I get massages almost daily. Sometimes I fall asleep during the massage, but it’s very important to have deep-tissue massages because that type recovers muscles best.
For my hair, I like to use different leave-in moisturizing sprays.
I am constantly trying to improve my playing and hope to get more and more mental strength. I think these are two of the success keys.
I made some choices that weren’t right in the past. It cost me in terms of my confidence and everything.
The time during bombings was definitely difficult for everyone. My parents, they really protected me from it, and we came through together.
It’s very important to take care of yourself. Everyone’s lives are so busy. Take at least an hour a day to recharge and do whatever makes you better. For grown-ups, whether it’s a spa, sitting in a park with a book, or coffee, take time for yourself.
I won two ITF tournaments in Japan in two weeks. I had to qualify for both of them, which meant that I won 16 matches in 15 days.
With experience, you understand expectations, you understand consequences, but sometimes it gets a little bit hard, especially for me, that I’m a perfectionist – I want to analyse everything. And sometimes it’s most important to just let go and trust your instincts. This is what I need to do more of.
Everything in moderation. I keep a healthy body, a healthy look. It’s important not to be obsessive about anything – fitness, training, eating – because then you end up focusing on only that. And you can’t obsess about anything when you’re on the road.
I have a lot of hair, and it’s quite heavy: Sometimes I’ll braid it for a match so it’s all together.
It’s always been my dream to compete.
There are times when the only people you spend time with are the people in your team. That’s hard, because I think, ‘I’m a girl. I want to hang out with other girls. I just want to be a normal young woman.’
Most of the coaches just tell you, ‘No, no, you’re doing well. This is fine.’ But I actually want someone who will tell me what I didn’t do right so that I can improve.
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