At the age of 31 Russia’s Elena Vesnina doesn’t just see herself as a veteran of the tour, but as a mentor for the younger players.
One of those she seeks to help is French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. The two locked horns in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships yesterday. It was underdog Vesnina that prevailed with a 7-6(6), 6-1, win over the fourth seed. Securing back-to-back wins in a tournament for the first time this year.
“I’m just really happy that I won my match against Jelena. It was a weird match. At the beginning, everything was going my way. I was playing very clean. Jelena was missing a lot of shots.” Said Vesnina.
“In the second set, she got back. She is a top 10 player, she is a Grand Slam champion. Of course, she will rebound, she will change something in her game.”
Despite securing the victory, Vesnina’s thoughts remain on her Latvian rival. Since winning her maiden grand slam title at Roland Garros, Ostapenko’s only other taste of success was at the Korean Open. Meanwhile, she has only been able to win three matches this season with two of those occurring at the Australian Open.
“Maybe she needs to work a bit more on this consistency. It’s difficult. This kind of age, you need to grow up, then it will change.” Vesnina commented about her opponents start to the season.
Aside from being one of the biggest future talents in the women’s game, Ostapenko is not free of controversy. In the past, she has been criticised for her behaviour on the court. Last year at the US Open, she made headlines for her unenthusiastic handshake with Daria Kasatkina following her loss.
HANDSHAKE ALERT.
Kasatkina’s smile/shrug after is ICONIC. pic.twitter.com/OgMe0NNpN4
— Jeff Donaldson (@jddtennis) 2 September 2017
In another incident at the 2016 ASB CLassic, British player Naomi Broady accused the world No.6 of deliberate throwing her racquet in the direction of the ball boy. An allegation denied by Ostapenko, who argued that it slipped out of her hand. A statement accepted by the umpire.
Her controversial antics have previously been discussed in the locker rooms, according to Vesnina. The Russian refrain from criticising the actions of her opponent. Instead, she says that she had talked with her about it.
“In the beginning, she had some problems. She was not shaking hands right, proper, blah, blah, blah, all these kinds of things.” Explained Vesnina.
“I was straight with her. I was telling her right away in her face. She’s actually answering me. I have a good contact with her. I’m going to tell it to her face.
“You shouldn’t say that, you shouldn’t do that.”
The stern talk is one that she believes is paying off as she proudly described herself as a ‘mentor’ for the rising star.
“She is kind of changing (her behaviour). I’m kind of her mentor, coach. I know she’s young and she has all this pressure around her right now.“ Vesnina evaluated.
“I think, my opinion, she’s getting better, definitely getting better.”
Vesnina will take on Kasatkina Dubai in the quarter-finals.
