Daria Kasatkina has given praise to her new racket after finding her form ahead of Roland Garros.
The Russian heads into the second grand slam of the season in some form after reaching the semi-finals in Rome.
Kasatkina reached her first semi-final at WTA1000 level since Sydney in January and has been having a good and progressive season.
The world number 20 defeated the likes of Leylah Fernandez and Paula Badosa on her way to the last four as she heads into Roland Garros with confidence.
After her quarter-final match in Rome UBITennis had the chance to ask Kasatkina about her new racket and how she found out about the Artengo brand, “I don’t know the player, first of all. Second of all, I fall in love with this racquet first time I took it,” Kasatkina admitted.
“It was last pre-season. I was trying racquets. This one was like a blind testing. I didn’t know what was the racquet. It was just a black frame. I tried it and I was like, What the… What is this? I was playing on the baseline, trying all the shots, all the strokes. I was like, What is this racquet?
“When they tell me the brand, I was like I thought they were making fun of me. I didn’t even know that this brand exist. They told me, If you like the racquet, take it, which I did. I’m really happy with the way this racquet is. I’m happy how I feel on the court with the racquet. This the most important because in our sport, tennis racquet is the most important thing. You cannot hesitate with this one. I’m really happy that I did this move.”
It’s one thing to love the racket in a pre-season trial but it’s another thing for the racket to adjust to a specific game style consistently on the tour week-in and week-out.
However that’s what has happened with Kasatkina and the Russian told reporters that it’s mainly to do with the spin that the racket produces, “Well, for me this racquet fits my game good because I’m spinning,” Kasatkina told the press.
“When I spinning the ball with this racquet, I felt like I can accelerate the ball more, ball was going with more power but the same or more control than before. This is the most important for me, to be able to feel that I can hit spin, I’m controlling the ball. This is exactly what I have. I’m happy with this way.”
Kasatkina’s happiness has translated into results with two WTA1000 semi-finals as she heads into Roland Garros with confidence, “Well, in January I liked how my tennis was. I think I was playing really good in Australia,” Kasatkina said when asked about her season so far.
“Then I had couple of not best weeks. Also getting COVID. Here and there was not the best. I a little bit went out of my shape. Was a tough, tough way to get back.
“Yeah, after Indian Wells, in Miami we start to work really a lot. I spend a lot of hours on the court playing, a lot of exercising with a thousand balls where I have to put a thousand balls inside the court. Was super tough, annoying, pain in the ass to make these practices.
“Then I realized that this one is something what I need to feel better on the court. I’m happy that I, together with Carlos and my team, we discovered this one.”
Kasatkina will now look to build on a new-found happiness and confidence at Roland Garros which starts on Sunday with the draw at 6:45pm local time.
