As Kostyuk discussed feelings, Swiatek was talking technicalities. The weather is due to change on Sunday; that could affect string tensions and tactics. The Pole had much to think about. And thinking had been her problem at the start of the year.
On the hard courts earlier in the season, she was caught between her head and her heart: to play a point using method and logic or using instinct and intuition. A couple of months into her coaching relationship with Francisco Roig, formerly part of Rafa Nadal’s coaching team, she feels she is getting that balance right.
“I feel like we focused a lot on that at the beginning,” she said. “Overall, I feel like the decision-making has been better, and that’s an improvement.”
As for this match, it was back to the technicalities and the weather forecast. If the temperature drops, there are tweaks to be made. “I’ll see that day,” she said. “I’ll adjust the [string] tension a bit, and I’ll see if I need to adjust my game.”
Details, details. But the only detail that matters is who will win the final point? Watch this space.
Court Philippe-Chatrier, second match
Elina Svitolina (7) vs Belinda Bencic (11)
It’s the battle of the mums. Svitolina is the proud mother of three-and-a-half-year-old Skai and Bencic has two-year-old Bella to keep her busy. Yet both are in the upper tier of the world rankings and are about to go toe-to-toe for a place in the last eight. They have played six times before with Bencic winning the first two and Svitolina taking charge thereafter. Then again, Svitolina has some extra free help as she prepares for her matches these days.
Her husband, Gael Monfils, is an unofficial member of her coaching team (her main coach, Andrew Bettles loves talking tennis with Gael) and, so far, husband and wife see eye-to-eye on almost every tennis-related topic. “It’s very rare when we are opposite of what we’re thinking about the player or about something else about tennis,” she said. No mention of whether they are opposite or aligned when it comes to discussing whose turn it is to take the bins out.
Court Philippe-Chatrier, third match
Alexander Zverev (2) vs Jesper De Jong
By rights, De Jong shouldn’t be here at all. The Dutchman lost in the final round of qualifying and only got into the main draw as a lucky loser when Arthur Fils withdrew. Slipping neatly into that seeded spot, he has made the most of luck and having worn down Karen Khachanov in five sets on Friday he now has Zverev, the No.2 seed, to deal with. They have played twice before, the last time here last summer. And De Jong took the opening set, for all the good it did him. “He’s a physical player, last year he brutally demolished me after that first set,” he said. “But I’m physically stronger than last year, so I’m really looking forward.”
And, now that he is working with both a breathing and a mental coach, he has found a way to stop beating himself on court. Calmer in his approach and physically stronger than before, now he only needs to beat Zverev. If only it were that simple.
Court Suzanne-Lenglen, fourth match
Andrey Rublev (11) v Jakub Mensik (26)
Rublev is once again potentially heading for another Grand Slam quarterfinal. So far, he has reached 10 of them but he has never got any further. And, to be honest, he is a little tired of talking about that stat. To get to his 11th, he must find a way around Mensik, the big man (he is 6ft 5in or 1.96m tall) from Prostejov – and he has not done that in two previous meetings. Not only that, but while the rest of the men’s draw has more holes in it than a string vest, Rublev’s quarter looks rock solid (it is either Casper Ruud or Joao Fonseca next for the winner).
How, then, does Rublev view the challenge ahead and the possibility of breaking that quarterfinal hoodoo? “I know if I will do the things right, I will do it,” he said. “Doesn’t matter this time, next time, or in couple of years anyway, because in the end, ten quarterfinals I have. It’s bigger than many players who did one or twice semifinal, and I will not replace those ten quarterfinals for one or two semifinals.”
