Long forgotten after two years of retirement, Anastasija Sevastova has raised her profile in her native Latvia during the U.S. Open.
But Sevastova knows she’ll have to do more winning before she gets to the status enjoyed by Kristaps Porzingis, the 7-foot-3 Knicks star forward.
Sevastova, 26, has shockingly made the Open quarterfinals, where she will face another resurgent European, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, to lead off Tuesday’s night card at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Porzingis, who attended the Open last year, won’t be on hand Tuesday night because of a commitment, but a source said he’s monitoring his countrymate’s progress. Sevastova is from the same seaside city as Porzingis — Leipaja.
Earlier in the tournament, the self-deprecating Sevastova said she considered herself a C- to D-list celebrity in Latvia. After moving into the quarterfinals by beating Brit Joanna Konta on Sunday, Sevastova was asked if she’s now an A-lister.
“I don’t think so,’’ Sevastova said. “I don’t know if we have A-list celebrities. We have a basketball player. He’s playing in the New York Knicks. He’s an A-list celebrity, but I don’t feel like it.’’
At 5-7, Sevastova is nearly two feet shorter than Porzingis. She admitted Latvian athletes such as Porzingis and tennis players Ernest Gulbis and Jelena Ostapenko each have outsized personalities.
“In Latvia, when you lose, everybody says you’re so bad,’’ Sevastova said. “When you win, everybody says you’re so good. I don’t know why it’s like that. Maybe because we live next to a big country, Russia, but we are a small country. We are a fierce country. And we try to do our best.’’
Sevastova, now ranked 48th, stopped playing on the tennis tour in 2013 before returning in 2015. During her break, she studied leisure management. Along this Open ride, she stunned No. 3 seed, Garbine Muguruza. Sunday, she received a phone call from her crying mother.
“I think I’m playing better in my second career,’’ Sevastova said. “I didn’t expect to be here at this point of my life after retiring. I still can’t believe it. Mentally I’m spent. Totally spent.”
With Louis Armstrong Stadium to be torn down after the Open, No. 6 Kei Nishikori’s three-set victory against Croatian Ivo Karlovic on Monday’s day card stands to be the last singles match ever contested on the iconic court. … To date, the Open has seen nine players forced to retire. Last year, there were 17, matching the record set in 2011. … Third-seeded Stan Warwinka survived Ukrainian Illya Marchenko 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-3. After having to save a match point in his third-round win, Wawrinka had a testy match, smashing a racket.