Coaching visits—and Rafael Nadal matches—can be as recharging as trips to Starbucks for Daria Kasatkina.
Kasatinka says when her coach, Vladimir Platenik, dispenses advice during coaching visits she feels the effects "immediately."
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"You know, when he's on court, he just like punch me and I'm again in the match," Kasatkina told the media in Charleston. "So he knows what to say in which moments."
The 19-year-old Kasatkina battled past good friend and practice partner Daria Gavrilova, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, to reach her second straight Charleston quarterfinal.
The Russian backed up that win dissecting 10th-seeded Irina-Camelia Begu, 6-4, 6-1, to advance to her first Charleston semifinal.
Platenik, who previously coached Dominika Cibulkova, is a straight shooter, who provides practical tactical advice in a direct manner during coaching consultations.
Kasatkina said her coach's candid remarks—earlier this week the coach encouraged her to move her feet faster bluntly stating she was moving "like you're taking a walk in the park"—helps her refocus and find clarity.
"Because he remind myself what I have to do on the court, because sometimes I can forget because it's nervous, it's windy and everything, and a lot ofthings in your head," Kasatkina said. "So he just go on court, tell (me) a few things and you're like, ah, yeah, okay, I have to do this and you are in the match again."
After her quarterfinal victory over Begu, Kasatkina revealed another powerful source of inspiration: Rafael Nadal.
"I was watching Nadal since I was six years old and he was 18 winning Roland Garros," Kasatkina told Tennis Channel's Sloane Stephens. "I was watching and just taking these things from him."
Photo credit: Christopher Levy