A. PAVLYUCHENKOVA/V. Zvonareva
7 6, 2 6, 6 2
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA
Q. It was a great match from your side today. What do you feel being in the quarterfinals for the first time and what are your thoughts about how you won that match today?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, of course I'm very happy to be in the quarterfinals. This is my first Grand Slam quarterfinal, so it really means a lot to me, especially beating, you know, Vera, and it's only second time playing against each other.
So I knew it would be tough, and she's very experienced, fights until the end, so well, I don't know. I just, you know I believed till the end, and I just tried to play my best every point. So what else could I do? I was just trying to fight, you know, and I really I wanted to win so badly, so I think I did everything to do it.
Q. Congratulations, Papillon.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Papillon, right.
Q. You used to live in France and you used to practice in France. So what this tournament, French Open, means to you and what this achievement means to you?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah. It was definitely part of my life, like two years of my life, being in France. I really like France. Actually, I like Paris. French Open is my best my favorite Grand Slam.
So, yeah, of course my goal is to do really well here and is a dream to win Roland Garros once, you know.
So about this achievement, it really means a lot to me, as I said before, and, you know, it's always great to win. Always nice to have really nice wins in the pocket. Of course I'm very happy.
Q. This is first time in many years that the first three top seeds lose so early at the French Open. Do you think it says anything about the state of women's tennis?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Um, I think like well, everyone is talking that we don't really have a leader right now in the women tennis, you know, because, um, it's like up and down, I mean, in terms of results. It's not like No. 1 or top 5 are winning, like in men tennis. You know what I mean? It's not like top 4 always play in semifinals in the Grand Slams or something like this.
But, you know, I don't really want to comment on this, because, well, it's not of my business, you know. I'm just trying to do my thing, focusing on me. So playing every match. The rest, I don't really care.
Q. In which way are you different player this season than maybe the last one and the one before?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Um, well, first of all, I think maybe even not this match but the match before I would have lost in two sets, for example, because I was one set down. I think it was one point to be 3 Love down, so it was really tough mentally, because I was I couldn't find my game. And my opponent was doing everything right and she had this courage. She was putting every ball in. Well, she was just on top of me. So I couldn't do nothing.
Normally I would probably go down mentally, you know, and I wouldn't be able to hold that match. But that's how I was able to improve my game and finally find my game, and came back and win the match in a good way.
Of course this match today is really tough. Vera started off very well in the third set. She was very aggressive. She was up with a break, so I think maybe in the past or last year I wouldn't believe I can win this match against that top player.
Like I remember last year against Serena Williams, you know, it was the third set and she broke me once, and then I didn't really believe that I can come back. It was 6 1 in the third for her.
This time I think that was the main key.
Q. Speaking about your mental, are you doing specific work on this? Do you work with a mental coach or...
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: No, I think the main coach is the experience. (Smiling.) I had already so many losses. I mean, I tried to take the most positive things from the losing match before, and tried to always analyze and take everything I can from the matches that I lost before.
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