Schiavone focuses on positives

Dubai: For Italian Francesca Schiavone age is not just a number. It's the opportunity to keep learning and improve.

"I don't think I can ever finish learning in my life. There is always something to learn and I find that I am now learning more than what I've done before," Schiavone told Gulf News after losing in the doubles quarterfinals with partner Kleybanova in the 2010 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships yesterday.

After turning professional in 1998, Schiavone has seen the best in the world of tennis. She has beaten the best and lapped up the adoration from fans after climbing to a career high No 11 in 2006.

Confident

But she still feels much better now than before. "Yeah, I do feel much better than when I was at No 11," she admitted.

"It is strange but true. I think I have grown mentally. I feel much better physically and much stronger. Technically I have improved since those years and now it is time to enjoy," she added.

"I am in a much better position now to understand myself, both on and off the court."

Dubai also gave her the best win of her career so far when she advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2008 Dubai Duty Free Women's Open with an upset 7-6, 7-6 result against then world number one and four-time champion Justine Henin. However, she lost to eventual champion Elena Dementieva in the semifinals.

"It is no longer the same for me, both on and off the court. Now I am using every quality that I have, in particular the experience that I have had before but did not use," she smiled.

As if to prove her point, Schiavone had a great run at last month's season-opening Australian Open where she made it to the fourth round till she fell to Venus Williams in three sets.