Quiet approach works for Radwanska

 

Originally published on: 02/04/12 11:37

For those fans who like their women tennis players to be seen rather than heard, Agnieszka Radwanska is a welcome addition to the top ranks. The 23-year-old Pole has not always endeared herself to her fellow professionals with her comments about grunting, but says that her quiet approach should not be mistaken for a lack of passion.
 
“Of course it depends what the score is and what kind of match it is, if it’s the final or the first round,” Radwanska said in the wake of her victory over Maria Sharapova in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, which followed six defeats in a row to the Russian.
 
“Sometimes when I miss really easy shots, I’m pretty angry. But I think the main thing, especially in these bigger matches, is to stay calm and focused, because when you’re getting angry, it’s not good for yourself. The thing is to just go for it and to think about the next point. That’s why I just try to be focused and not think about mistakes or something that happened before.”
 
Radwanska’s game has been compared to that of Martina Hingis. Like Hingis, Radwanska does not have the power of some of her rivals and has to out-think and out-manoeuvre her opponents, which means it is crucial to stay focused. “I think my tennis is about trying to mix it up,” Radwanska said. “I think I was just born with that.”

Although her father, Robert, is no longer coaching her on a full-time basis, Radwanska says her game style is all down to him. “Everything I can do on court right now, it’s because of my father,” she said. “When we are practising, we always try to improve everything. There’s always something to improve. So it’s never been one shot, one thing.”

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