F. SCHIAVONE/M. Bartoli
6‑3, 6‑3
MARION BARTOLI
Q. There was quite a bit of pressure on you being French and semifinals of the French Open. You seemed to handle it very, very well. Can you interpret what happened for us and what you think the big difference was?
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, exactly. I think I handled the pressure well, but I think Francesca played extremely well today with the conditions. It was extremely windy, and I think she used those conditions extremely well.
So she really played smart tennis, and at the end she was a bit too tough. But I really believe if I had this 4‑all game ‑‑ I was down 4‑3, 40‑15 on my serve, and if I was able to hold my serve at this time I think the match could still turn around.
But when she was leading 5‑3 she really start to play a lot better, and from this point it was tough. I think I didn't play a bad match, but she played a bit too good today.
THE MODERATOR: French questions, please.
Q. We had the feeling that the changes between her slice and her lift and the wind completely disturbed your game.
MARION BARTOLI: Yes, it was very windy. I don't know if you felt it outside of the court, but on the court it was extremely difficult because the clay was being blown away. So her spin became more effective and her slice bounced even lower.
I really tried to hit the ball early as much as I could, but in spite of that, I really needed to adjust a lot to these balls. I couldn't stay in the middle of the court. I had to move a lot, and physically it became difficult because I had to make much more effort than in my former matches.
On my serve, when I was serving against the wind, I was able to be up in the score. But when she was serving with the wind behind her, she had an advantage.
So as I said, if I had been able to win that game and be 4‑All I think it would be different. I think she played extremely well, and I believe her game is less affected by the wind than mine.
Q. Did you manage the approach to that match differently from other matches? Were you more nervous, more tense?
MARION BARTOLI: I don't believe I didn't manage the situation well. On the contrary. And I don't think I lost that match because of that. Up to 3‑All, the game was very tight. I was playing well. Normally when you are very tense and under pressure, you start your match very poorly.
But this was not the case today. Until 3‑All there were very good rallies and I was playing well.
But as I said, I used a lot more energy to produce my game, and also, she was playing extremely well. She really deserves her victory. If I lost today it's because she played extremely well. You have to give her credit for that.
Q. You started off very well. You only lost two points on your serve. But after, when it was 40‑15, you made a double fault. She made a forehand winner.
MARION BARTOLI: Yes, I'm talking about that game. I was up 40‑15 on my serve. I was on the bad side because the wind was against me. Even if I was hitting hard, my serve was slowed down by the wind. She was able to turn around her backhand and hit her forehand, and I believe this was a key game.
Without the wind, I might have been able to win that game. But again, she played extremely well today. And even if I had made that game and been 4‑All, I would have lost the match all the same.
Q. But you had another chance in the beginning of the second set 2‑Love.
MARION BARTOLI: Yes, I had my chance today. But I think what happened also is I felt tired. I was spending too much energy to produce my game, so that explains that sometimes when I was up in the score it cost me a few key points. That explains that I lost.
Q. I understand that the final is not as interesting for you now, but about Schiavone, what do you think will be the effect of the wind on Schiavone's game against Na Li? There's a contrast between those games.
MARION BARTOLI: Francesca feels really good here. She's very comfortable on that type of clay. That clay really makes her spin very disturbing, so her game can really bother Li Na because she likes when the opponent plays fat.
And also, Francesca won here once, where Na Li didn't win here yet, and she has less experience. So that might give an advantage to Francesca. I'm sure the match will be tight, but I think maybe Francesca is a favorite.
Q. You played your best tennis of your whole career during this tournament. How can you explain those improvements in your game? Is it technical improvements or physical fitness that improved, or what?
MARION BARTOLI: It's all that. First I improved physically, and then I am a lot more confident, or I have been since I have been here, because before this tournament I had many doubts. I was not sure I was able to play on clay.
This year I worked a lot on that, and I was very happy to reach the final in Strasbourg on that surface. It was very good for my confidence and it helped me in this particular tournament to go one step further.
As, you know, you get used to the surface point after point. So even if I have tough matches, I played a lot on clay. I still believe clay is not my best surface, far from that.
Of course, being in the semis I can't say I'm not able to play on clay, but I need to make more efforts on this surface than other surfaces.
So mentally I had to work a lot ‑ and physically I had to work a lot ‑ too to be able to do well here. Because psychologically I was a bit blocked. So mentally I was not able to be confident, and also I had physical problems.
So being able to do well here feels very good.
Q. Are you happy with this tournament? What lessons do you draw from this tournament?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, what stay with me is that I'm very happy to have reached the semifinal, and also I had many emotions on the court with my family.
Those emotions, I shared them with my father, but also with my brother, my mother. To bring them that kind of happiness is a great satisfaction for me.
And also the fact that I'm able to play well in France and that I can have the public supporting me, it's enormous satisfaction. I think that is what I will remember from this tournament.
Q. Do you believe this will be a turning point in your career?
MARION BARTOLI: It's a bit too early to say whether it will be or not. I think I need to use that loss to draw the lessons and improve even more. I have to work on parts of my game that can be improved.
So what I need now is to have a plan to improve my game. I can't just be satisfied with this. I think the fact that I went one step further here will help me. Maybe not this year, but I hope next year.
Q. Since the beginning of your career, you never were so much in the press. We saw you on TV with your family. We even saw your grandfather on TV today; whereas most of the time you seem to prefer a secret life. So are you going to accept this, being in the media all the time? You will be respected and loved by everyone in France, or do you feel maybe some people are more reluctant?
MARION BARTOLI: I don't believe love or affection comes from the fact that I expose my private life to the public. I think it's just because they appreciate my attitude on the court. I don't believe they need to know what I had for breakfast.
Now, if I have very good results, it's normal that the media get interested. But this is not why I'm playing tennis. It is pleasant to be supported by the public. This is what I remember more than any articles in the newspapers.
So what I want to see is the positive aspect, so there's no distrust. During the whole year, I mean, we are exposed to the media, so when the year is finished and I'm home, I prefer to protect my privacy. I don't like to be spied upon.
Q. Do you believe what happened here is the best preparation for Wimbledon?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, the first thing I have to do is to recuperate properly. As you imagine, after a Grand Slam tournament ‑ and in France on top of it ‑ you waste your energy and you have to recharge the batteries. Wimbledon is very close, only two weeks, and I have to change surfaces now. It's a lot of adjustments to make.
But I remember that when I started having good results on grass it was after having good results here, and I hope it's going to continue that way. But I will need to do a lot of practice and be very modest.
I can't think that because I played well here I am automatically going to play well in Wimbledon.
Q. Maybe the next step would be to have a better relationship with the French Tennis Federation and maybe be able to play the Olympics next year?
MARION BARTOLI: We have excellent relationship. There is no animosity or no open conflict or war. Each understands the position of the other. On my part, I was very consistent. I always have the same attitude.
I said I had nothing against the Fed Cup. Jean was here today, Jean Gachassin, and he supported me from the first point to the last. Unfortunately, in the French team there are some rules you have to comply with that are not good for me.
For the time being I know I can't change. No, I don't change my mind every second.
No comments:
Post a Comment