EXPERIENCE counts. In that case things are looking pretty decent for Amelie Mauresmo. The 2006 winner has had a bit of a tough time of things in the intervening years but now she is back in London and looking relaxed and happy. Of course the smiles come more readily in victory.
In her tenth year in the main draw, she added another one of those to her Wimbledon tally yesterday, defying the seedings and ousting Flavia Pennetta, who is ranked two places higher than her, in straight sets: 7-5, 6-3.
It takes her beyond the
disappointment of last year's Championships when she fell in the third round, her worst showing since 2001. It was hard to take but perhaps a blessing in disguise.
This year she has come into the event without the burden of expectation. Almost slipping under the radar she has felt her way into the competition and is now quite happy to raise her head above the parapet and goes into the second week aware of her own capabilities. Of those left in the running, only the Williams sisters share her experience of what it takes to win the Rosewater Bowl on finals day. And that knowledge could yet prove invaluable.
"I hope so, at least. I've been improving over the last ten years let's say, but I still think I can do better in terms of really just letting the things just pass by and then doing my things. We will see how it happens but right now I'm feeling great."
It's a far cry from the lows she felt in the couple of years after her Wimbledon triumph. At that time she had the slam titles (earlier in 2006 she had broken her duck by winning the Australian Open] and was World No.1 but it couldn't be sustained. Having been a perennial semi-finalist at worst for a number of years on the lawn courts the defending champion went out in the fourth round. Then came last year's ultimate low. During that time she even contemplated quitting.
"It was putting some negative thoughts (in my mind] because every time something was going wrong on the court, I was thinking 'ah, I should stop'. So how can you fight, first, and then be good on the court.
"I still think I have some great things to leave on the court, emotionally speaking. Level of play is always nice to have as well as being able to control the ball and then there is this pleasure that it brings. But the emotion part is huge for me. At the time already I was thinking if I kept going I'd be fine. Because when you're done, when you're retired, it's kind of hard to have these moments. I have passions, I have other things that I want to do but, yeah, as long as I feel I would still have those moments, I would keep going.
"I'm enjoying myself much better and that was always the goal."
At the moment she is delighted she took that approach and is thriving in a familiar environment, even if she is surrounded by a host of youngsters hoping to spoil her fun.
Youngsters including Sabine Lisicki of Germany who defeated the French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in one of the upsets of the biggest upsets of the women's draw thus far. The teenager is ranked No.41 but defeated world No.5 in straight sets 6-2 7-5 to move into the second week of the tournament for the first time.
"I'm just so happy," said Lisicki, who needed five match points before sealing the biggest win of her career to date. "I just kept fighting. It was tough but I'm so happy to have pulled it out.
"It's a huge win for me because before Wimbledon I had not won a match on grass so I can't believe I'm in the fourth round. My parents and best friend were here today so it's the best thing that could have happened."
She may be a newcomer to that stage having lost in the first round in her debut 12 months ago, but she shouldn't expect too much helpful advice from the Frenchwoman.
"It's tough, you know but you have to make your own experience. It's always nice to hear what other people have to say but basically you are building your own career and your own experience and, really, nothing can replace this.
"I guess you just need to stick to your gameplan and be ready physically and tactically for whatever things happen. But mentally you have to learn from playing matches."
Mentally, Mauresmo has certainly toughened up and physically she has tried a new approach which seems to be working.
"I made the decision at the end of 2008 to change my environment and my coach. It was a strong decision and a hard one to take but I felt I needed it. So it's going great with Hugo Lecoq. And to go on for another season, I was thinking 'if I'm not going to enjoy it, it's not worth going'. I don't have anything else to prove. If I can just find some good reason, find some pleasure on the court, then I'm good. And the challenge, for now, is really working well. Sometimes you're tired and you push yourself too much and then... but overall I'm good now. At the beginning of the year I still had a little problem with the leg in Australia. But since then it's good so I'm pretty happy about this."
It shows in her face. On the court and in the press conferences Mauresmo is looking at home again and content.
The full article contains 958 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
