R3: Gina made herself very hard to beat against “underrated” Sana

Gina : I think that’s what I can rely on. I’ve worked very hard over the past few years to put myself in a position where I can rely on that. Like I spoke to you yesterday, sometimes I don’t allow myself the opportunity to rely on it, because I lose it mentally first. Whereas in that game, I was struggling to hit my targets. I felt she’s a very, very good player.

I feel she’s quite underrated as well, and I think she’s a threat in any draw.

I knew that second game was kind of win or lose, and I was really proud of the way I was making myself hard to beat, like you said. I could feel that she was in control of a lot of the rallies, but I felt I just kept getting that extra ball back. And you do see her drop off. I’ve played her before, and after that second game, there is a drop-off. I think it’s because she works so hard to cut everything off around the middle that it takes its toll in the later stages.

I’m proud that I can rely on my movement and my physicality, because when my squash isn’t quite hitting its targets, I have to get my skates on.

So, I think I can take positives from that. But I still feel there are things going on where I’m obviously changing a lot. There are things in my swing that were clicking a few tournaments ago and now aren’t quite clicking. I know it’s a quick fix, though, and I’m glad I’ve got a rest day tomorrow.

At the moment it’s all about the way I’m hitting the ball, so if I can get my confidence up with that, then everything else will come.

It’s funny you noticed my very high grip, because obviously Rod holds it like that as well, but he’s never actually told me to do it. It’s just a by-product of the way he’s taught me to swing. The way he teaches you to swing involves a very firm wrist, and the lower you go down the grip, the more power and the more wrist you have. Because I’m trying to keep my wrist really firm, my hand has naturally gone up.

Honestly, I’ll end up on the top of the racket!!!