Anastasia Myskina Hopes Intelligent Tennis Will Survive

Written by: Staff on 4th December 2012

Anastasia Myskina Hopes Intelligent Tennis Will Survive

ROM31 - 20020516 - ROME, ITALY : Russian Anastasia Myskina returns the ball to Yugoslavian Jelena Dokic during their eight finals match at women Tennis Master Series 2002 in Rome, Thursday 16 May 2002. EPA PHOTO ANSA/CLAUDIO ONORATI/TO/mr |

Anastasia Myskina is very busy these days as a mother of three and TV personality in Russia, but the 2004 Roland Garros champion still keeps a close eye on tennis, not only as a broadcast analyst, but also as a Fed Cup coach.

The 31-year-old Myskina retired five years ago due to foot injury.

The former world No. 2, who once helped coach Svetlana Kuznetsova, told RT.com that she favors watching the WTA over the ATP

“To me, women’s tennis is definitely more interesting than men’, she said. “It’s more emotional and less predictable. It has much more of a back story, especially, if you’re aware of what’s going on behind the scenes. It’s even hard to compare men’s and women’s tennis. These are two different sports.”

A cagey player who rose to the top echelons of the game by using her brains rather than brawn, Myskina says that tennis is moving more in the direction of power than finesse, but does believe there will be a continued role for thinking players.

“Nowadays women’s tennis is like ‘the harder you shout, the more you win,’” she said.

“It has become more physical in recent years. There are a lot of high-profile examples of where raw power gives you the edge. On the other hand, there’s also a new wave of Maria Kirilenko and Ekaterina Makarova, who try to combine power with intelligence.”

While she was playing, Myskina had an intense rivalry with fellow Russian Maria Sharapova, even once getting into a shouting match with Sharapova’s father, Yuri. But she does believe that Sharapova can overcome her crisis of confidence against Serena Williams, whom Sharapova has not defeated in eight years.

“Both of them play the same tennis – powerful tennis,” she said. “Serena has been fitter than Maria recently. I also think, Williams has just got more power and when she’s in top-notch shape – she can hardly be beaten. But she can’t play that well throughout the entire season. It would be interesting to see them face each other at the upcoming Australian Open. At the start of the season, Sharapova must have better chances of beating her.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Anastasia Myskina, Fed Cup champion, Former tennis champion, Roland Garros, Russian tennis news., Svetlana Kuznetsova, Tennis comments, Tennis News, Wta