Player’s short wick may be her main drawback
TENNIS Relaxed and refreshed is not a mindset usually associated with Yanina Wickmayer. This Belgian is feisty. Three years after claiming the title, the former ASB Classic champion is back in Auckland, where her biggest challenge will be controlling her temper – and avoiding bad karma.
Sitting alongside tournament organisers on Saturday, Wickmayer appeared uneasy when asked to assist as the Classic’s main draw was mapped out.
Later, she revealed her superstitious tendencies.
‘‘I decided five years ago I would never do a draw any more. I did it twice and drew the first seed. That was the last time I did it,’’ she said, seemingly thankful to meet Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova, who she has beaten the past three times, on opening day. ‘‘Even if I didn’t draw the first seed now, it’s still better not to do.’’
On her day, the world No 23 is a class act but too often she becomes rattled and turns that frustration inward. From there, her game selfdestructs. It can be painful to watch – like a firecracker imploding on centre court.
‘‘I’m a girl with some energy and quite a temper, so I’m trying to get the temper under control,’’ the 23-year-old admitted.
‘‘I’m happy I have that. I prefer to have energy than be someone that is down and lazy.’’
If the tournament’s third seed can keep her red-hot temperament in check, she should challenge the likes of Poland’s Agneszka Radwanska, Germany’s Julia Goerges, Russian veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova and defending champion Zheng Jie, from China, later in the week. That, however, is not a given. It’s been three months since Wickmayer played a competitive match. She will have to cope with early rust and hope to find the middle of the racket quickly.
If not, stand by for some venting. ‘‘Everyone has their personality and it’s nice to see players show that on court,’’ she said.
‘‘We are all different; some players are really calm and not expressive; others are.’’
After a lean year, where she lost two WTA finals in Hobart and Austria while reaching the third round at Wimbledon was her best grand slam result of the season, Wickmayer has enjoyed the biggest off-season of her career.
Seven intensive training weeks followed a two-week holiday in a bid to refresh body and mind, and refine her game.
Starting 2013 afresh was a major focus. ‘‘I really needed to work on things and physically get myself ready. It was really nice having that time,’’ Wickmayer said.
‘‘Seven weeks of hard practice is the longest I’ve had before the season. I haven’t been as fit as I am today. I did everything I had to do. And I’m relaxed because I couldn’t have done anything more.’’