Q.) You have moved to Florida State University to compete in university tennis and gain experience, talk to us about how the opportunity came about and how tough the decision was?
A.) I had a message from the coach at Flordia State University around two years ago now. We had spoken over the phone numerous times and I had met her at various tournaments. About a year later, September 2018, I went on my visit and saw how much support I would have going there. The facilities are amazing and there are staff to help you succeed. The decision was very hard to make as I would leave my family, coaches, and postpone going professional while I was out there. However, I thought it was the best decision for me as I can improve my game, whilst gaining a degree so I will be ready to go pro when I leave college.
Q.) You’ve been in America for a few months now, are you enjoying your time? And do you feel like your game is developing and improving all the time?
A.) I love being in America. I really enjoy the team environment and am thriving in it. I am privileged to have access to all the facilities I need and great coaches who are helping me all the way. I definitely feel as though my game is improving as the level is high in college tennis. It is so competitive and mentally challenging because of the added pressure of playing for your team.
Q.) With the on-going Coronavirus pandemic it’s difficult to talk about schedules, but what do you planning on doing after Florida, do you move back to Europe and compete regularly on the ITF or WTA?
A.) I had to come back from America due to the virus and the borders were closing, so I was advised to get out whilst I could, this meant our season was cut short. I was planning on playing pro tournaments during the summer when I came back at the end of May, but obviously things have changed because of the pandemic. Hopefully I will be able to play some tournaments at the end of summer or in the autumn when I go back to Florida. I still have four years left of college tennis so I don’t know exactly what my schedule will look like after. However, I plan to come back home and play pro tournaments full time.
Q.) From watching you live in Manchester a couple of years ago, I remember you double-handed backhand being a huge weapon, is that still the case?
A.) Yes I still love my backhand! However, I have really developed my skill-set whilst being in the state, so I use more variety and come to the net more. My serve is also a weapon that I use to set up the points.
Q.) Looking back now, how do you reflect on your 2019? It looks as if you’re thoroughly enjoying your time in America, so surely it was a positive year in your career?
A.) Yes, 2019 was a great year for me. I really enjoyed the journey I went on starting in Australian Open juniors and ending in Florida. Australian Open was a great tournament for me, I made the last 16 of singles and doubles and I thoroughly enjoyed playing that slam. I then transitioned into the senior tour and did better than expected. I gained a ranking of 650 which I was really pleased with before heading off to Florida. FSU had been doing very well before our season was cut short. We were ranked number two in the country and I had a single ranking of 80 and two doubles rankings with different partners, 11 and 23. Looking at results as well as enjoyment it has been a fantastic year for me.
Q.) 11 different women have won grand slam titles since 2017. The consistency and level of matches we get on the WTA is reaching crazy heights, every tournament is wide-open, but is there a player you think could dictate for a spell of time?
A.) There is no right answer for this as there are so many great players out there now that have the potential to win a slam. I think that Simona Halep has been performing consistently, but Sofia Kenin was crushing events before the pandemic hit as well. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic this could all change and new people could become dominant.
Q.) The new crop of women players coming through are so exciting to watch, Bianca Andreescu, Jelena Ostapenko, Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin are already grand slam champions. Which youngster do you enjoy watching and why?
A.) I like watching Kenin as she is very focussed and composed on court, whilst being aggressive. She has a big game which I admire. I also like to watch Coco Gauff as I have played her as a junior and know her a little as well. She is a great girl off the court too so I love to see her succeed.
Q.) What is your ‘dream achievement’ in tennis?
A.) My dream achievement would be to play at the highest level of the game. Competing in the main draw of slams and being in contention to win them is definitely the dream. That’s what I work towards, so why not!
Big thanks to Victoria for the interview, follow her on Instagram to track her progress!
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