World number 20, Russia`s Ekaterina Alexandrova, does not believe she is currently playing at a Top 10 level. She expressed this sentiment during a press conference following her fourth-round defeat at Roland Garros to American Coco Gauff (0-6, 5-7).
“Initially, I was constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Alexandrova commented on the match. “Each time, my distance to the ball wasn`t right; it felt uncomfortable.”
“In the second set, I managed to find the correct rhythm, and some things worked out reasonably well, but occasionally I still tried to finish points too quickly. It didn`t come together – either the shot was out or hit the net.”
“There were definitely opportunities, and I certainly could have capitalized on them. I could have at least taken that last game in the first set, but even that had its benefits: I felt that rallies were possible, and I started to catch the rhythm. It made it easier to begin the second set afterwards.”
When asked about her current position at 10th in the live Race to the WTA Finals, half-way through the season, and whether she feels like a Top 10 player, Alexandrova replied:
“Honestly, no. Because I am quite self-critical. The Race [to the Finals], yes, it shows points for the season, but the main ranking provides a broader picture.”
“I don`t feel like a Top 10 player; I lack the consistency needed for that. The ability to maintain a high level from tournament to tournament. It hasn`t stabilized yet; sometimes I play very well, and sometimes very poorly. I want to find a balance and not drop below a certain standard. Right now, in my opinion, I have too much variation in my game for the Top 10.”
Despite having a significant WTA 500 title, a victory over Aryna Sabalenka, and now achieving her best ever result at Roland Garros, she was asked if consolidating her performance on grass is needed for her self-perception to align with the ranking.
“Yes, consolidating on grass at least,” she agreed. “It`s true that almost half the season has passed, but it feels like we`ve just started. Especially since Australia didn`t go well for me, then Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami consecutively didn`t work out.”
“Without those setbacks, the year would be great, and on clay, I managed to show relatively consistent results. If I can play similarly on grass, or perhaps even improve, that would be excellent.”
