Savouring the biggest success of her career by winning the WTA year-end singles championship, Agnieszka Radwanska has now set her eyes on Grand Slam glory, saying the confidence-boosting performance in Singapore will surely help her win a Major trophy.
In a stunning show, the world number five from Poland overcame two losses in the Group stage to reach the semifinals, where she toppled nemesis Grabine Muguruza and finally trumped Simona Halep to become the champion.
Radwanska, however, has not tasted much success at Grand Slam stage. She has three semifinal appearances to show and in 2015 season, she reached the last-four stage of only the Wimbledon.
Last year she had reached semis of Australian Open and in 2013 she made semis at the hallowed turfs at Wimbledon.
"For sure, Singapore performance has given me a lot of confidence, I just hope that it will help me win a Grand Slam next year. I can try to be my best because nothing comes easy (at that level)," Radwanska told PTI in an exclusive interaction on the sidelines of IPTL, where she is playing for the Indian Aces team.
Asked what she needs to add in her game to get that elusive Major, Radwanska said, "It's always hard to say one thing."
"You just need to believe that you can do it. You can win those seven matches in a row. Couple of things have to be together to win a Grand Slam and a little bit of luck also on the way. In every Grand Slam, you have a chance."
The 23-year-old said tournaments in the Asian region post the US Open helped her redeem the otherwise ordinary 2015 season.
"It was much better end to the season than the beginning. The beginning was not there, the couple of weeks in Asia were great for me, surely the last result in Singapore was great, I finished as world number five, so the season was great," she said.
Asked if she changed something in her approach or game to get those results in Asia as she won titles in Tokyo and Tainjin apart from finishing a semifinalist in Beijing, Radwanska replied in negative.
"I did not change much. I just was very good in Asia. The courts, the atmosphere, most of the tournaments there I played were very good. I always played great tennis there and I am happy with that," she said.
"Whole of my team worked hard. Hard to be better and better and come back to the level I play. We did a good job.
Radwanska had the great Martina Navratilova in her team for a couple of months but split soon. She said she does not plan to add any new coach to her support staff and described the experience of being in company of such a legend as fantastic.
"I have the same coach even when Martina came I did not change anyone, it was just one extra person in my team to have. We split in April and I have the same team for few years for now. I had support from her, her experience. She had a lot to say on many things on and off the court, that was really great."
Radwanska has developed a keen rivalry with world number three Muguruza this season. In fact she has struggled to get past the Spanish girl. They sparred five times this season and she lost four times.
But Radwanska managed to get the better of her nemesis at an important juncture -- in the semis of year-end Finale.
"They were always tough and very long matches, specially at the Wimbledon and Beijing as well. Everytime it was close. But she was always good on couple of important points. I think in Singapore, I was better in those couple of points in the end. Every match is 50-50 so every point matters. I just played some good shots and made smart decisions in Singapore."
Radwanska also shares an interesting rivalry with German player Angelique Kerber against whom she leads the head-to-head tally 6-5.
This season, they squared off against each other twice, winning one match each. Asked to compare Kerber and Muguruza, Radwanska said, "They are two different players and matches."
"We always play tough matches. With Kerber I always have long rallies, lot of runs, tough points. It's always good to play against those players because if you win it means, you have played great tennis. Otherwise it is not going to go your way."
Talking about Serena Williams, who won three out of four Grand Slams in 2015, Radwanska said the American great still is a big challenge for the players even as new talent has come to fore on the WTA circuit.
"She is definitely dominating, winning pretty much everything. She is still on fire and fit she was many years ago. It's very tough to beat her but new names are coming up. Talented players can be very dangerous. Women's tennis is changing, you have to focus from the first round, no easy matches any more.
