Daria Kasatkina admits she’s feeling confident this clay season but isn’t burdening herself with expectations ahead of the French Open.

The Russian No. 15 seed was unfazed by the rain and heavy conditions that struck Rome on Tuesday and was ruthless in her 6-0, 6-4 opening round victory over Australian-Croatian Ajla Tomljanovic.

“After years, three years on tour, you get used to this,” Kasatkina told Sport360 after her win, laughing at the idea of feeling already experienced on tour at the age of 21.

“I was ready, the forecast was expected since three days so I was ready, I was expecting the rain and I was sitting and relaxing before the match and trying to focus on the things that were important.”

Kasatkina, who made back-to-back finals in Dubai and Indian Wells, is having a stellar 2018 campaign and will be one of the ones to watch at Roland Garros this month.

She says that the secret to her good form against Tomljanovic on Tuesday was feeling freedom in her variety of shots in a way that reminded her of her junior days.

“Today I felt a little bit like when I was a junior, the way I was playing, like spin, drop shot, slice… because it was pretty slow today so I had a little bit more time. I didn’t have a warm-up before the match but I felt pretty good,” said Kasatkina.

Asked if she feels she can go deep at the French Open, she added: “When you think about these things it’s not really good. Of course I’m confident and I want to go further and further especially at such big tournaments like the French Open but I’m also not expecting from myself huge, huge things because then I’m under pressure.

“I’m just trying to go on court and enjoy every second. Like today, it was a little bit like juniors, because that’s the way I play. When I was a junior I didn’t have a good backhand, so I was slicing and drop-shotting, playing lobs, so I had to use my brain now. And now it’s even better because sometimes I can even hit the backhand, so I have more options.”