RUSSIA'S Yulia Putintseva channeled her idol Rafael Nadal to take out the WTA Launceston Tennis International yesterday.
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Putintseva, who turned 17 last month, defeated Lesley Kerkhove of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-3.
It was a jittery start for the No. 5 seed from Moscow at Launceston's Regional Tennis Centre.
``When I came to the court I was so nervous but after a while I just started to play better and better and I think I was on top of her,'' Putintseva said.
``I think (Kerkhove) played well but she wasn't ready for my game, I was more aggressive than usual,'' she said.
Kerkhove put in an impressive effort after making it to the final from qualifying rounds.
``I played not my best match but (Putintseva) played very well, very strong and I had no chance to come back,'' Kerkhove said.
``My legs didn't want to do what I wanted to do, they were very tired.''
It was the first time the two had played each other with Putintseva's aggressive game a contrast to the calmer Kerkhove.
Putintseva, who has been coached by her father Anton Putintseva since she was four, threw her racquet on the ground in anger during the match.
It is this anger that Putintseva said helped her to win.
``I can not play if I am not angry.''
``You always need to find some anger in yourself.''
But her dad, who couldn't stop smiling after the game, said she was not like this off the court.
``Out of the court she is pretty and she is funny and is not very serious,''(Anton) Putintseva said.
He said her daughter had built a game that was unlike other girls.
``She is always trying to break rhythm. She's hitting the ball, she's slicing, she comes to the net when she's needed.''
Putintseva said she thought of her idol Rafael Nadal every time she played a match. ``He's a great player, he has a great attitude on the court and a great character,'' she said.
Putintseva's dream is to be number one.
``I want to be history.''
The win boosted Putintseva's world senior ranking to within 200.
Her advice for aspiring professional tennis players was:
``Believe in yourself when you play because without this you can not play tennis.''