By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday July 1, 2021
Anastasiva Sevastova cracked a Wimbledon milestone on Thursday and talked to Tennis Now about it afterwards.
Photo Source: Getty
Latvia’s Anastasia Sevastova cracked a Wimbledon milestone that has been a long time coming on Day 4 of the Championships. She reached the third round at Wimbledon for the first time with a three-set win over Marta Kostyuk. Next up the former World No.11 will take a shot at reigning Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova.
It makes sense that Sevastova would have a good run at Wimbledon. She has a nuanced, all-court game and tons of experience. She's proven to be an elite player at the other three Slams, where she has reached at least the round of 16, and even nabbed two quarter-finals and a semi-final at the typically fast-playing US Open.
After her victory over Kostyuk, the 31-year-old Sevastova talked to Tennis Now about her performance on the grass this season and the challenge that lies ahead.
Tennis Now: Third round at Wimbledon has been a long time coming for you, how does it feel?
Anastasija Sevastova
"It's emotional for sure, and some other things, but I feel good. Maybe not that great, feeling, because I had some small injuries and niggles, but I'm fighting through it and it's good to know that I can turn a match around like today, losing the first set and then turning it around and finding my game and progressing."
Tennis Now: You've had some tough draws at Wimbledon, what's your relationship with this place and the grass in general?
Anastasija Sevastova
"Yes, always coming here, it's like a bit frustrating. Also today and the day before, I don't know, the grass plays different here. Like I've been to Eastbourne, I thought like: 'I will prepare.' I had a good preparation there, because I thought 'Okay, it's the same, it's just grass.' But again it's different, you have to find your way here."
Tennis Now: What exactly makes the Wimbledon conditions different? Slower? Lower bounce?
Anastasija Sevastova
"Yes, lower bouncing, and slower. You would expect lower bouncing and quicker, but it's slower, so you need to find your game here and you need to find it quick.
But I found it. I have two matches under my belt, it's my new record! Two wins - and yes, I'll just enjoy the next round."
Tennis Now: You're game can work on any surface, it should work well on grass, so what would you say has been the struggle for you at Wimbledon? You have had some tough draws.
Anastasija Sevastova
"I don't want to say it's bad luck. For sure I've had some tough draws, but for sure I didn't play great. I think I always was like nervous playing here plus the bad draws, playing players who were like on the run, but yes, I am more confident now, I'm more with myself, how I'm playing, I know what to do more, I think."
"Maybe it's some serve changes, maybe going more to the net sometimes, finishing points, and yes, just enjoying it more, going for my shots, and being solid. Plus, I played how many Wimbledons? I know what comes here, some young girls maybe they are playing their first or second, they don't know yet how it is here, and yes I just go with it. I'm like 'I don't care anymore.'"
Tennis Now: What are you feelings about facing Krejcikova in the third round?
Anastasija Sevastova
"She's on a run for sure. She won all those matches on clay, grass is a bit different, so... I feel confident too, and I feel like I can make them nervous - top players. If I play my game it's an open match, I think. Also Rybakina last week in Eastbourne, it was like one of the best grass court matches that I've played for like forever, and also here I'm playing better and finding my game, so we'll see how it is."
Tennis Now: With six Top-10 seeds not reaching the third round, how do you explain this? Is it that the rankings don’t indicate where players’ levels are at, or is it a grass thing, or a Wimbledon thing?
Anastasija Sevastova
"It's a rankings thing! I find the rankings not that fair in my opinion, some points are staying forever, some points are going away, I think we'll see at the end of the year, maybe the rankings will be more fair."
"But yes it's an open field now. Also seeing it in Paris, you could see with who won, who was in the finals, who was in the later rounds, and I think right now rankings don't mean that much, it means only that you are seeded and you don't play another seed in the early rounds, but in the later stages it doesn't mean too much, so again - rankings."