Ekaterina Makarova repeated her Australian Open quarterfinal this year and is still solid in the Top 20 – she took time out in Dubai to talk about Anastasia Myskina, Fed Cup, makeovers and more.
After she made it through the season, some players have trouble avoiding a sophomore slump – but after making her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open and making it through to the Top 20 last year there has been no such thing for Ekaterina Makarova, who repeated her Australian Open quarterfinal effort last month and is currently sitting at No.19 in the world rankings.
Makarova took some time out during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last week to reflect on her rise. “I think it was an awesome year for me in 2012, and maybe I motivated myself to get to the Olympics and see how they are,” Makarova said. “I didn’t get in for singles but I got in with Elena for doubles, so it was a lot of experience for me and something different. Other than that I had a couple of good results too, like winning the mixed doubles with Bruno Soares at the US Open.”
“Many good things happened last year and I’m just trying to hold it all in.”
After a successful weekend in Fed Cup, where she went 1-1 in singles and helped clinch the tie against Japan alongside Vesnina in the doubles, Makarova didn’t have the perfect Middle Eastern swing – she fell second round in Doha and first round in Dubai. But she still enjoyed the whole experience.
“Dubai is a really nice tournament. I really enjoy being here. This year they changed the hotel and it’s so comfortable – I like being here more and more. Anastasia and I went to a great restaurant, an Asian restaurant; we had an amazing time there. She knew the restaurant and said we should go there.”
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http://en.africatopsports.com/2013/02/25/tennis-wta-basil-tennis-cup-1st-victory-to-be-won-by-beck/