Varvara Lepchenko Blogs from Beijing

After winning her opening match at the China Open in Beijing, Varvara Lepchenko tells Tennis Now about her Asian adventures, and her latest rankings milestone.

By Varvara Lepchenko

Varvara Lepchenko Blogs from the China Open in Beijing

(September 29, 2012) -- Note: After winning her opening match at the China Open in Beijing, Varvara Lepchenko tells Tennis Now about her Asian adventures, and her latest rankings milestone. Check back for more blog posts from her and follow her on Twitter: @varunchik1.

Hello from Beijing! When I last talked to Tennis Now, I had just finished up at the U.S. Open, and I was preparing to head off to Asia for several weeks. First stop, Seoul!

This was my first time playing in South Korea, and though I really enjoyed the tournament (my hotel was marvelous!), the weather was absolutely crazy. It would be hot in the morning, cold by lunchtime, and freezing at night. The wind was just as unpredictable. Thankfully, I was able to adjust to the conditions, and make it all the way to the semifinals where I lost in a tough three-setter to Kaia Kanepi.

Losing is never fun, but I got a pretty amazing consolation prize on September 24th when the rankings came out: I made it into the top 20! I told you all in a previous blog that I emailed a Nike representative early in 2012 asking to be considered for a clothing sponsorship. At the time, I was ranked around 120, but I told them with confidence that I could reach the top 20 by year’s end. Though I always believed I could do it, I also knew how hard it would be to climb 100 spots in such a short period of time. It’s so exciting to see hard work pay off!

I’m still wearing Venus (Williams)’s EleVen line, which I love, but I’ve now started getting offers for other sponsorship deals. I’ve been focusing so much on my tennis that I haven’t really had a chance to sit down and make a decision. Plus, because I’m so pretty (haha), I wouldn’t be surprised if I ended up with more offers before the end of the season.

After Seoul, I headed to Beijing where I had a few days to train and relax before the tournament here started. I hate to say it, but I haven’t made any time for sightseeing. I know I’ve got to pull myself together and stop being boring. I mean, I’m in one of the most historic cities in the world! But after a day at the courts, sometimes watching DVD’s or reading a book in my room sounds like a more appealing idea.

In case you’re wondering, I’m currently reading Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho. And yes, it’s as depressing as it sounds. The good news is that it puts me back to sleep if I wake up in the middle of the night. Thank goodness!

Overall, Asia has been amazing, though, as you might imagine, communication is a bit of an issue. I can’t tell you how many times someone has looked at me like I’m crazy because I’m talking too fast, ha! It may sound silly, but one of my favorite things to do here is to try to differentiate between Chinese, Korean, and Japanese characters. I’m getting pretty good at it! I’ve also really enjoyed the delicious Chinese food.

Of course, it’s also nice that I survived my first round match in Beijing (it’s always easier to enjoy your current location after a win). I played Tsvetana Pironkova, who has beaten me the last two times we’ve played. I credit my win today on the great dinner I had last night (kidding), but also on my confidence. I’m at the point now where I know anything is possible, even if I’ve lost to a player before.

We’ll see if I can use that philosophy to my advantage in my next match against No. 12, Ana Ivanovic!

-Varvara

(Photo Credit: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)