Tennis: Fresh beginning for Petrova starts here

Nadia Petrova is an early arrival. Picture / Martin Sykes

Nadia Petrova knows all about problem dads on the women's circuit but says she came through pretty much unscathed.

Speaking freely about her career after a welcoming breakfast at the ASB Tennis Centre yesterday morning, Petrova admitted her father Victor "was one of those dads".

But he has now slipped more and more into the background, being retained by his daughter only as her fitness adviser.

"He becomes very emotional when he is watching," said Petrova, who arrived 10 days before the ASB Classic for which she is the top seed. "Like other fathers of Russian players, he travelled with me for some years but has now cut back."

Asked whether he had fallen foul of officialdom, Petrova, 23, with a wry smile, said: "It's been close. I was playing a tournament in Rome against a local girl in the final. All the stadium were screaming against me and my father found that too difficult to take."

Nowadays Petrova, the ninth-ranked player on the WTA end-of-year list, is looking forward to a fresh start in her eighth year on the circuit.

She is playing Auckland for the first time and will do so under new coach Alexsande Mityaev, 31, who has taken over from Petrova's long-time coach, Glen Schaap. Therein lies another story and again one all too familiar on the WTA merry-go-round.

"We were doing quite well on the court but I realised he did not know how to handle me emotionally," said Petrova. "I decided we should split. There were a few issues which needed to be corrected.

"He felt as my coach he had the right to tell me everything. He did not want my parents around. He was overprotective, and when there were changes in my personal life in July when I had a new boyfriend, he became even worse."

It was through her boyfriend Petrova met her new coach.

Why Auckland to start her new season?

"I have gone to the Gold Coast in the past but I wanted to change things. Going back there would bring back memories of my old coach," said Petrova, who also referred to the Lord of the Rings trilogy as one of the reasons she wanted to come to New Zealand.

She was also persuaded to try Auckland by the family she stayed with in San Diego.

"She had been the ballkids coordinator at one time here and said I would enjoy it, so when [tournament director] Richard Palmer asked me if I would like to come I quickly accepted."

Petrova will step on court for the third time as the top seed.

That brings mixed emotions.

"The first time was not very successful," she said. "The second time, in Bangkok in October, I went all the way to the final.

"While there is some pressure in being the No 1 seed, I want to learn to live with it."

She's also learning to live in Moscow again. She was born there but from age 12 moved to Cairo, Egypt, for three years then the United States, Poland and Holland.

She accepts women's tennis does not have an all-imposing No 1 like Roger Federer, who dominates the ATP tour.

"Any player in the top 10 can beat any other," said Petrova, who admitted the only player she struggles to master is Lindsay Davenport. "That makes it more exciting."

And where does she see her ranking come this time next year?

"I would like to be No 5. That is realistic. I have been to No 6 (in April 2004). The Williams sisters are not doing so well and Lindsay Davenport has hinted she might retire."

Petrova, who follows fellow Russian Anna Kournikova and Mary Pierce as high profile and popular visitors to the season-opening tournament, gives herself a further five years on the circuit.

"After that I want a life after tennis," said Petrova who added she has no desire to follow many Russians in living in the US.

"I am not saying I will live in Moscow either - perhaps Australia, but it is so far away, or maybe the south of France.

"I am an only child and would like to have three children.

"In five years I will be 28 and would like to start my family before I reach 30."

NADIA PETROVA

* Born: June 8, 1982

* Birthplace: Moscow

* Height: 1.78m

* Weight: 65kg

* Turned pro: September 6, 1999

* WTA Tour singles titles: 1

* WTA Tour doubles titles: 11

* Prizemoney: US$3,637,804 ($5.3 million)

* Career-high singles: No 6 (April 19, 2004). Currently: No 9.