Breaking News

Kontaveit beats Vondrousova at VTB Kremlin Cup-2021 to avenge her Winbledon loss

October 23, 01:30 PM

Middelkoop and Heliovaara become second finalists of VTB Kremlin Cup-2021 doubles event

October 23, 01:15 PM

Photo gallery of the fifth game day, October 22

October 22, 11:45 PM

Karatsev garanteed an All-Russian semifinals at the VTB Kremlin Cup-2021

October 22, 11:15 PM

Khachanov outserved Millman with 19 aced to reach SF at VTB Kremlin Cup

October 22, 09:15 PM

Aslan Karatsev: «My goal is to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in Turin»

October 24, 08:30 PM

Karatsev outpayed Cilic to win VTB Kremlin Cup singles title

October 24, 07:00 PM

Harri Heliovaara: «We play tennis just to have the kind of rallies we’ve had in the "VTB Kremlin Cup" finals»

October 24, 06:45 PM

Anett Kontaveit: «Ekaterina played great, it seemed I had no chance»

October 24, 05:15 PM

Ekaterina Alexandrova: «The loss to Kontaveit is very painful, but I won’t make it a drama»

October 24, 04:00 PM

Kontaveit came back from a set and two breaks down to beat Alexandrova in the VTB Kremlin Cup final

October 24, 02:30 PM

Aslan Karatsev: «I know what to expect from Cilic, I am ready for the final»

October 23, 10:00 PM

Karen Khachanov: «I made errors in the tie-break, it played a key role in the match against Karatsev»

October 23, 09:30 PM

Marin Cilic: «To reach another VTB Kremlin Cup final is a special moment for me»

October 23, 08:30 PM

Jelena Ostapenko: «I'm enjoying my freedom in Moscow!»

October 23, 07:00 PM

Ostapenko/Siniakova clinched doubles title at VTB Kremlin Cup-2021

October 23, 04:45 PM

Anett Kontaveit: «It’s going to be a tough battle with Alexandrova in the final»

October 23, 04:45 PM

Supported by

Ministry of sport of the Russian Federation

Department<br>for sport<br>of Moscow city

Julia Goerges: «The Moscow crowd was fair to me»

October 20, 10:30 PM

Congratulations, how hard was to play a player who got injured, called up the doctor and then continued to play even better than before.

It’s always tough to play someone who is actually hurt but I think she wasn’t that hurt because she continued the match and started serving very well. So I was basically a new match. I tried to keep my momentum which was difficult obviously. But then I figured out the way she is playing. So it got better in the end.

When you were preparing for this specific match did you take into account that she had played a three-hour long match before?

Yes, I figured out that she was playing a long match last night. But every match starts from zero, we are all professional players, so we know how to recover. But obviously if you give a player a hard time with no free mistakes the fact that she was playing a lot the previous day definitely helps. So I tried to make it as tough as possible for her. From the beginning there were some shots that I couldn’t handle and some serves as well but at the end it was more difficult for her because I was stronger than her in the second set.

The fact that you lost 6 finals in a row was a factor that has any impact on you? Do you think that you need to change your preparation for tomorrow?

Not quite, I don’t think about the trophy, I just think about the match and I will take it like all others. I know that it’s probably my last final of the year and even the last match of this season. I’ll try to give it my best. I can’t control the results.

You have enjoyed a rather consistent season this year and the previous five were not so great. How did you manage to turn the tide and improve your performance

Two years ago I stopped working with my team with who I have been working for seven years. I completely made a cut. I hired new people in my team to work with me. The results are not coming in two months but we have been working a lot and now I see it is paying back.

You have just made a short comment about your next opponent Dasha Kasatkina. You are 2-2 in head-to-head2. Do you have some more thoughts about Dasha?

Two years ago when I played Dasha for the first time on clay in Bucharest, I beat her and when we were shaking hands, I said: “you are going to have a bright future”. From that time on I’ve been following her results. I was quite right to see that she is capable of playing very good tennis. Even now she has already had some great results which brought her into the Top30. I have a lot of respect for her. She is a different girl. She knows how to be respectful to other players. I really like her. So it’s going to be an interesting final tomorrow. I’m glad that I can play with her tomorrow.

You faced a Russian player today, you are playing another one tomorrow on her home court. So how do you tune up to play on opponent’s courts?

I don’t need any specific things to motivate me when I’m in the finals of a big tournament. For me there’s no difference where to play, in Russia, in Germany or elsewhere. It’s a final and it should motivate you enough already. It’s normal that the people are behind their national players, I totally respect that, but they still respect me here which I figured out today as well. I think it was a fair situation. I expect the same tomorrow.

At some point you were serving for the match and Natalia managed to break you back and then you broke her back again. What helped you to keep the momentum?

I just tried to play my game and don’t give her a lot of free mistakes, to play solid and I let her dictate the match – and in that game she gave me 4 errors that turned me back to my serve. So that time I served it out a little bit cleaner than before.

Do you have some friendly relationships with some of Russian girls? Are you corresponding with some of them?

I have a lot to do with Ekaterina Makarova, Elena Vesnina and Dasha Kasatkina as well. With those three we practice a lot and we chat on Whatsapp.

Breaking News

Photo gallery of the final game day, October 24

Schedule for October, 24th

Karatsev sails into VTB Kremlin Cup finals after beating Khachanov

Cilic became the first finalist of the VTB Kremlin Cup

Alexandrova reached the VTB Kremlin Cup final as Sakkari retired

Kontaveit beats Vondrousova at VTB Kremlin Cup-2021 to avenge her Winbledon loss

Middelkoop and Heliovaara become second finalists of VTB Kremlin Cup-2021 doubles event

Photo gallery of the fifth game day, October 22

Karatsev garanteed an All-Russian semifinals at the VTB Kremlin Cup-2021

Khachanov outserved Millman with 19 aced to reach SF at VTB Kremlin Cup

Breaking News

Photo gallery of the final game day, October 24

Schedule for October, 24th

Karatsev sails into VTB Kremlin Cup finals after beating Khachanov

Cilic became the first finalist of the VTB Kremlin Cup

Alexandrova reached the VTB Kremlin Cup final as Sakkari retired

Kontaveit beats Vondrousova at VTB Kremlin Cup-2021 to avenge her Winbledon loss

Middelkoop and Heliovaara become second finalists of VTB Kremlin Cup-2021 doubles event

Photo gallery of the fifth game day, October 22

Karatsev garanteed an All-Russian semifinals at the VTB Kremlin Cup-2021

Khachanov outserved Millman with 19 aced to reach SF at VTB Kremlin Cup

Aslan Karatsev: «My goal is to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in Turin»

Karatsev outpayed Cilic to win VTB Kremlin Cup singles title

Harri Heliovaara: «We play tennis just to have the kind of rallies we’ve had in the "VTB Kremlin Cup" finals»

Anett Kontaveit: «Ekaterina played great, it seemed I had no chance»

Ekaterina Alexandrova: «The loss to Kontaveit is very painful, but I won’t make it a drama»

Kontaveit came back from a set and two breaks down to beat Alexandrova in the VTB Kremlin Cup final

Aslan Karatsev: «I know what to expect from Cilic, I am ready for the final»

Karen Khachanov: «I made errors in the tie-break, it played a key role in the match against Karatsev»

Marin Cilic: «To reach another VTB Kremlin Cup final is a special moment for me»

Jelena Ostapenko: «I'm enjoying my freedom in Moscow!»

Ostapenko/Siniakova clinched doubles title at VTB Kremlin Cup-2021

Anett Kontaveit: «It’s going to be a tough battle with Alexandrova in the final»