Vera Zvonareva said she was such a perfectionist that she could not content herself with reaching her first Grand Slam final after her defeat to Serena Williams at Wimbledon on Saturday.
The Russian 21st seed, who knocked out Jelena Jankovic and Kim Clijsters en route to reaching the Wimbledon final, said she felt she could have done better in the Centre Court showpiece – but Williams had stopped her playing her best game.
Zvonareva lost 6-3, 6-2 within 67 minutes, but feels the experience – not to mention her new top 10 status – will help make her a serial Grand Slam force to be reckoned with.
“I’m such a perfectionist that I wouldn’t consider it as a fabulous result, because I always want everything perfect,” the Muscovite said.
“Even if I lose, I feel like I could have done better. Sometimes I can lose some matches and think that, well, I did everything I can.
“But at the moment I’m still disappointed because I could have played better tennis.”
The 25-year-old added: “Perfectionism is something that can help you and something that can destroy you as well. Now I know how to handle my perfectionism better.
“Earlier in my career I wanted everything perfect right now, and if it doesn’t work right now, then I will get so angry with myself.”
Zvonareva, the second lowest ranked player ever to appear in the Wimbledon women’s final, has been dogged by doubts about her temperament.
She has also recovered from serial injury problems that left her doubting whether she could play tennis again.
But her talent was never in doubt and she has been a more confident, mature player during The Championships.
“It’s great to be in the final, and think I will realise that later. But I’m still a bit disappointed with the performance,” she said.
“I could have – not with the result but more the way I played – I could have done better. I did not show my best, and it’s a bit disappointing because it’s the final. You don’t reach the Wimbledon final every day.
“Serena played really well. She didn’t give me chances to get into the match.
“You always take more risks against Serena because you know she’s such a great mover and she can play a great defence.
“So if you going to take more risks, you will have to make more errors. And she was lucky on a couple of occasions.”
Zvonareva, the third Russian woman to reach the Wimbledon final, said she now had plenty of motivation to go on and challenge for more major honours.
“I’ll be thinking about how to get to that final first and then to go one step more. But it was definitely a good experience for me,” she said.
“It’s been a great week. Hopefully it can help me in the future.”