Russian tennis player Anastasia Zakharova, currently ranked 81st in the world, has opened up about how she intends to spend her downtime in the Italian capital following her recent tournament exit. In an exclusive interview with Чемпионат correspondent Daniil Salnikov, the athlete detailed her plans for a brief Roman holiday before heading to her next competition.
Zakharova was eliminated in the second round of the prestigious WTA-1000 event in Rome, falling to Czech player Linda Noskova with a score of 4-6, 1-6. Despite the disappointing result, she is looking forward to a few days of leisure in the city before traveling to Paris for the next tournament on her schedule.
"I still have Friday here, so I'll try to get out and about," Zakharova explained. "I won't have any training sessions planned. I'm going to rest, walk around Rome, eat some delicious food, and maybe do a bit of shopping. Basically, I'll try to switch off and enjoy myself as much as possible."
This marks the third time the 22-year-old has visited Rome, and her second time competing in the tournament. She recalled her previous experiences in the city with fondness, noting that two years ago she had hoped to compete but failed to even qualify. Last year, she managed to enter the qualifying rounds but was defeated there.
During her previous visits, Zakharova made sure to take in some of Rome's most iconic landmarks. "I walked around a bit then – I saw the Colosseum, I saw the Vatican," she recounted. "I also strolled through a few other places. And of course, I ate well, had an Aperol, and then headed off to the next tournament."
The tennis star confirmed she plans to replicate that enjoyable experience during her current stay. "Tomorrow I'm planning to do the same thing," she said, indicating her intention to balance relaxation with cultural exploration during her brief respite from the professional circuit.
Zakharova's comments highlight the demanding nature of the professional tennis calendar, where players often have limited windows between tournaments to recover both physically and mentally. For her, these few days in Rome represent a valuable opportunity to recharge before the next challenge in Paris.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.