Tennis News

Elena Vesnina began the season ranked outside the Top 100, but you’d never know it after six months of impressive results.

“I was not putting any pressure on myself going on the court,” the Russian veteran said after reaching her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon. “I know I’m in good shape, I’m playing good. But it’s always tough when you know you’re in a good shape to build your game from beginning till the end and keep playing the same level.

“So I was just trying to be focused on every single game. I was not thinking about my draw. I didn’t see who I was playing next round. I was trying to enjoy myself on the court.”

Building her ranking back up with wins over the likes of Simona Halep, Venus Williams, and Belinda Bencic, Vesnina went farther than she’d ever gone at a major tournament in singles, breaking her second week duck against doubles partner Ekaterina Makarova and blasting into the final four against another in-form player in Dominika Cibulkova.

“I was watching Dominika’s match yesterday because we were going after this,” she said, referring to the Slovak’s win over Agnieszka Radwanska. “It was up and down, Dominika had match points. I knew she had long match.

“Me too. I had singles and we had to play doubles, as well. We finished quite late.

“I think first thing that I was not thinking about being tired. I was just thinking that this is my chance, and I had to use it.”

She certainly used it to full effect in the quarterfinals, dismantling Cibulkova in what might have been the best match of her career.

“I think it’s coming with experience. You really appreciate what you have now. You really enjoying what you’re doing. I love playing tennis. I’m really enjoying my time on the court, and off the court as well.

“I had really difficult beginning of the year, end of the year. I dropped out of the Top 100. I was playing all tournaments starting from qualifications. I had a lot of matches under my belt. It was not easy, to be honest, because I was in Top 30, then I was like No.120 or something.

“I’m really happy that it didn’t break me up. I think the difficult times, every single player has to go through it because it makes you better, it makes you stronger.”

For all of those reasons, Bertens is your Breakthrough Player of the Month!

Final Results for June’s WTA Breakthrough Performance Of The Month

1. Elena Vesnina (62%)
2. Madison Keys (31%)
3. Anastasija Sevastova (7%)

2016 Breakthrough Performance Of The Month Winners

January: Zhang Shuai
February: Jelena Ostapenko
March: Nicole Gibbs
April: Cagla Buyukakcay
May: Kiki Bertens