Bertens talks life, family, speeding tickets and more

Kiki Bertens won her biggest career title in Madrid last month and with a career-high ranking of No. 4, she was the top seed at her home event in 's-Hertogenbosch. But in comparison to many of the game's top players, she's not very well-known.

That's finally changing. The Dutchwoman revealed a lot about herself in *Holland Herald*, an in-flight magazine for KLM Royal Dutch Airways.

Bertens' mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was a child, and spending more time being watched by her aunt and uncle led her to discover tennis at the age of 6. Bertens describes her childhood as normal, and her mother's health is stable.

She won her first title in 2012 in Morocco, which boosted her inside of the Top 100. She's has had a lot of ups and downs in her career, nearly quitting in 2017 despite being inside the Top 35. The 27-year-old reveals that her struggle with the fear of failure and difficulty dealing with disappointment hindered her, and that was centerfold in the 2017 Dutch documentary Just Kiki.

She hired Raemon Sluiter in 2016, and describes him as a "talker" who helped her sort through her emotions. Improving her health also helped as she picked up yoga and a better diet.

“I know now that even when I’m feeling low, there will always be a brighter day," Berten said. "I'm also better at putting disappointments into perspective. Losing still sucks, but I’m healthy and happy, and that’s what matters most."

She won three titles in 2018, Charleston, Cincinnati and Seoul. This year, she won the crown in St. Petersburg before her huge win in Madrid. Unfortunately, illness forced her to withdraw from Roland Garros.

While some athletes naturally gravitate toward becoming global celebrities, Bertens didn't feel much at ease being photographed for the magazine. "To be honest, I don't think I'm that special, so I find it strange when people want to take my picture," she said.

This week, she revealed in the Libema Open Daily Newsthat what she spends too much money on is speeding tickets. "I was driving on the A16 in the evening and you have to drive 100 k.p.h. Who does that?! No one." She offered to buy the officer a McDonald's milkshake, but was rejected.

Acting like a diva, managing her social media growth and building her brand are not things she focuses on. Family is what's important to her, as her parents and sisters support her career, and her fiancé Remko de Rijke, travels with her half of the year.

When she does actually leave the sport, she's looking forward to being a mother. Until then, she'll see how far she can go.

“On a good day, I can beat anyone," Bertens said. "And on a bad day, I can lose to anyone. Every player in the Top 100 is a professional who's striving for victory, so the competition is always stiff. I just try to give every match my best, that’s all I can do.”