With a name as unwieldy as her disposition, Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva was once considered the wild child of tennis.
As a 14-year-old, she once threatened to kick Maria Sharapova’s “butt off” because of a perceived slight during practice.
But Karatantcheva, 15-year-old French Open quarter-finalist in 2005, is more commonly known for becoming the first woman to be suspended for steroid use.
The then 16-year-old tried to blame the positive test on being pregnant.
Banned for two years, the brash blonde is finally back on the professional circuit and playing in Australia – a favourite destination – for the first time since 2005.
Karatantcheva says it was her own stupidity that helped her make it through the other side of the two-year ban.
“In my case, I had nothing else to do, so I just kept practising,” she says.
“It takes to be kind of stupid.”
Out on the court, the outspoken blonde is still turning heads.
A potential spot in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International beckons after Karatantcheva downed her higher-ranked opponent in a qualifying match.
The 2004 junior French Open champion fought back from a set down to beat Czech Iveta Benesova 1-6 6-4 6-2.
Not too shabby for a tennis player who admitted to having to re-read the rule books.
“I kind of feel like a rookie again which is not bad, I kind of like it,” she said.
“(But) I feel like the grandmother on tour, you know, seeing all these 14 and 15 year olds.
“I remember when I was 14, 15 and I was like `Oh my God, I’m playing this 20-year-old grandmother. I can understand perfectly.”
But if she’s to make a concerted effort to climb back up the rankings, Karatantcheva might need to pay closer attention to her competition.
Asked about her next match-up, Karatantcheva began complimenting eighth seed Francesca Schiavone, who was was actually defeated in a surprise result by Belarus’ Olga Govortsova.
“Francesca has a very type of mannish play. She’s not going to rush, she’s going to take her time … She lost?”
Karatantcheva’s voice rises in pitch.
“She did? I’m not playing her?
“Oh, then I have no idea.
“I need to go check.”
Karatantcheva admits results just don’t feel that important anymore.
“Every win is a good win and just, every loss, I’m still happy about it – just playing tennis,” she said.
“You kind of realise what you have once you lose it and I took it for granted – the tournaments, everything.
“Then once you stop travelling you have to face reality that I can’t do this anymore and you think, ‘(I was) so young’.”
At a career high, Karatantcheva was ranked No.35 in the world and while she considers herself “Grandma Sesil” now, she believes anything is possible.
“You probably think I’m slow and old, but I still have some fightback,” she said.
“Especially in women’s tennis you can expect anything.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re losing five-love or 40-love, a woman’s mind is just anti-logic.
“You can just click, come back.”
And Karatantcheva already knows how good that feels.
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