Is the present system of development an off-shoot of the sports policies of the erstwhile Soviet Union?
Yes, the emphasis on discipline in training is a part of the old system. That is to say one had to work very hard to break into the priority status extended only to a few top players in the country. Of course, you would like to get inducted into this group to get the financial support for travelling around to play tournaments. The competition was very tough as there were plenty of good girls trying to get into the top slots. And this helped us get stronger. You and Elena Dementieva were both coached by Marat Safin’s mother. How is she as a coach? She is nice as a person, but a very tough coach. You have to strictly follow her orders as she is a disciplinarian. I am thankful to her as the training we received from her laid the foundation for what we are now. How’s the sponsorship scenario in Russia? Is it helping the players? It is good and getting better. People have realised our potential as we have so many good kids across the country, so they are more than willing to help. The spons
