Vladislav Emchenko: "The birth of my son is a happiness that words can't describe"

Zenit guard Vladislav Emchenko spoke with the club's media after completing his in-depth medical examination. In this interview, he reflects on the birth of his son, his individual offseason training, and the team's renewed roster.

— Vladislav, first of all, congratulations! Your son was born this summer. How has your life changed after such a wonderful event?

— Thank you! Life has become even happier! As I wrote on my Telegram channel, we cherish every day, every moment, every second we spend together. Vika and I are enjoying every part of being parents. We see how quickly Miroslav is growing and developing, and all we do is help him become stronger and adapt to this beautiful and fascinating world. It's a kind of happiness that words simply can't describe. You only truly understand it when you have children of your own.

— Tell us about your offseason from the perspective of individual training. Which aspects of your game did you focus on the most?

— At the end of June, I trained in St. Petersburg, mainly focusing on strength work in the gym. After our son was born, the three of us went to Moscow, where I spent three weeks at a training camp, this time concentrating primarily on basketball. I've always said — and I'll keep saying — that individual work during the summer is extremely important. The foundation for the entire season is built in the offseason. Summer is also the perfect opportunity to work on aspects of your game that are difficult to focus on during the season because of the busy schedule of games and travel. Heavy weight training, along with individual work on the court — ball handling, shooting from different spots and game situations, one-on-one play — that's the ideal way to spend the summer. All of it pays off once the season begins.

— This year, the team's preseason starts unusually early. What are your expectations for such an early start to preparations?

— Last year, preseason started around August 21 or 22. So when I heard we'd be starting on August 5 this summer, I was surprised and wondered, "Why so early?" Then I found out that the league season itself begins about ten days earlier than usual. On top of that, we have a new coaching staff and several new players, so we need more time than teams that haven't gone through such significant changes. We'll have more time to get to know each other, build chemistry, and get ready for the new season. I'm really looking forward to seeing the guys and the coaching staff again.

— As you mentioned, the team has gone through many changes. What kind of Zenit do you think the fans will see this season?

— I want our fans to see a team that's worthy of the highest goals, a team that strives to win every game and every competition it enters. I'm confident that's exactly what the entire Zenit organization will continue to be built around. The players, the coaching staff, and the medical staff — we'll all be united in working toward one common goal: winning. Together, we'll keep moving toward our objectives.