World No. 76 Anna Blinkova of Russia recently shared how she spends her time off the court, away from competitive tennis.
Q&A with Anna Blinkova
Q: When you mention that it`s best to rest after difficult matches, how do you typically structure this rest?
A: Beyond the usual warm-up, stretching, and massage, I enjoy simply lying on my bed and staring at the ceiling. I also like taking walks, reading, and spending time with my team. While I enjoy talking about tennis with my team, I also love just chatting with people around the courts – I`m quite sociable. However, you won`t find me going out for drinks, to a spa, a hammam, or a sauna – those aren`t my thing. I have what might be a `problem,` or maybe it`s a good thing: I absolutely love watching tennis on TV and my phone. I watch everything – men`s, women`s, major tournaments, Challengers… I watch it all, sometimes maybe too much. Honestly, sometimes you really need to disconnect, rest, and do something completely different, otherwise, as the saying goes, you can go crazy.
Q: There`s a well-known saying that tennis is like `chess in motion.` Do you agree with that?
A: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I believe it really depends on the situation. It`s crucial to develop tactics against specific opponents based on their tendencies – whether they make more errors on their forehand or backhand, if they prefer high balls or not, if they move well or stay more centered. Constructing combinations is also key to winning points. This is particularly true on clay, a slower surface, where you can`t just blast winners hoping the opponent will miss. On clay, you need to build rallies strategically, like in chess, utilizing different areas of the court and varying trajectories – playing smartly. However, simultaneously, for me, it`s important not to overthink the opponent but rather focus on doing what I do best. Thinking too much can be distracting and break concentration. I often tell myself to keep it simple: hit to my strongest zones and apply pressure, playing aggressively but with margin, not necessarily aiming for the lines. And sometimes, it`s beneficial for me to clear my mind, trust my body, my experience, and my instincts, so to speak, and just focus on fighting as hard as I can.
Q: Do you currently play chess?
A: No, I`ve kind of let it slide.
Q: How frequently are you able 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, because of that, I haven`t been able to spend more time in Russia.
