JOIN USInjured, lonely and without a coach, Yaroslava Shvedova climbed a psychological mountain to oust the defending champion from the French Open on Monday.
Ranked 142nd in the world, the Kazakh came through the qualifying competition to etch her name permanently in the narrative of this year’s tournament by dumping out seventh seed Li Na 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.
The bespectacled doubles specialist smiled from ear to ear as she addressed the media and explained how the result represented a remarkable turnaround after an annus horribilis.
At the start of 2011, a scan showed the 24-year-old had damaged the meniscus in her knee and needed surgery. “I had a very long recovery and when I came back my knee was bothering me for half a year,” she told reporters. “Then my coach left and I had some tough periods mentally as well and I was very down and lonely.”
Shvedova, who won Grand Slam doubles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2010, was forced to go back to the lower level futures tour in order to regain fitness and rebuild her battered confidence.
It was a different atmosphere for someone used to the big stages but it had the desired effect. “It was a nice atmosphere. There were no superstars and we were like a big family,” added Shvedova.
“There were a lot of nice people there. I kept playing those tournaments because of the atmosphere and the people.”
Things are looking up now for Shvedova, who next faces Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. “Since September I have got a new coach (Argentine Emiliano Redondi) and he has helped me a lot,” she said. “This year we set a goal to get my ranking back up and I have been working hard.
“I have a great team around me and (I am) working with a psychologist and fitness coaches. I am very thankful to my team.
“It’s not only my work, it’s teamwork,” added Shvedova.