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Mentally tough Kvitova wins 2nd major at Wimbledon

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS PASSA
AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — Winning her first Grand Slam title three years ago at Wimbledon has made it that much easier for Petra Kvitova to handle the aftermath of her second at the All England Club.

There she was, sitting among yet another group of journalists wanting to ask her, probably, the same questions she had just answered in the roomful she faced minutes before.

It was three hours after she had completely dominated Eugenie Bouchard in the Wimbledon final Saturday — a time frame three times longer than her 6-3, 6-0 victory over the Canadian.

But the 24-yearold Czech player was there smiling, joking and looking like she was reveling in the moment.

“I mean I am enjoying this more already than my first one,” Kvitova said. “The first time, I didn’t know how it would feel, I didn’t know what to expect.”

The expectations were what got to her after her 2011 title win here — on and off the court. People thinking she would win every time she picked up a racket. New sponsor endorsements that took up more of her time, and fan days and media commitments at every tournament she played.

She managed for a time — 2011 was a banner year with six tournament wins, including the season-ending WTA Championships. But frailties began to show in her game, culminating in a poor 2013 at Grand Slams — Wimbledon was the only major at which she reached the quarterfinals — and a slide in the rankings that nearly took her out of the top 10.

It began to make her wonder: Could she win another major?

Enter sports psychologist Michael Safer, who Kvitova calls her “mental coach.”

He helped make her believe that she could.

“It took a lot of work,” Kvitova said. “He helped me to handle the pressure during matches, it was very difficult and something I really needed to learn. I was playing well but something was missing, how I handled the pressure in key moments.”

On Saturday, Kvitova used that mental toughness to transport herself into the “zone,” a term often used by athletes to explain how they play above and beyond their usual performance levels.

Certainly the 20-year-old Bouchard witnessed it firsthand.

Dictating points with her big serve, aggressive returns and flat groundstrokes, Kvitova never let Bouchard get into the match. The Canadian looked down at the ground on one occasion and raised two hands as if to ask what could she do next to stop the onslaught.

The answer was nothing.

“She played unbelievable and didn’t give me many opportunities to stay in the rally,” Bouchard said, “or do what I do.”

Kvitova even surprised herself.

“I mean, a few shots (were) really incredible and I really couldn’t believe that I made it actually,” she said. “Maybe it was magic.”

Asked to explain the best thing that happened to her after her first win in 2011, she quickly said having a Wimbledon trophy to share with her parents.

And now a second one to take home to the Czech Republic the next time she visits her mother and father. Her dad, Jiri, celebrated his birthday on Sunday.

“I can’t say that it’s more special,” she said when asked to explain the difference. “But definitely after three years to stand here with the trophy again, it’s absolutely amazing.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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