Anastasija Sevastova has been playing the tennis of her life this week in Montreal. It became evident when the 35-year-old veteran pulled off the biggest WTA 1000 event’s upset. The Latvian player stunned two-time champion Jessica Pegula, thus ending the American’s hopes of having a three-peat of victories at the Canadian Open. She won the last two editions in 2023 and 2024. Despite losing the first set, Sevastova made a phenomenal comeback. Her strategy? “Just trying to stay on the court as long as possible.” But guess what? There’s been a key figure as well, working constantly behind the scenes, who’s played a crucial role in her stellar campaign this week – her coach.

However, the dynamics between Sevastova and her main coach are quite different. He’s more than just a team member. He is also her boyfriend, who’s stood by the Latvian WTA pro for more than a decade now. And his name is Ronald Schmidt. He happens to be the main reason why Sevastova revoked her retirement.

For the uninitiated, Sevastova made her professional tennis debut in 2006. A few years later, she emerged as a promising young player. In 2010, she won her maiden WTA trophy at Oeiras. With that, she also became the first Latvian woman to capture a singles title after compatriot Larisa Savchenko-Neiland’s trophy triumph at Schenectady in 1993. Sevastova’s ranking also began improving rapidly. In 2009, she broke into the top 100 and then eventually into the top 50 by October 2010. However, a tragic phase caused her detachment from the racket sport. Luckily, it also led her to her future coach and boyfriend, Ronald Schmidt. Heartwarming, indeed.

Owing to constant injuries, mainly muscular and back, the Latvian pro retired from tennis in 2013. But the following year, she was motivated to make her comeback to tennis, thanks to Schmidt. While she was away from the professional circuit, Sevastova spent considerable time as a coach at the Better Tennis Academy in Austria. It was there that her path crossed with Schmidt’s. During an interview with the New York Times in 2018, he candidly recalled that period. “Look, it was not my intention to bring her back,” said Schmidt.

He revealed that it was Sevastova who had actually made up her mind to return. “I never said to her, ‘Let’s try again.’ It had to come from her, and it was important that she was the one who decided it, not anybody else.” Since 2013, Schmidt has stayed beside her as her partner and trainer. And her growth has been considerable. Not to mention, they also welcomed a baby girl nearly three years ago. In December 2022, Sevastova announced through Instagram the birth of their daughter Alexandra. “Baby Alexandra 🐣🍼👶,” read the post. A month later, in January 2023, the couple also embarked on a family trip to Kitzbühel, Austria.

When Sevastova initially came back from her retirement, she didn’t aim for the stars. “I was thinking, okay, maybe a couple of years, play top 100. Enjoy the game,” she said, as reported on WTA’s website in 2018. In her renewed stint as a professional player, the Latvian had more success under the guidance of Schmidt.

She turned heads during the 2016 US Open, where she managed to reach the quarterfinal stage. It was her best performance yet at a slam. But then, she replicated it in the following year in New York. And guess what? Sevastova went a step further in 2018, making it to the semis of the US Open before losing to 23-time slam queen Serena Williams.

While consistency failed her in recent years, it seems she’s regained momentum at the right time this week in Montreal. However, the journey is still far from over.

Anastasija Sevastova to face a tough opponent in Naomi Osaka

All of Anastasija Sevastova’s matches in Montreal have been three-setters. Simply put, she’s put in extra efforts to beat her opponents. However, her most challenging test is yet to arrive.

On Sunday, the Latvian will face four-time slam winner Naomi Osaka in the fourth round of the Canadian Open. The Japanese star has an edge over Sevastova, with their head-to-head tally at 3-2. In their last meeting, Osaka beat her in the fourth round of the Australian Open – but in 2019. Since then, they haven’t met in any event for more than six years.

Sevastova’s best run in Montreal was in the 2018 edition. Back then, she succeeded in reaching the quarterfinal stage. Unfortunately, she missed the semis after losing to America’s Sloane Stephens.

Now she’s renewed and on the verge of not only matching her previous milestone but also to better it. Will the Latvian pro eventually beat Osaka and enter her maiden semifinal at the Canadian Open? What do you think of her prospects? Let us know in the comments below.