Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova And Coach Hingis Are Off To A Winning Start

Written by: Staff on 6th May 2013

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova And Coach Hingis Are Off To A Winning Start

epa03687174 Russian tennis player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova returns the ball to Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro during their final match of the Portugal Open tennis tournament at Jamor complex in Oeiras, outskirts of Lisbon, Portugal, 04 May 2013. Pavlyuchenkova won the final. EPA/JOSE SENA GOULAO |

Martina Hingis and new pupil Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova are hitting it off well at their first WTA event together, with the Russian heeding her new mentor’s advice in the chase for the clay title at the Portugal Open.

Five-time Grand Slam winner Hingis has been working with Pavlyuchenkova since last year informally in Pairs, but they are now an official team. “I have so much respect for her, I definitely listen to her,” said the No. 19. “It’s not like when you are coached by a parent, I listen to her for sure.”

Hingis has been consulting at the Patrick Mouratoglou academy in Paris where Serena Williams trains while in Europe and is now traveling with her Russian charge during the clay season leading up to Roland Garros from May 26.

Pavlyuchenkova rated the collaboration well after reaching her fourth semi-final of 2013: “I’m playing well, this is much better than last season, which was probably my worst. I’m back in the top 20 again and I have a lot of goals. I don’t want to stop here. I’m happy but things can get better.”

The player described having Hingis on board as “amazing.”

“She knows so much about the game and really helps me. I’m enjoying it all so much. Martina is very experience and see tennis well. Her help is coming at just the right moment. It’s all very natural and easy-going.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Martina Hingis, Russian tennis news., Sports, women tennis news, Wta