“Don’t think… just hit it” – Kasatkina shares secret to the perfect tweener after sensational trick shot wins crucial point

Daria Kasatkina hit a simply sublime tweener in her second round win against former Roland-Garros finalist, Marketa Vondrousova.

Leading by a set, all on serve in the second and at 30-30 on Vondrousova’s serve, the ninth seed found herself outmanoeuvred in a lengthy exchange, with her Czech opponent improvising with a wonderful volley lob to leave the Russian stranded.

Pinned on the baseline, with her back to the net, Kasatkina pulled out the only shot that was available to her – and executed it to stunning effect.

THIS tweener 🫢#RolandGarros | @DKasatkina pic.twitter.com/rlKg6uwmCy

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2023

Asked about the shot in her post-match press conference, Kasatkina revealed that these types of shots are difficult to plan for or think about – it is all about instinct.

“Don’t think that you are going to hit a tweener; just hit it. Every time when I’m thinking about it, it goes anywhere, and today I was just going for — like, I was just running and not even thinking. I even forgot the moment when it happened, so I was actually surprised.

“Yeah, I never expect to do it in the matches, to hit a tweener like that. So sometimes it’s coming just from nowhere.”

Kasatkina will next face Peyton Stearns, after the American shocked one of the outside favourites for the title, former champion Jelena Ostapenko.

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