Eastbourne AEGON International. June 15 2011 Vera Zvonareva

V. ZVONAREVA/S. Williams

           

3‑6, 7‑6, 7‑5

        

        

VERA ZVONAREVA

        

            THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

            Q.  Are you more happy or more tired?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Actually, I'm not that tired at the moment.  I feel pretty good, so definitely happy that, you know, I played a tough match today and happy that I won it.

            Q.  Tough to close out, though, wasn't it?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Um, yeah.  It is never easy against Serena.  She's a great fighter, and, you know, she came out with some great shots and some ‑‑ she played some good points at the very important moments.

            But that's how good players do, so nothing bad.  I kept fighting and I'm really happy that I won it.

            Q.  She has a reputation for coming back from the dead and winning matches that she's almost lost.  Was that a thought on your mind?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Not at all.  I think, you know, right now it's such a tough competition in women's tennis, and you see those kind of matches.  Everyone is coming back every tournament from any score.

            You have to play from the first ball till the last ball right now.  You have to fight.  There are so many matches; there are so many comebacks.  That's not something you focus on.  When you're on the court, you try to focus on the one point at a time.  You try to fight from the first ball to the last no matter what.

            Q.  The second match back after nearly a year, how do you assess her game?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Well, I think Serena is a great champion, and I have a lot of respect for her because I think she's done a great job coming back and playing some great tennis today.

            It is never easy, but that is something that you can expect from Serena because she's one of few players out there that are capable of doing that.

            Q.  How do you think she's playing compared to the Wimbledon final last year?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Well, you know, I never look back.  I think Serena is Serena.  She can have some better days, some worse days.

            But she's a great player no matter what.  I never try to compare any matches because they're different.  Every single day is a new day, and you have to play and think about your game.

            But overall I think she's doing a great job after not playing for one year, coming back, and, you know, spending over three hours on the court and fighting for every ball.

            Q.  What's the longest break that you've had injury‑wise, and how long did it take you after coming back after that break to feel yourself again?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Well, I had some, you know, six‑month breaks couple of times.  Actually, surprisingly I was playing well after I was coming back.

            Straightaway I won a lot of matches, even ‑‑ yeah.  I was playing pretty good, so I know that sometimes that's how it goes.

            You know, you prepare yourself.  You try to practice.  You train to come back, and then when you feel that you are ready, you're coming back.

            I've done it couple of times, and I was ‑‑ it took me only couple of weeks, and I was playing very good.

            Q.  What did you like and what didn't you like in your match today?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  I think I liked the way I fought for every ball.  I kept my concentration, and that's something you need to do against Serena.  You have to, you know, try to hold your serve, try to break hers.

            The unforced errors a little bit inconsistent throughout the match, especially a few mistakes in that first set that costed me a set.  But then I was able to, you know, play a little bit cleaner in the second and the third set.

            But also I started making a little bit better decisions on the court.  Sometimes, you know, I wasn't taking advantage of some short balls, and you have to use it more on the grass.

            Sometimes I was maybe playing a little bit too aggressive from the situations where it was too risky, and sometimes I was playing too passive in situations where I had to take risks.  Just, you know, few little choices that I didn't make right.  Otherwise I think the game was pretty good.

            Q.  You've obviously trained, had a big coaching change.  What's been the difference between before what you're doing off court and now?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Not much.  I think ‑‑ you know, I'm established player already.  I'm experienced player.  I know, you know, how I want to play and I know what I need to do on the court.

            It's not about ‑‑ I don't know.  It's tough to say.  It's just a little bit ‑‑ maybe everyone can bring a little bit different, look a little bit different approach to how you train and just give you right support.  That's what it matters at that level.

            You know, nobody's gonna come there and tell me, Oh, you have to play different game and change me, because it is impossible.  I'm still going to be myself on the court, and I still have to make my own choices when I'm on the court.

            Maybe just few different things that we work on.  Yeah, just the right support.  That's probably the biggest change.

                       

Roland Garros May 29 2011 - Vera Zvonareva

A. PAVLYUCHENKOVA/V. Zvonareva

7 6, 2 6, 6 2

VERA ZVONAREVA


Q. It's disappointing for you? Can you talk about the third set? You got the momentum going and this game at 2 1, maybe it was the key today?
VERA ZVONAREVA: No, I don't think it was the key. I think, you know, potentially I can play much better tennis.
But overall I fought well. I tried my best and I give it the best chance. I had chances in the first set and I had chances in the third set, like you said, but, you know, I couldn't take them.
Well, that's, I guess, part of the game. I know what I have to work on and what I have to improve. But I'm you know, I should be satisfied. You know, the whole tournament I wasn't playing my best tennis and I wasn't yeah, I could have played much better, but I still made it to the fourth round.
Of course when you play less than 50% of your potential, it's very tough to win the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

Q. Can you talk a bit maybe about her game? Because she's a young player and she played a great match today.
VERA ZVONAREVA: Yeah, for sure she played a great match. She's been very consistent, and she's definitely young and she's got great potential.
I'm sure we will see her a lot in the future. Always tough to play against her, but, you know, like there are a lot of great girls, as well. We'll see how it goes in the future.

Q. To me you seemed the best player on court today, but you struggled on the important points. Do you think there is something of a mental problem today with you?
VERA ZVONAREVA: There is no mental problem. I fought hard. I fought the best I can. I don't think I struggled on key points. I just there were a couple, yeah, but there were a lot that I did will.
It's just that she played a little bit more aggressive, she took more risk, and she was able to dictate the points. And when she was doing it, it was tough for me. But and I couldn't take yeah. I think every time I was taking the risk, I wasn't so consistent.
That's why I was playing a little bit too passive. It's not acceptable at this stage of the Grand Slam.

Q. If you had maybe to pick one side of your game that now you're not comfortable with, what would it be?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Um, I think at the moment, considering we're playing on the clay, I think the precision and depth of my shots is not there. You have to on the clay, you have to be more precise. You have to put more rotation on the ball, and I was playing a little bit too short and too flat. That's why I was giving the chance to my opponent to take advantage.
It is acceptable on the grass. It's acceptable on the hard courts. And actually you can put your opponent in defense with those kind of shots. But on the clay court I shouldn't be using them, and I was using them too much.

Q. What will be your schedule before Wimbledon?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Eastbourne and Wimbledon, two tournaments one tournament and Wimbledon.

Roland Garros. May 27 2001 - Zvonareva

V. ZVONAREVA/A. Rodionova

6 2, 6 3

VERA ZVONAREVA



Q. Just one question. Kim Clijsters is out and Wozniacki is out. You're like the top seed. How do you feel about that?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, unfortunately they lost because I think they are, you know, great champions. But it is part of the game.
I'm not really paying attention to what's going on. I'm trying to focus on my matches. Seedings is nothing. You have to focus on your matches. That's what I'm going to try to do. That's it.

Q. But are you somehow surprised they're already out of this tournament? Had you expected to meet one of them later?
VERA ZVONAREVA: What I'm expecting is to try to improve my game every day and try to get to the next rounds.
You know, it's tennis; that's the game. I think women's tennis is at a very high level; it's very competitive. Coming into the tournament, you never know who is going to win it. It's very tough competition right now.
So it happens that Kim and Caroline can lose matches. I think it's part of the game. So, no, not surprised.

Q. In the match after the next round you could meet Francesca Schiavone. In ten match you always win. How can you do that?
VERA ZVONAREVA: You know, I think next match that I'm playing is against the winner of Pavlyuchenkova and Llagostera. That's all I'm trying to focus on. I don't think about anything else, to be honest.

Roland Garros. May 25 2001 - Zvonareva

V. ZVONAREVA/S. Lisicki

4 6, 7 5, 7 5



VERA ZVONAREVA



Q. That was quite a comeback. What was on your mind down 5 2 in the last set?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I didn't have much in my mind. I was just thinking about how to win the next point. I was just trying to concentrate on one point at a time and fight like I did since the very first point.
You know, I think I was just fighting, and I got a little bit lucky at some point and was able to turn the match around.

Q. And then Sabine, she received treatment for a long time. First I think at 5 4 and then at 6 5.
VERA ZVONAREVA: Uh huh.

Q. How did you feel then? What was your reaction inside?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, I think I have enough experience, and I was just trying to think about what I'm going to do next and try to keep my focus on and not pay attention to what was going on on the other side of the net.
I hope she feels okay. I heard she's feeling okay now. She's seeing doctor. That's what happens sometimes. It's part of the sport. No matter what, I had to keep doing my job. I kept fighting, and that's all.

Q. Do you know what happened to her?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I'm not sure. There is no official release, and I think she's still seeing the doctor. So there is no I don't know, maybe cramping. I don't know. I'm not sure.

Q. Do you feel like that match being a long one took a lot out of you physically going into the third round?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I don't think so. I feel pretty good. I think, you know, it was up and down match a little bit. We didn't have that many like long rallies. We both played pretty aggressive.
But obviously we spent over two hours on the court, so of course it takes some energy. But I don't think I feel good right now. We will see how it goes tomorrow, but I feel perfect, and think I'm ready and fit to play tomorrow and as many days as I need.

Q. You meet Rodionova in the next round. How much have you changed your play since you met her here last year?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Definitely a different player. I have another year of experience under my belt, and I think that helps. She's a tough opponent.
For sure I remember our match last year. I'm sure she's a different player as well. We will see how it goes. It's going to be a new day, new match, and I will try to give my best. We will see how it will go.

Q. How do you compare yourself as a player over the past 12 months? How much better are you now than you were in that match?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Um, it is hard to assess at the moment. You know, in tennis there are always some ups and downs, and you cannot play your best tennis all the time. I think last year I was not in form. It was very difficult for me.
I tried to prepare myself a little bit better for this year's French Open. We will see. I'm not really thinking about what was in the past. I'm trying to leave like today, you know. I tried to think, Okay, this is what I've done bad; this is what I've done good. What can I do to improve my game to play a little bit better in the next round?

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