Kanepi: A Teen with a goal

Oct 12, 2000
Bjorn Viir

"Hingis compensates for her physical limitations with intelligence," notes Kanepi's trainer, Tiit Kivistik. "She doesn't run faster, but knows which shot to choose."

Kanepi, from the town of Haapsalu, tries to emulate her idol when playing against her parents or more experienced opponents.

"In two or three years she'll be stronger than now," her coach said. "Right now it is important that she is getting much needed experience: different opponents, various surfaces, balls, etc."

She has won 10 of the 14 tournaments she has entered this year. She and her trainer especially value her first-place finish in Nuremberg.

"Kaia played well there, without showing any signs of pressure and won in beautiful form," says Kivistik happily. "She retains her calm in the most testing matches. Sometimes I wish she would be a bit more aggressive."

Thanks to her wins in Nuremberg, Firenze and Salsio Maggiore, in May, Kanepi was granted entry to the French Open, one of tennis' grand-slam tournaments. Her mother Anne also made the trip to Paris to give her daughter moral support and a warm atmosphere.

Kanepi and her mother also flew to New York last month to participate in the U.S. Open junior's event. Although she was seeded a respectable seventh, Kanepi lost a tough first round match to American Bethany Natlek.

Her trainer is not one to look for excuses but believes that Kanepi was not yet used to the faster-playing U.S. hardcourts and night matches.

"Kaia did not have ample time to practice on this surface and played far below her capabilities," he said. "Estonia has mostly clay courts and learning to adapt to hardcourts simply cannot be done in a few days."

Things went much better in doubles for Kanepi where she surprisingly advanced all the way to the semifinals with her partner Galina Voskoboyeva.

"As we progressed through the early rounds in doubles, I was starting to feel more confident on the hardcourts," said Kanepi.

The ninth-grader fell in love with tennis when she was a child, imitating her older sisters when they were playing. Her coach was happy to see her constant progress as she became this year's Estonian champion and earned a silver in Europe's junior championships.

Tournaments take place mainly in Western and Central Europe, and each trip costs at least 20,000 kroons.

"We are very thankful to Kaia's main sponsor, the Port of Tallinn," says Jaak Kanepi, Kaia's father and agent.

Her sponsor sometimes gets mentioned, so there is some advertising.

Outside of tennis, Kanepi is very much a typical teen. She is an A-student at a normal school, although she often has to take her books with her when she travels. Her hobbies also include computers and playing with her bulldog Blanco.

When asked what her dream is, Kanepi responds immediately: "To win Wimbledon."

No Estonian has ever won a grand-slam tennis tournament, but with Erki Nool's gold at the Olympics in decathlon, Estonian athletes are starting to make their mark.

Kanepi's strong work ethic and dedication might be just the thing that will give tennis fans something to cheer about in the future.

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