Thomas Hogstedt on Rebecca Peterson: Hungry to Get Better

Thomas Hogstedt, the former coach of Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki, Tommy Haas and Simona Halep, is currently working with Sweden's Rebecca Peterson and says the Swede is hungry to get better but adds that one of the things he needs to work on with her is her attitude of towards her opponents.

In an interview to NSD, Hogstedt says, "One must be prepared to change some. Rebecca knows a lot about how she feels herself, other big players maybe more just see how they beat the opponent - if you win the first set then you put in extra gear and decide. It is easy to feel after you are nervous or tired, but the best do not think so much about how they themselves feel. They only think about how to mentally crack the opponent. It's something she needs to work on. I think that bit is very important."

Speaking about her game, Hogstedt says, "She has an incredibly good forehand, plays a bit like a men's player with quite a lot of topspin.. Very serious, incredibly well trained. Just like the biggest ones I've had, very hungry to get better."

The 24-year-old Peterson is ranked No. 43 in the world and has won 2 WTA titles this season, her best to date. Peterson says, "He has shown me what it takes every day for me to go really far. I have grown incredibly much as a tennis player on the course, but then this is not where I want to be, I want to reach so much more. But that's an incredibly good start. He knows what he's talking about. He has worked with many top players both at WTA and ATP and contributed a lot both mentally, technically and tactically, yes to all the pieces in my game. Thomas is a fantastic person with a big heart and after Wimbledon, he said: "Come to Mariestad and We train". And I thought "okay, I'll go there". So I went there myself and his amazing family opened up with open arms and I immediately felt that he believed in me and he wanted to help me. It means a lot."

Her dad, Mart Peterson, who has also been her coach for most of her career, says, Hogstedt has helped his daughter a lot and made her tougher. "It has been a lot of help. She has become tougher against herself and tougher against her opponents. It's been incredibly good."

Peterson hopes 2020 will be an even better year for her with Hogstedt and her father by her side.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/35YUODr