Potapova Praises Griekspoor For Guiding Her to Victory in Madrid

“I just played and mentally, he just kept me there.”

The words of Anastasia Potapova, who credited Tallon Griekspoor for helping her secure a gritty win over Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday.

After failing to convert two match points in the second set, Potapova was pushed to a decider. But she found a way to regroup, eventually sealing a 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3 victory.

During her on-court interview, the lucky loser was quick to highlight the impact of the current ATP World No. 33.

Griekspoor made an appearance in the third set, standing alongside her coach and offering words of encouragement as Potapova struggled to regain her composure.

“Here we go, we’re here together,” he told her. “All the energy in your footwork, also with the serve – use the legs, you got this.”

The message landed. Potapova reset mentally and powered through the final five games of the match.

Afterward, reporters followed the thread, asking whether the Dutchman might have a future in coaching.

“I think he has a bright future in coaching, we knew it before this match,” she said. “As I said, he came just on time to save me. The support he [gives], it’s unbelievable.”

Potapova added that it helps that Griekspoor is unfiltered in his approach.

“He believes so hard. The things that he can say, like I don’t think anyone can say that during the match, because he isn’t afraid. He’s not scared of me. He can tell me literally anything.

“He just told me to shut up, to keep on working, to start working with my legs. And that we are both here together in this match, I’m not just by myself. It just happened at [such an important moment] and it gave me a lot of energy.

“Mentally, I think he won this match. I did it physically. He did it mentally. So it’s nice.”