better preparation would have been ideal, sometimes you just have to adapt. I`m not going to miss this tournament; it`s very important to me.
Question: You reached a career-high of 45th in the world. When you see the Shanghai Masters final being contested by the world No. 54 and No. 204, does the thought ever cross your mind: “That could have been me?”
Alexander Shevchenko: First of all, tennis involves a certain degree of luck, especially when you`re playing on your preferred surfaces – the ones you enjoy. If you happen to have, let`s say, favorable draws and opponents that suit your game, you can accumulate more points. But honestly, when I compare my game from when I was ranked higher to how I`m playing now, I wouldn`t say there`s a drastic difference. Yes, there were moments when I might have been less experienced, often rushing in headfirst and attacking every ball without much thought. Now, that approach doesn`t work as well; I have to think a bit more strategically.
Question: But do you personally feel you`ve reached your ceiling?
Alexander Shevchenko: No, I firmly believe I can be a Top 30, or even a Top 20 player. So, I will continue to strive for that. What Vacherot and Rinderknech are achieving right now is incredibly impressive. When someone ranked 204th, who was recently playing Challengers, goes on to win a Masters final – it`s truly inspiring.
