Errani Says The Pressure Has Become Too Much

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 3rd September 2013

Errani Says The Pressure Has Become Too Much

epa03839682 Sara Errani of Italy hits a return to Olivia Rogowska of Australia during their match on the second day of the 2013 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2013. The US Open runs through Monday 09 September, a 15-day schedule for the first time. EPA/JASON SZENES |

Sara Errani has shown herself to be one of the most physically tough players in the WTA over the past two years, pushing herself as hard as she could to gain the top 5 in singles and at the same time, becoming the top ranked doubles player with her partner Roberta Vinci.

But it has all become too much for the small but muscular Italian, whom after she took a quick loss to Flavia Pennetta in the second round of the US Open, said that she just become overwhelmed by the pressure. So much so, that she doesn’t feel like playing on some days.

“I think these things happens to everybody when you feel on the top and you are there and the people is playing against you with no pressure and you have a lot of pressure,” the world No. 5 said. “I’m not that kind of player that can go there and make ace and winner, and if the ball is going in I’m doing good. For me is to go there and fight. If I feel that I’m not fighting good for too much pressure. Because I don’t want to go on the court. I don’t want to go to play. I don’t want to stay there on the court. I feel very bad.”

Errani reached the US Open semifinals last year when she was on a roll on every surface. That came just a few months after she reached her first Grand Slam final at 2012 Roland Garros. Her relentless style is what got her there. Without her spunk, she looked like the Errani of 2011 who couldn’t get out of the second round of a major.

She entered the US Open as the No. 4 seed after No. 3 Maria Sharapova pulled out. That affected “very badly” too.

“I know all the players expecting from me, and I would like to know how to do,” she said. “But you have to pass it on yourself, and it’s not the same that somebody is telling you, so I hope this can make me stronger. Winning or losing is not my problem. Is to feel good on the court.”

Interestingly, Errani had a pretty good season on clay, reaching the semifinals of Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros. But she lost on the first round of Wimbledon to Monica Puig and hasn’t been able to get anything going on hard courts, going 3-4.

“Some weeks that I’m feeling too much pressure,” he said. “I don’t know why, but I’m not enjoying going on the courts, and that is the worst thing a player can have. Because if you go there and you fight and you lose, not my problem. I always try to. But the problem is if you go there and you are not fighting, that is my best thing that I always had as my good thing. And I have to find a way. I hope to find it.”

Topics: 10sballs, Maria Sharapova, Roberta Vinci, Sara Errani, Tennis, US Open, Wta