Tashkent here we go!

Hello guys! how are you? i hope all of you are well…I am ok too…long year…a tough one so far mentally and tennis wise…but thank god I am healthy and at least I can still try to finish it good! the summer tournaments were good…always can be better as the most of us are perfectionists and we want always more and more but I got some good wins, played some good tennis!!! one of my news is that since Washington I am without coach again. Didn’t work out well with Benjamin…I am still trying to find the one…for me!! So I will have another trial period with Cristian Kordasz, I am looking forward to start here in Tashkent with him!! i had a couple of days at home after us open, jet lag was terrible this time plus on top i was busy…so just imagine…I arrived yesterday here in Tashkent and had my first practice. Great memories from last year!! by winning the Doubles tittle with Vitalia!! the singles draw came out and my first opponent is Kataryna again. we played a few weeks ago against each other, she is a tough one but we know each other. its gonna be a big battle! Doubles this week with Eva Birnerova!! i am off to the site for some practice sessions, I wish you the best!!!! hope u enjoyed the weekend, ciaooooo! eleni

Popcorn match coming up…

Dear fans, in the last few days I have been playing some good tennis!!

i am very happy to find my pace again. i had many weeks in the row strange results..I was practicing quite well but matches are very different and the results were not the ones that I was looking for…it was very hard mentally but I knew, somehow it’s gonna turn. the support of my people and of all my fans was amazing and I really wanna thank you all!! today my singles match was a thriller…for sure one of the toughest of my career. Vania is a great player, a very tough opponent and very talented player.

i had to be patience and fight until the end…and I did it until the last point!! i was playing completely my tennis at the beginning of the match, mixing my game perfectly, I had very few unforced errors too so it really helped me to go up at the score! at 6-3 1-1 we got suspended because of the rain. we went off the court for about 15-20 min. when we walked back, the match turned completely…she started serving, I had 2-3 break points and one of those was an easy volley. after this..again we had 2 close games that I lost both..in the end I lost the set 6-2.I was a bit frustrating at the start of the 3rd set,Vania was not missing much either so didn’t help. 3rd set 3-1 down I start to have cramps at my left quadricep, I had to call the physio for a medical. during the next couple of games I was shaky with all my body, I was feeling dizzy, i had fever and of course doctors were also on court at the change overs. at 5-5 she took a medical time out. we were both fighting with our body’s, that’s for sure-:)

the fighting spirit was amazing..suddenly the court was almost packed..the crowd was amazing towards both of us!! so nice..really no words. i managed to win the tie break even by losing the first match point!!!!! what a feeling to finish this kind of matches with a huge serve?? relief and full of happiness. Next round will be tomorrow night at 7pm vs a great Champion…Serena! i have a lot of respect and she is at her best form ever! but..on the other hand I have nothing to lose and nothing to prove. i will enjoy for sure the moment as it is the ones that we look for…I will try to recover until then and give my best! take care and I wish you a nice day! your eleni

1st Round Win :)

2 hours match..under tough conditions..so humid, not easy to play but somehow I was able to go through to the 2nd round!! I started the match very good, served pretty good through all the set! i was getting some cheap points on my games. at the beginning of the 2nd set I dropped my serve percentage, did 1-2 double faults, the first 3 games were very close, i was back at the score all the time…I did change my tactic and that was not a good idea, I got more tight too, i lost a bit my energy on top so with all this..tough to win the set. 3rd set it was a different story again. served better, I was going for my shots and I was totally fighting until the end with good vibes! i knew what to expect…Vera is a great fighter…she knows the game well and she has experience…so I am very glad to go through this one. I was coming with almost zero confidence into this match…as my strike was pretty bad…losing 12-13 times first rounds in singles. I was supposed to play doubles today but my doubles partner got injured at her singles match. we had to withdraw already yesterday. maybe it was meant to be this way…to focus more on singles!! I wish her a fast recovery of course and as I say always…health is the most important!! my next match is on Wed. i will have an easy day today…to recover and be ready for the next one. fingers crossed & thank u so much for your support! it was awesome! your eleni

Summary of Stanford

Hi guys! I am in California as you probably know. I completed my tournament yesterday with the worst way…to pull out of the doubles. The withdraw came from Urzula. She had another long match so she was not able to play our doubles afterwards. Of course it disappoints me as I was looking forward to play our quarterfinal but health is the most important and I wish her a fast recovery and all the best for her singles here! I am having tough times to win a singles match, this week I was again close to make it. I had chances, it was very tight, very good level of tennis! Of course it’s frustrating but that’s the way it goes at the moment. I have nothing more to do accept two things…to keep working and stay positive! As much as possible! We are off to San Diego! Another good tournament, so relaxed the place, very calm and amazing weather for tennis! I will keep giving my best..whatever it takes..your Eleni!

Doubles Title :)

Hello!! i didn’t update you for a couple of weeks. A few things have changed…starting with coaching..I am working with a new coach, started in Paris(RG). He has been an ex ATP player, his name is Benjamin Cassaigne! we have a trial period until the Olympics and we will decide after this about the future. we are getting well together on and off court! we are working in different stuff so I am just looking forward for the next couple of weeks!

first week on grass is done!!!!! that was in Nottingham…funny somehow that this year was totally the opposite results. losing first round in singles vs a tough opponent especially on grass (Kristina Pliskova) but winning this time the doubles event with one of the nicest players on tour…Casey!!! we didn’t play on grass as much as we wished accept my singles, our first doubles and?? by luck yesterday…our doubles final!!! all the other matches were on hard court, indoors. the weather was very bad every single day but we made the best out of it…it was a tough week, mentally. we had a day that we were practicing on 3 different surfaces…so just imagine…anyways…to win a tournament means a lot!!

we are already in Birmingham, we drove straight after our final. easy going, only one hour by car, just perfect. i had a little bit of treatment and we decided to go to the cinemas. it was not a good idea to watch this movie…Men in black. i didn’t like it! we had an easy dinner, Indian food…what else in England??! great day anyways! new tournament starts in one day and i am playing my first round vs Foretz, from France. we know each other pretty well, doubles this week with Misa!

I hope for nice weather…take care guys and we keep in touch…your eleni

Short week in Brussels

Hello guys! I am in Paris already, I just arrived this evening. Brussels didn’t go good either…in singles & doubles too. it has been a bad clay court session for me so far, few matches on clay could go my way but it didn’t and of course I lost my confidence. It’s part of it, I know I have to be strong and courage now…it’s a new battle to face!! and a new beginning!! one of the biggest events of the world starts in a few days and there is no time to complain, to look back.
Roland Garros is one of the best tournament of the year, I have nothing to lose…and nothing to prove. i just look forward to give everything and enjoy it!! i am glad to have few days now to rest and to work on my game, to get ready in this conditions here in Paris. the weather can be tricky, let’s see this year…just a short update about doubles too…I would be playing with Mandy Minella from Luxembourg. she is a nice girl and we are getting along well with each other!! i will be back to you before my first match…many greetings to all!! eleni

Already Back Home From Fes :(

Hi guys! Back home already from Fes! it was the worst tournament of the year so far…not only because of the tournament (as it’s not really great there) but because of everything. I went alone there…my coach had and has some family problems so he could not come with me. i arrived there by taking 3 flights,it was terrible the trip. by the arrival,I was feeling a bit strange with the body. I was practicing for 3days but I was not feeling great. I had some issues with my back but thank god it’s only a muscle problem, nothing big.
in my singles match vs Sveta couldn’t serve free plus I had some tough times to move left-right. I lost the 1st set very fast 6-1. 2nd set it was a bit better, with more rallies,with few good points,i was playing a bit more aggressive and I could manage to lead 5-2up,5-3 on serve. I didn’t play my game good at this moment and of course she came back strong to 5-5 and she could finish the match 7-5. she is very experienced player so she played the right shots…the right time.
on top of this..Klara (Zakopalova) my doubles partner for this week had an injury at her right shoulder, we had to withdraw from the doubles. it was a tough week, that’s for sure!! in the end maybe it was for a good reason not to play the doubles as I am not feeling 100% either.
I will see my Physio the next days and I hope to feel better!! next tournament is Estoril. Take care guys and we keep in touch soon! your Eleni

On My Way Back Home

charleston

Hi, I am writing after my loss yesterday so I will make it short. I start serving and the first game was a bit strange. not so good timing on my serve, it took me a while until i won my game, it was almost 10min. After this I played some good tennis thru all the first set, I could control the points and the score too-:) 6-3 up!!
second set was similar situation, still my tennis was there, I took some good decisions and mixed my game very smart. I was leading 3-1 up and there I had 2 break points, I didn’t make one, I didn’t play them as aggressive as I should and did before. I lost this game and in 3-2 I got the break back. she was playing her tennis, she was going for more, she was serving better too. she was putting a lot of pressure from the first ball and this made me not to play my game anymore…third set she played better tennis and that’s all what I can say!
credit and respect towards her! she is a tough, top player! I am hitting back to Europe, it was a long trip. unfortunately I will need to pull out of Copenhagen as I don’t wanna risk any injuries. I have been playing a lot the last weeks and this change from clay court to hard court in 2 days, just for one week…doesn’t make sense.
I feel very good with my body and tennis and I am looking forward for the clay court season!! next tournament will be in Fes!! until then?? few days off and back on track with some tennis and fitness too!! take care guys, your Eleni

Welcome To Miami

Hello to everyone! the days are passing very fast here in Miami, we are here with my coach almost a week now…we have been practicing quite good and I am very happy with the way I am on court. it was really nice to hit on site, all the courts were empty so we could really do our schedule perfect!! I was trying also some new rackets from Wilson, I was very excited in every practice-:)since yesterday it’s way more busy and it feels slowly like a tournament!! I got into the main draw so my first match will be on Tuesday or Wednesday. I hope u have a great weekend and I will update u soon! ciaoooooo

Semifinal!

Tough day today..what more to say guys??in the end my body couldn’t handle it. all this just because of the weather.it’s not an excuse,it’s not only the reason that I lost..but it’s a big fact and it’s tough to lose the semis in this way.I had to finish my match from yesterday,I lost the 2nd set and won the 3rd one.I had few hour to recover and to get ready again for the semis!!it has been long time to play semis in a Wta tournament and I was ready to enjoy it full speed.we start the match at 4pm and the drama start it too..we stopped after the warm up and the reason of course was the rain.we had to wait around 45min to walk again back on central court.this..didn’t happen once today..but 4 times.it was really hard to keep up warm and always ready and as I said it before in the end was too much.she came out very good and I missed some chances in the first set even if the score was 0-6.the first few games of the 2nd set were very close and could go both ways but I played some good tennis.I made an early break and after I did hold my serve thru,until the end that I had to serve out!!very happy about it!!already in the end of 2nd set I was feeling a bit weird with the body and the legs plus I had to go to the toilet so of course I took a toilet break.I came out in the 3rd set and still felt strange in my moves and she played so smart,she made me move even more.of course I couldn’t retired,I called the trainer in 1-3 but I knew that there is no chance to win like this.in the end I lost the set 1-6 and I came out with tears.it was my low back.the fans were unbelievable,unreal to see it and of course to feel this vibes!!!!I thank every one here for this amazing support and love for the sport!!!!I hope to see you all next year,I really enjoyed my week here in KL.