27.03. 2014.
Hello from Monterrey!This time last year, Monterrey was the first WTA event I played in my life and now, exactly one year later, I will be playing my first ever main draw. My mum said to me last year, when I was ranked No.356, that if I worked hard, I would be playing main draw this year and I was like ‘come on mum’ …but here I am!
I am not joking when I say that Monterrey is like my second home. I am walking around the site with lots of emotions and just feeling so happy to be back here, with the mountains, the atmosphere and the amazing people. The tournament director (Hernan Garza) is so nice and he is treating me like a Mexican, like I am one of his family. He was the first person that I saw when I came to site last year and had some really great words of support for me, and he was here again when I arrived on Monday. It honestly felt like I was here yesterday.
This is the first time my name will be in a WTA main draw (without qualifying) so I’m really excited, but of course I hope it won’t be the only one. Just seeing my name there alongside other top players will give me more strength and motivation to keep going and working hard.
It was so weird last year to be playing against players I had only seen on TV, and it still feels special when these players start arriving on site here. But I want to be the player that other younger players will recognise and look up to, so I will absorb everything I can from being here and just learn as much as possible.
Since this time last year, I have been working on everything in my game. I am an attacking player and try to dictate the point with my serve and forehand. I started working a lot on my fitness and movement too, and on trying to maintain a high level of mental intensity through each match.
For sure the biggest thing I have learnt in the last year is to believe in myself. Belief is everything in tennis, so I am trying to go on the court just believing and feeling confident. When I step on the court for my first match here, I will just say to myself ‘you can do it’ and if in doubt I will fight like crazy J
Wish me luck!
Jovana
http://jovanajaksic.net/hello-monterrey/ 
