M. BARTOLI/S. Kuznetsova
6 7, 6 4
MARION BARTOLI
Q. You looked so excited. The point before you won, it seemed like you were going to have a heart attack. Can you just describe...
MARION BARTOLI: You know what? My heartbeat is extremely low, so for me to have a heart attack it really takes a lot.
But, you know, I think I was as I said after the match, even if I played the final of Wimbledon, I never felt that excited after a match, to be honest. It was just so many feelings the same time. The crowd. The wave. They were telling my name. They were supporting me.
And when she missed that forehand, then I was just like, My God, I'm in the semifinal of my home Grand Slam. Finally I can play well here. (Laughter.)
It was a big relief.
Q. It seems like just watching you over the years that at any tournament you've never been this happy, so excited, so involved in your tennis, so involved with the crowd. Yeah? Is that true?
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I think it was definitely the key. The past years I really felt the pressure here. I've been in a bad way. I was really going to the court without any confidence, to be honest.
I was feeling I was not feeling well on the court. I was not feeling well outside the court. I was scared about what the press would say when I'm gonna lose the match or whatever.
I really thought that this year I should try to take some pleasure, even though it's difficult, because, of course, we are French and we want to do well. I really tell myself, If you use that crowd, if you use that to put some pressure on the other one, maybe you can do well.
Even if the first three matches were extremely tough, I won them in three sets and some very tight contests. I really felt like I was growing in confidence. Really today it shows, because the match were extremely tight.
I don't know how many points we finished, but I think it was not a big difference.
Q. People have spoken a lot about the fact that it looked pretty open coming into this tournament in terms of possible champions and things. What effect did that have on your thinking? First of all, do you think it's true? Second of all, what effect did it have on your thinking and perhaps some of the women who were more highly ranked, like Wozniacki and Svetlana?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, Svetlana is lower ranked than me (laughing) for start. But yes, I think it's true. I think it's definitely wide open.
But every match is still extremely difficult to play. And it's not because you play someone who is 90 or 100 in the world is going to have an easy match.
I mean, I played my first round against someone ranked 90 or 95, and I lost the first set 6 1 in 30 minutes.
So you really of course when you play even against top players you know you're gonna have a chance; but, you know, as well even the first rounds you can lose them.
So to me, it's obviously the most difficult is to pass those first rounds, more than when you go deeper into the tournament.
Q. But now you have two former champions, recent champions, back to back.
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, well, I beat a recent champion, as well: Svetlana won only two years ago. So I don't really honestly, when I go to the court I don't really think about, Oh, my God, she won this event two years or one year before. I go to the court with the mindset of a winner.
If you start to think about the resume of your opponent, I mean, doesn't change how she gonna hit a forehand, backhand, or serve even if she won the tournament before, two years ago, three years ago. It's just a matter of on this day who is gonna be the best.
Q. Over the years, there have been people who have said, Oh, Marion should not work with this person; Marion should not play this way; she will never make it if she does this, if she does that. What does it mean for you to have this achievement and to make it to the semis in your national tournament?
MARION BARTOLI: Do you mean before 2007 or after 2007? Because do you really think like I shouldn't practice with my dad when I made the final of Wimbledon or something?
Q. That's not what I'm saying.
MARION BARTOLI: Okay. What are you saying?
Q. I'm saying you have had people very critical of how you've approached playing tennis and who you've trained with and so forth. Does it give you...
MARION BARTOLI: Honestly, if you start to take your decisions based off what the other one think about yourself, that's not the way I'm thinking. I mean, if you listen to everyone, you never take a decision.
Because obviously you're gonna have hundred different opinions, and hundred people are going to say to you you should do this, should do this, this way, that way. They're not the one who are waking up every morning and walking out on the court.
So I'm just doing what I think is the best for me. So far you can't tell me that I haven't achieved anything.
Q. You have this strange routine between points, like swinging the racquet before returning, and also jumping around before serving. Can you explain to us this routine? What's the reason for it?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, the main reason for me, it's really to stay focused on what I have to do. It's really important for me to relieve the pressure of only the score or the scoreboard or my opponent and really focus on myself and what I need to do.
Obviously because clay, it's not my best surface, I really need to stay proactive between each point. Maybe not be the same on hard court or grass court, because obviously I'm feeling a lot better on these kind of surface.
But here, especially in the French Open, it's very important for me to stay focused on what I have to do and not thinking too much about the outside.
Q. You have to play Francesca Schiavone now. You played five times with her. You said before you don't care about who has won this tournament or the other. But do you care about what happened between you and another player in the past, or doesn't change anything?
MARION BARTOLI: Of course
Q. And also sorry also, you just said clay is not your favorite surface, while it is the favorite surface of Francesca. So what do you expect, and how difficult do you think it will be?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, I think it's very important to learn from the past contests you have with someone obviously from a defeat or from winning. So I think I really need to remember the past contests I had with Francesca and learn from those contests to see the way she was playing against me and what I can change to really try to win the match.
But, you know, she has I think she leads 4 1 against me. I'm not sure about it, but I think it's 4 1.
Obviously on clay it's gonna be different, but, you know, again, every day is different. It's been quite a while we didn't play against each other. I think it was two years ago, maybe one year ago. And I think I improved, as well.
But obviously she's in the semifinals, she won last year, so of course it's going to be extremely difficult. I'm not expecting myself to beat her easily. That's for sure.
But I really do believe if I have the same attitude and if I'm playing the same way, I will still have a chance. Doesn't mean I'm gonna win for sure, but I think I will have a chance to do something.
Q. You've been a very good player for a long time, and I know you have had a lot of self belief. But are you a little bit surprised now you're in the semifinals of Roland Garros given what you're talking about before, all the pressure and the clay and all of that?
MARION BARTOLI: Yes, well, I really think I'm in the semifinal because I improved. This is because I really since two months I'm on clay, I'm practicing a lot, and I really take some time to work on my game, to work on my fitness, to work on my footwork.
So it didn't come all in a second (snapping fingers), but I think the hard work I put in really helped me to go through those tough matches.
And, again, as I said to you, the first three ones were in three sets. So I could have lost those, but I'm still there and I'm in the semifinals. So all this work I put in since all those years and also those two months on clay court really helped me to go through those difficult moments.
Q. End of the second set, Svetlana started to win some games. Was it because she raised her level of play, or you were too nervous because you were close to winning?
MARION BARTOLI: You mean at 5 2 for me?
Q. Yes.
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I think a little bit of both, to be honest. I know Svetlana since a long, long time. We played the final US Open junior in 2001, I believe. So it's been 10 years. She always been able to raise her game when she's down and she's about to lose.
But as well, on my side I really start to back up as well. So I think it was a little bit of both, but the conditions were so extremely difficult. It was very windy and it was not easy to play some winners with this kind of wind.
THE MODERATOR: French questions, please.
Q. I don't know if you like statistics or the history of tennis, but you're only the fourth French female player to have reached the semifinals here at Roland Garros. Do you feel something special, an achievement?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, a lot of pride, of course. I'm proud because I'm one of the four best female players. But Mary reached the finals here and she won here. I would like to play the finals, too.
But, you know, I started at Retournec, at the tennis club with 300 tennis players, and now I'm reaching the highest level in France. So this is an achievement, yes.
Q. What can you say about the people who support you, your family, the people who are close to you? I have the impression that you really live you've talked about your dad on the court. What can you tell us about them, how you and they have lived through these two weeks?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, it's immense happiness and great satisfaction, too, because we have put in a lot of work with my father on the courts, because he practices me, and this is fruitful.
But this is something we do jointly. I'll share my feelings with him, what I feel on the court. We try and improve together.
It's not like he's going to give me orders, do this, that, and this, full stop. No, it's an exchange of ideas between him and me.
And then I have my family, as well: my brother, my uncle, my mother, my grandparents. We can share these moments of happiness. You know, when you win these matches, it's immense joy. It's incredible to be able to share this with your family, because they know how much it counts for me.
Q. Marion, what about betting on yourself before the tournament?
MARION BARTOLI: I'm not a gambler myself. But, you know, when I played the finals at Wimbledon, the odds were 1000 against me. So if someone had invested one pound, he would have won 1000. Not bad, I think.
I don't know about my rating at the beginning of the tournament this year, but it was probably the same: 1 to 1000. I don't know about my odds. I can't say anything about betting on myself.
Frankly, I think I would have hoped to do this, but this was pure hope, more than conviction.
Q. From the beginning to the end, I had the impression that mentally you had the upper hand, even though tactically it was different. Do you feel this in your matches, that is, this strong determination, and therefore you have the upper hand on girls that are more specialized on clay than you are?
MARION BARTOLI: I think that the determination on the court that I show is something very important to me, because when the moments are very important, I can play my best type of tennis, best of myself.
And also, for my opponents, you know, maybe they feel more my presence and my pressure when they know that the opponent is not going to give up on anything rather than having someone who would look at the clay and not look at the court.
But it helps me a lot to play my best tennis at the key moments.
Q. I don't know if you had time enough to watch Schiavone against Pavlyuchenkova before your match.
MARION BARTOLI: Well, actually...
Q. If you watched the match and it was 6 1, 4 1, what did you expect at that moment?
MARION BARTOLI: I left when it was 6 1, 4 1. Frankly, I thought I don't know. In 10 minutes it's the end of the match. There was no match. It was so quick. The games were flying by so quickly.
I left, and then it was 7 5 for Francesca. I had to warm up. It was 5 2, and then I saw that she won 7 5 in the third set.
But, you know, she's an incredible player. She's going to fight. She's a fighter. She fights till the end.
Q. Two days ago you said your dream is the finals here at Roland. The dream is closer and closer today. So what about playing the match point? Were you thinking about this or not?
MARION BARTOLI: During the match point, you know, first I wanted to have my first serve. I missed it; big disappointment.
And then I thought, Okay, it's windy. There's a lot of wind on the side. It's sideways. I have to hit really in the court, and then it's going to be in the limits, in the boundaries, within the court. But it was really sideways. The wind was sideways blowing on the court.
I played on her forehand, and she was bothered because it was a fast ball. I was thinking more in terms of tactics than my dream. More about changing ends at 5 2. I thought, Only four points to go.
And then when it was 5 you know, I thought, No, no, no. Let's not think about this. Let's think about playing each point as they come.
Q. Can you think about this?
MARION BARTOLI: Yes, now I'll be thinking about the big duel against Francesca on Thursday. But first I will try and unwind this evening. It's not going to be easy. There's a lot of tension in me.
Then tomorrow, one day off to unwind, and then I'll start thinking about this on Thursday.
Q. What about what you feel on the court? I have the impression you're more Zen. What do you feel about yourself and the crowd? What are the changes between 2011 and the years before?
MARION BARTOLI: The first thing that changed is my attitude, you know. I trust myself much more than before. In the past I would come here without much confidence. I had not won that many matches. The pressure was on me. I was thinking, It's going to be awful. I'm going to lose quickly, and people are going to say things about me.
Whereas this year, well, I reached the finals in Strasbourg before this tournament, and this really helped me in terms of my confidence. I had gotten to a really good start this year.
And then little by little, you know, I enjoyed it more and more. I showed more things on the courts. The crowd really supported me. They were incredible. This really helped me.
Q. We saw that your right hand has a bandage. What do you have?
MARION BARTOLI: It happened a long time ago. That was seven years ago. It was in the U.S., in Cincinnati, the summer tournament against Lindsay Davenport. I had a racquet at the time which was heavier, and on the grip it was a bit cutting.
Against Alize there was a big like bruise that started in my finger. I had to play the US Open with a glove, special big glove. I couldn't hold the racquet. I should not have too much pressure.
Now I have a special grip on the handle of my racquet so that I have no pressure on my finger. In fact, it's the tendon in the hand that reaches you know, this tendon that reaches this finger which is damaged or injured, which will never heal.
So I have to protect this tendon to avoid having too much pressure on this tendon. Since then, I have a special grip on the handle, and there's no pressure on this part of my hand.
5/31/11
Roland Garros May 31 2011 - Svetlana Kuznetsova
M. BARTOLI/S. Kuznetsova
6 7, 6 4
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA
Q. I think you were broken five times in that match. What made it so difficult for you to hold serve?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think I served I mean, she put pressure on the serve and I served just bad. Yeah, just I didn't serve well enough today.
Q. Also, we had the impression that she was the one dominating from the baseline. Do you feel that you tried everything in that match and that you could have found a solution to beat her?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think she had all the luck possible. She hit so many lines. My balls were going three millimeters, four millimeters out. I missed so many chances.
For me today on the court it was the worst dream it was worse than the worst dream, so it was just her. The wind help her for sure. She was just playing good game, and I just played so bad.
Q. Most people understand emotion and people getting fired up and stuff, but when an opponent is as active as she is, jumping around, taking false swings, jumping around as you're preparing your serve, is that irritating at all?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: It's weird. I just try not to think about it. It's a little bit hard, a bit frustrating when you serve and you look at the opponent and she's swinging the racquet. Yeah, this is hard.
But it's not my reason of lose. I cannot lose this match. It's just too bad. I just had so horrible match.
Q. Who do you see going on to win the women's title now?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I don't care. (Smiling.)
Really, I don't. I just had a lifetime chance. I think you don't get these chances this often. I was feeling great. I was playing great. Today was just a dark day. Just was horrible.
Still I was close to win. I was 4 3 up and forehand to come in the net and I missed it. I don't know about the women's round. Just too focused now about my match.
Q. Tough loss. You mentioned the bad luck. What role does luck play in tennis where we have draws, we have bad bounces, we have injuries, and so forth?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, I wouldn't say it's all luck. I just played disaster game I think today. She was playing good and hitting lots of lines.
I think she was lucky today. Yeah, I don't know how big is luck. In these matches, yeah, it's help her a lot in the first set. But still, if I would play normal game it would be so much different.
6 7, 6 4
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA
Q. I think you were broken five times in that match. What made it so difficult for you to hold serve?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think I served I mean, she put pressure on the serve and I served just bad. Yeah, just I didn't serve well enough today.
Q. Also, we had the impression that she was the one dominating from the baseline. Do you feel that you tried everything in that match and that you could have found a solution to beat her?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think she had all the luck possible. She hit so many lines. My balls were going three millimeters, four millimeters out. I missed so many chances.
For me today on the court it was the worst dream it was worse than the worst dream, so it was just her. The wind help her for sure. She was just playing good game, and I just played so bad.
Q. Most people understand emotion and people getting fired up and stuff, but when an opponent is as active as she is, jumping around, taking false swings, jumping around as you're preparing your serve, is that irritating at all?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: It's weird. I just try not to think about it. It's a little bit hard, a bit frustrating when you serve and you look at the opponent and she's swinging the racquet. Yeah, this is hard.
But it's not my reason of lose. I cannot lose this match. It's just too bad. I just had so horrible match.
Q. Who do you see going on to win the women's title now?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I don't care. (Smiling.)
Really, I don't. I just had a lifetime chance. I think you don't get these chances this often. I was feeling great. I was playing great. Today was just a dark day. Just was horrible.
Still I was close to win. I was 4 3 up and forehand to come in the net and I missed it. I don't know about the women's round. Just too focused now about my match.
Q. Tough loss. You mentioned the bad luck. What role does luck play in tennis where we have draws, we have bad bounces, we have injuries, and so forth?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, I wouldn't say it's all luck. I just played disaster game I think today. She was playing good and hitting lots of lines.
I think she was lucky today. Yeah, I don't know how big is luck. In these matches, yeah, it's help her a lot in the first set. But still, if I would play normal game it would be so much different.
Roland Garros May 31 2011 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
F. SCHIAVONE/A. Pavlyuchenkova
1 6, 7 5, 7 5
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA
Q. Difficult match. You're a young girl. What did you learn?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Um, very tough match, and, well, it's very difficult to lose this kind of matches and to lose in general.
So I just try to move on, try to forget this match, and I will try to take all the positive things.
You know, it's very good experience. It's my first quarterfinal and it's never easy to play good game and just to win easy the match in the quarterfinals, especially against Francesca. She was really great today, so...
Q. Were you at all shocked at her start because of her history here and defending champion? She's been playing really well. You were playing brilliantly at first and she seemed to be really off her game.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah, she made it tougher for me because she didn't really start well. She had quite a few mistakes, and I just started well from my side. I was very aggressive and seemed like she was always late and she couldn't you know, she was just hitting with the frame a lot of balls.
Also the conditions were very tough today, a lot of wind. I think this also affected her game a little bit.
Of course she probably was nervous, too. It's normal. But after, from 4 1, I don't know, maybe in the second maybe she relaxed, and, you know, it was very close for me to win the match. So she relaxed and started playing her game and started to put more balls in.
So then at that moment, I mean, I wasn't used to play rallies with her at the beginning. So this was tough also.
Q. There are many ways a player can lose a match. Sometimes more than one way in one match. Why do you think you lost the match today?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, for sure I a little bit lost my concentration at 4 1 in the second. So everything was going well. Everything was going my way, I was dictating the game, and then all of the sudden she just took her serve at 4 1, she played good game.
At 4 2 I lost my concentration and I wasn't aggressive enough, and I just didn't serve well. I don't know. That game wasn't very good for me. 4 3, she started to feel better and she found her game and was putting a lot of balls in. They were so high.
It was really tough for me to attack them because they were high. I didn't feel like power anymore. I was trying to hit hard, and so she did a great job. After, she had courage, and it was tough to stop her.
1 6, 7 5, 7 5
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA
Q. Difficult match. You're a young girl. What did you learn?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Um, very tough match, and, well, it's very difficult to lose this kind of matches and to lose in general.
So I just try to move on, try to forget this match, and I will try to take all the positive things.
You know, it's very good experience. It's my first quarterfinal and it's never easy to play good game and just to win easy the match in the quarterfinals, especially against Francesca. She was really great today, so...
Q. Were you at all shocked at her start because of her history here and defending champion? She's been playing really well. You were playing brilliantly at first and she seemed to be really off her game.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah, she made it tougher for me because she didn't really start well. She had quite a few mistakes, and I just started well from my side. I was very aggressive and seemed like she was always late and she couldn't you know, she was just hitting with the frame a lot of balls.
Also the conditions were very tough today, a lot of wind. I think this also affected her game a little bit.
Of course she probably was nervous, too. It's normal. But after, from 4 1, I don't know, maybe in the second maybe she relaxed, and, you know, it was very close for me to win the match. So she relaxed and started playing her game and started to put more balls in.
So then at that moment, I mean, I wasn't used to play rallies with her at the beginning. So this was tough also.
Q. There are many ways a player can lose a match. Sometimes more than one way in one match. Why do you think you lost the match today?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, for sure I a little bit lost my concentration at 4 1 in the second. So everything was going well. Everything was going my way, I was dictating the game, and then all of the sudden she just took her serve at 4 1, she played good game.
At 4 2 I lost my concentration and I wasn't aggressive enough, and I just didn't serve well. I don't know. That game wasn't very good for me. 4 3, she started to feel better and she found her game and was putting a lot of balls in. They were so high.
It was really tough for me to attack them because they were high. I didn't feel like power anymore. I was trying to hit hard, and so she did a great job. After, she had courage, and it was tough to stop her.
Roland Garros May 31 2011 - Francesca Schiavone
F. SCHIAVONE/A. Pavlyuchenkova
1 6, 7 5, 7 5
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE
Q. You're a mature woman.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Thank you. (Laughter.)
Q. How did you explain that you go and play a girl who's almost a child still; yet at the end you seem to have even more energy and enthusiasm?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I think she was too very exciting and energy. Both we were ready to do something great.
No, I think at the end, more I play, I play better. That's always from always. I burn like this. I started, okay, too slow, absolutely too slow.
But in the end I felt better much more. I could play much more. I could play better. So it was good.
Q. Was there a point in your mind where you thought, Well, maybe I'm over the hump, and from now on it'll be easier even if I lose?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah, sure. A little bit yes, but a little bit no. Because when I arrive 4 1 down and you try to win the second set and you win the second set, you know you have other 45 minutes to play. So you have to be ready for everything.
I was ready to play longer.
Q. You seemed to have some trouble to get into the match. Explain to us why. Then you raised your game in the second set. When did you feel that it finally clicked and that your shots all went in and it went better?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I couldn't play spin inside the court. No, the true is that I couldn't play inside the court, inside the line. I tried to keep my serve, but always second serve because the first one, the percentage was really down.
On 6 1, 4 1 no, 6 1, I say, Keep going. The key is to hit three, four, five, six, seven balls, but I couldn't arrive three, four. So I say, Keep going. That's the way to win or to try to do something. Otherwise if I go to the net in one shot, no way to win.
So 4 1, I played really good two games. Then she went a little bit down, and when I catch her on 4 All, I say, Keep going. I am here. If I have to lose, I have to lose in a right way. But if I have the chance to win, I going good direction.
Q. What did you think when she came back from 5 1 to 5 All?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think was doing like this: 5 1, I was with windy. There was a lot of windy. So when you are to the other side, very difficult to win the games.
But I arrive 5 1, and she was serving against the wind. I was saying, This is a good chance for me. Good inside. 5 1, 0 15, she served the second serve and I tried it hit with my forehand long line. That is strange and is to go to win directly point, and I miss a little bit.
Then she play I think some points good, and I didn't push enough. So 5 2. When I went to the other side against the wind, was not easy to win. She grow up a little bit with the level; I went a little bit down. Was enough, enough to go 5 4.
And when I came to the wind, I say 5 4 is good chance for me. Now serve, good percentage, but she played good, better than me in that moment, pushing me outside with the forehand and push hard on my backhand.
I think she played really good, but maybe she had less experience than me. Today I think my 30 years old, I could use it.
Q. (No microphone.)
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: To adapt about winning? No, because she played good 5 4, 5 All. Then I say, That's my way. I can't go serve and volley or do something strange. The key is to play deep and with spin, soon as I have the chance, go inside.
Q. A question about you and your game. More than anyone in our sport, you're so expressive, you're happy, joyous, miserable, sad. We always know what you're thinking. Just talk about your expressive quality, your expressions? Is that part of who you are?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah. I live and I love tennis when I can express myself. So enjoying and be sad, like you say, I am a mix of everything. I am transparent, so you can understand how I play and how I feel. I should a little bit don't show too much.
But I'm improving. So in some years will be good. (Smiling.) And, yes, I am like this inside the court, outside. But is good. I enjoy to play tennis.
I am 6 1, 4 1 down, and I say, Francie, this is the way go. Today like this. Keep going. I was really sad inside, but what can you do?
Nobody can change; just me. So I came back and I enjoy a little bit more at the end than at the start, for sure.
Q. It wasn't that long ago that the tour was dominated by teenagers: Steffi, Monica, Martina, whatever. Nowadays it seems to be more experienced players having the better road like yourself at 30, as you say. Can you talk about why you think that has occurred?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Because I think now everybody are really fit and ready for every kind of matches and every kind of surface. So the young player are coming, but is not easy like before to win easy.
Or you are a big, big talent or now you can find 28 or 30 years old, and they use experience, they use body, mind. So for young player is much tougher now than before.
Q. Leaving the court you touched the ground and kissed your hand. What does it mean? Can you speak about it?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I couldn't go down. I was pain in my legs, so I say thanks in that way. But was a kiss...
Q. The ground?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah, was a kiss to the clay, yeah.
Q. Can you explain to me why we see so many women's matches here turning around? We saw Sharapova turn it around against Radwanska, you turning around. Rus turning it around against Clijsters. Can you explain me in less than one minute why women's tennis is that kind?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think happen also in the match, because if you follow, sometimes you say, okay, 5 3 the women's serve, oh, maybe could lose. But in the men happen, too. Less than woman, but of course if I serve from two meters at 200 kilometers or more, it's different than 166, 60 kilos, bleep.
But to explain why, I don't know. Because clay for sure give you always a chance. Grass give less chance. Hard court less. So clay you have to go to the net and shake the hands before to say is finish the match. I think like this.
1 6, 7 5, 7 5
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE
Q. You're a mature woman.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Thank you. (Laughter.)
Q. How did you explain that you go and play a girl who's almost a child still; yet at the end you seem to have even more energy and enthusiasm?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I think she was too very exciting and energy. Both we were ready to do something great.
No, I think at the end, more I play, I play better. That's always from always. I burn like this. I started, okay, too slow, absolutely too slow.
But in the end I felt better much more. I could play much more. I could play better. So it was good.
Q. Was there a point in your mind where you thought, Well, maybe I'm over the hump, and from now on it'll be easier even if I lose?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah, sure. A little bit yes, but a little bit no. Because when I arrive 4 1 down and you try to win the second set and you win the second set, you know you have other 45 minutes to play. So you have to be ready for everything.
I was ready to play longer.
Q. You seemed to have some trouble to get into the match. Explain to us why. Then you raised your game in the second set. When did you feel that it finally clicked and that your shots all went in and it went better?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I couldn't play spin inside the court. No, the true is that I couldn't play inside the court, inside the line. I tried to keep my serve, but always second serve because the first one, the percentage was really down.
On 6 1, 4 1 no, 6 1, I say, Keep going. The key is to hit three, four, five, six, seven balls, but I couldn't arrive three, four. So I say, Keep going. That's the way to win or to try to do something. Otherwise if I go to the net in one shot, no way to win.
So 4 1, I played really good two games. Then she went a little bit down, and when I catch her on 4 All, I say, Keep going. I am here. If I have to lose, I have to lose in a right way. But if I have the chance to win, I going good direction.
Q. What did you think when she came back from 5 1 to 5 All?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think was doing like this: 5 1, I was with windy. There was a lot of windy. So when you are to the other side, very difficult to win the games.
But I arrive 5 1, and she was serving against the wind. I was saying, This is a good chance for me. Good inside. 5 1, 0 15, she served the second serve and I tried it hit with my forehand long line. That is strange and is to go to win directly point, and I miss a little bit.
Then she play I think some points good, and I didn't push enough. So 5 2. When I went to the other side against the wind, was not easy to win. She grow up a little bit with the level; I went a little bit down. Was enough, enough to go 5 4.
And when I came to the wind, I say 5 4 is good chance for me. Now serve, good percentage, but she played good, better than me in that moment, pushing me outside with the forehand and push hard on my backhand.
I think she played really good, but maybe she had less experience than me. Today I think my 30 years old, I could use it.
Q. (No microphone.)
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: To adapt about winning? No, because she played good 5 4, 5 All. Then I say, That's my way. I can't go serve and volley or do something strange. The key is to play deep and with spin, soon as I have the chance, go inside.
Q. A question about you and your game. More than anyone in our sport, you're so expressive, you're happy, joyous, miserable, sad. We always know what you're thinking. Just talk about your expressive quality, your expressions? Is that part of who you are?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah. I live and I love tennis when I can express myself. So enjoying and be sad, like you say, I am a mix of everything. I am transparent, so you can understand how I play and how I feel. I should a little bit don't show too much.
But I'm improving. So in some years will be good. (Smiling.) And, yes, I am like this inside the court, outside. But is good. I enjoy to play tennis.
I am 6 1, 4 1 down, and I say, Francie, this is the way go. Today like this. Keep going. I was really sad inside, but what can you do?
Nobody can change; just me. So I came back and I enjoy a little bit more at the end than at the start, for sure.
Q. It wasn't that long ago that the tour was dominated by teenagers: Steffi, Monica, Martina, whatever. Nowadays it seems to be more experienced players having the better road like yourself at 30, as you say. Can you talk about why you think that has occurred?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Because I think now everybody are really fit and ready for every kind of matches and every kind of surface. So the young player are coming, but is not easy like before to win easy.
Or you are a big, big talent or now you can find 28 or 30 years old, and they use experience, they use body, mind. So for young player is much tougher now than before.
Q. Leaving the court you touched the ground and kissed your hand. What does it mean? Can you speak about it?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I couldn't go down. I was pain in my legs, so I say thanks in that way. But was a kiss...
Q. The ground?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah, was a kiss to the clay, yeah.
Q. Can you explain to me why we see so many women's matches here turning around? We saw Sharapova turn it around against Radwanska, you turning around. Rus turning it around against Clijsters. Can you explain me in less than one minute why women's tennis is that kind?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think happen also in the match, because if you follow, sometimes you say, okay, 5 3 the women's serve, oh, maybe could lose. But in the men happen, too. Less than woman, but of course if I serve from two meters at 200 kilometers or more, it's different than 166, 60 kilos, bleep.
But to explain why, I don't know. Because clay for sure give you always a chance. Grass give less chance. Hard court less. So clay you have to go to the net and shake the hands before to say is finish the match. I think like this.
Roland Garros May 30 2011 - Andrea Petkovic
A. PETKOVIC/M. Kirilenko
6 2, 2 6, 6 4
ANDREA PETKOVIC
Q. Another day when your mental strength was tested. Talk about the end of that match.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah, everything has been testing now what I learned in the past year. Everything's been I've been tested in the past four matches, I think. Today was the toughest of all.
I'm really happy, because I had two or three games where I really lost control of my mental structure, and, yeah, of my mental toughness. I lost control for two or three games. I'm really happy that I gained it back and that I was able to strike back and to lift up my game to another level and hit the ball again.
I think that was the crucial part in the end.
Q. Congratulations.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Thank you.
Q. Next match is gonna be another test for you. Talk a little bit about that.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Who do I play?
Q. Maria.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Okay. Yeah, I mean, any quarterfinal in a Grand Slams going to be a test. I played her two times this year already. She's a great champion and I have a lot of respect for her. I really admire her not only as a player, but as an athlete and how she handles herself. I think she does a great job, and I think she's representing women's tennis great.
So I feel honored to be in the quarterfinals at all, and even more playing such a champion. I think I'm going to be, yeah, tested again. I really think I have to play my best clay court tennis to beat her. I know I'm able to do that, so I'll try to recover and give it my best shot in two days.
Q. Do you feel wide eyed about being in the quarterfinals of slam now, or do you feel you really belong here and this feels normal to you and appropriate?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I don't feel that surprised, I have to honestly say. It's not like I expected it from me, but I don't feel surprised at all, because I've shown especially in this year and this season that I belong there and that I can beat all those players.
Also, of course, I had a different kind of pressure now than in Australia, because I was also supposed to beat those players this time. In Australia I was kind of like a rookie playing just playing and not thinking.
Now I've been also tested the other way around. I was supposed to beat these players and I did, and so I feel like I belong there, yeah.
Q. Have you been in contact at all with Steffi? And secondly, how would you describe your movement after the victory today?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, the movement after my victory was so bad. I had no strength to do it properly today, so I'm sorry for that. But I tried my best.
No, I haven't been in contact really with her. The last time I talked to her was during Fed Cup. She called our Fed Cup captain, Barbara, during the dinner before it started and wished us all good luck.
She told us that she's going to come to one of the next Fed Cup ties, so I really hope I can see her again there. And maybe I'm planning on before the U.S. tour going to Las Vegas again, so I should see her there.
Q. She should be in town I believe so for an endorsement.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Oh, yeah, that's cool.
Q. Would you like to see her?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I would. Then the contact is going to happen earlier than I thought. (Smiling.) If I don't die here in this light before.
__________________
6 2, 2 6, 6 4
ANDREA PETKOVIC
Q. Another day when your mental strength was tested. Talk about the end of that match.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah, everything has been testing now what I learned in the past year. Everything's been I've been tested in the past four matches, I think. Today was the toughest of all.
I'm really happy, because I had two or three games where I really lost control of my mental structure, and, yeah, of my mental toughness. I lost control for two or three games. I'm really happy that I gained it back and that I was able to strike back and to lift up my game to another level and hit the ball again.
I think that was the crucial part in the end.
Q. Congratulations.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Thank you.
Q. Next match is gonna be another test for you. Talk a little bit about that.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Who do I play?
Q. Maria.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Okay. Yeah, I mean, any quarterfinal in a Grand Slams going to be a test. I played her two times this year already. She's a great champion and I have a lot of respect for her. I really admire her not only as a player, but as an athlete and how she handles herself. I think she does a great job, and I think she's representing women's tennis great.
So I feel honored to be in the quarterfinals at all, and even more playing such a champion. I think I'm going to be, yeah, tested again. I really think I have to play my best clay court tennis to beat her. I know I'm able to do that, so I'll try to recover and give it my best shot in two days.
Q. Do you feel wide eyed about being in the quarterfinals of slam now, or do you feel you really belong here and this feels normal to you and appropriate?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I don't feel that surprised, I have to honestly say. It's not like I expected it from me, but I don't feel surprised at all, because I've shown especially in this year and this season that I belong there and that I can beat all those players.
Also, of course, I had a different kind of pressure now than in Australia, because I was also supposed to beat those players this time. In Australia I was kind of like a rookie playing just playing and not thinking.
Now I've been also tested the other way around. I was supposed to beat these players and I did, and so I feel like I belong there, yeah.
Q. Have you been in contact at all with Steffi? And secondly, how would you describe your movement after the victory today?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, the movement after my victory was so bad. I had no strength to do it properly today, so I'm sorry for that. But I tried my best.
No, I haven't been in contact really with her. The last time I talked to her was during Fed Cup. She called our Fed Cup captain, Barbara, during the dinner before it started and wished us all good luck.
She told us that she's going to come to one of the next Fed Cup ties, so I really hope I can see her again there. And maybe I'm planning on before the U.S. tour going to Las Vegas again, so I should see her there.
Q. She should be in town I believe so for an endorsement.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Oh, yeah, that's cool.
Q. Would you like to see her?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I would. Then the contact is going to happen earlier than I thought. (Smiling.) If I don't die here in this light before.
Roland Garros May 30 2011 - Maria Sharapova
M. SHARAPOVA/A. Radwanska
7 6, 7 5
MARIA SHARAPOVA
Q. Congratulations.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Thank you.
Q. It was a big fight again. Can you talk about each time you got your back on the wall you're finding your way back in the match and to turn this around.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, from the beginning I had quite a slow start today. It was 1 4 and 15 40, so I think the one thing that really saved me in the first set was I served really well and kept her off balance and started playing better.
That gave me a lot of confidence. I had the chance to be up 3 0, could have been 4 0 in the second set, and just kind of rolled the other way. She had so many chances.
Overall it was just really tough. I played smart when I needed to be smart and was patient at the right times.
Yeah.
Q. Now you're going to play against Petkovic like in Melbourne. Talk about this next battle.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, we played in Melbourne. Also in played Miami, you know, a month or so ago. Yeah, she's a very tough opponent. She is also quite good on this surface and moves very well. She'll use that to her advantage.
But, yeah, it'll be tough. I'll go out there and try to win that match.
Are you observing the picture?
Q. Yes. I'm trying to frame my question.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, around the picture?
Q. Yes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Why are you giving it to me?
Q. Because I want to ask you a question.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Okay.
Q. So, Maria, we had some fun in the pressroom about the official publication of the tournament's with that little headline. Does that give you a laugh? What you are your thoughts?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. It's just a cover of a paper. That's it for me.
About, you mean, the headline?
Q. Yes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, there have been so many headlines thought my career, and this is just another one. (Laughing.)
Q. If I could switch to tennis...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yes. Let me give this back to you. I don't want myself staring at me. (Laughter.)
Q. So just talk about your serve. How is your feel on it? Number of double faults today, but you seemed to be going for it on the second.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I did. Um, yeah, I thought the serve saved me in the first set. I served really well. I think that that gave me confidence throughout my whole game, because from the beginning I was just making I was making errors, all of them kind of went long.
I thought I served my way out of the first set there. You know, there was a little dip in the second set, but overall I felt pretty good and I felt confident on it.
Q. What would it mean to you win this tournament, Maria?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, this tournament has a very rich history. It's one that I've always said would be the most challenging for me to win. But I've always worked really hard on trying to get myself prepared as well as I could for it, you know, physically and mentally, knowing that sometimes you just have to be more patient than maybe in other points in other tournaments.
Yeah, a lot of it is preparation and just going out there and believing in what you have done before and the way you prepared.
Q. The first two matches you had with her this year you split, and they were on hardcourt. Do they have really no impact on your preparation? Is it a whole different thing going out on clay against her?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, I guess. I think every match for me is different. I mean, you look back at a few things that maybe helped you or maybe changed things around if you were down or what you did to change.
You know, I had lost that first set in Miami, so, yeah, just maybe looking back on those things.
But as far as, yeah, it's really about it's really another match, a new one.
Q. Can you tell us a little bit what your coach Thomas mean to you and how it all started, why you started working together?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Why?
Q. What does he mean to you?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I've said it a few times. He's brought a really great work ethic into my tennis, into my practices. A lot positive energy. He's been a great new voice for me and something that I needed.
When you've had a coach for many, many years, sometimes it's not even about new things that are being said. Maybe sometimes it's the same things, but coming from a different person in a little bit of a different way, gets to you differently.
Yeah, he's pushed me and believes in me. He's also coached against me, which I like.
So, yeah.
Q. You won three tournaments on clay, and then Rome. How important was Rome for you? Before you had just Strasbourg and not great, great clay court season. How important was Rome? And what is the difference that you find between the Rome tournament and this one?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, Rome brought me a lot of confidence because I beat players that have had a lot of their success on clay and were maybe favorites against me on clay courts and I was able to beat them.
And, yeah, I felt like I improved as the tournament went on. That certainly gives me a lot confidence.
But when you get to the next tournament it starts from scratch. You start from the first round and you face different opponents and it's a new day.
Everything is different. We have a different ball. The courts are a little bit different. The atmosphere.
Yeah, but it's really about adjusting and taking that confidence, but also knowing that it's not going to be the same.
Q. You once famously described yourself on clay as cow on ice.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uh huh. And I don't regret it. I really don't.
Q. What is your comfortable level now on it? Obviously you've come a long, long way.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I've certainly improved. When I said that comment I was referring to the first few days and weeks on clay when you're after you've played on hard court for such a long time, it's such a different feeling.
Used to be tough for me to move around and get back into position. Also I mentioned recovering from tough matches and going into the next ones was quite difficult for me maybe four years ago or so. I feel like that's the one thing that I've really improved and I've really worked hard on.
Q. The other day you spoke of your love of street culture. Obviously Paris is quite different from L.A. or New York or other capitals. Talk a little bit about Paris's culture, street culture.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think it's classic and I think it's unpretentious. The whole city is beautiful. I think people take part in the beauty of it and they come here and enjoy every little angle and aspect of it.
I unfortunately haven't had that amount of time to be able to browse and to go in different areas as much as I would have liked to in the past.
But that's something I can't wait to come back when I have more time. It's one of the cities I would love to even have an apartment or just browse.
You know, I'm kind of stuck around the hotel. But hopefully one day.
7 6, 7 5
MARIA SHARAPOVA
Q. Congratulations.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Thank you.
Q. It was a big fight again. Can you talk about each time you got your back on the wall you're finding your way back in the match and to turn this around.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, from the beginning I had quite a slow start today. It was 1 4 and 15 40, so I think the one thing that really saved me in the first set was I served really well and kept her off balance and started playing better.
That gave me a lot of confidence. I had the chance to be up 3 0, could have been 4 0 in the second set, and just kind of rolled the other way. She had so many chances.
Overall it was just really tough. I played smart when I needed to be smart and was patient at the right times.
Yeah.
Q. Now you're going to play against Petkovic like in Melbourne. Talk about this next battle.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, we played in Melbourne. Also in played Miami, you know, a month or so ago. Yeah, she's a very tough opponent. She is also quite good on this surface and moves very well. She'll use that to her advantage.
But, yeah, it'll be tough. I'll go out there and try to win that match.
Are you observing the picture?
Q. Yes. I'm trying to frame my question.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, around the picture?
Q. Yes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Why are you giving it to me?
Q. Because I want to ask you a question.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Okay.
Q. So, Maria, we had some fun in the pressroom about the official publication of the tournament's with that little headline. Does that give you a laugh? What you are your thoughts?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. It's just a cover of a paper. That's it for me.
About, you mean, the headline?
Q. Yes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, there have been so many headlines thought my career, and this is just another one. (Laughing.)
Q. If I could switch to tennis...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yes. Let me give this back to you. I don't want myself staring at me. (Laughter.)
Q. So just talk about your serve. How is your feel on it? Number of double faults today, but you seemed to be going for it on the second.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I did. Um, yeah, I thought the serve saved me in the first set. I served really well. I think that that gave me confidence throughout my whole game, because from the beginning I was just making I was making errors, all of them kind of went long.
I thought I served my way out of the first set there. You know, there was a little dip in the second set, but overall I felt pretty good and I felt confident on it.
Q. What would it mean to you win this tournament, Maria?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, this tournament has a very rich history. It's one that I've always said would be the most challenging for me to win. But I've always worked really hard on trying to get myself prepared as well as I could for it, you know, physically and mentally, knowing that sometimes you just have to be more patient than maybe in other points in other tournaments.
Yeah, a lot of it is preparation and just going out there and believing in what you have done before and the way you prepared.
Q. The first two matches you had with her this year you split, and they were on hardcourt. Do they have really no impact on your preparation? Is it a whole different thing going out on clay against her?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, I guess. I think every match for me is different. I mean, you look back at a few things that maybe helped you or maybe changed things around if you were down or what you did to change.
You know, I had lost that first set in Miami, so, yeah, just maybe looking back on those things.
But as far as, yeah, it's really about it's really another match, a new one.
Q. Can you tell us a little bit what your coach Thomas mean to you and how it all started, why you started working together?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Why?
Q. What does he mean to you?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I've said it a few times. He's brought a really great work ethic into my tennis, into my practices. A lot positive energy. He's been a great new voice for me and something that I needed.
When you've had a coach for many, many years, sometimes it's not even about new things that are being said. Maybe sometimes it's the same things, but coming from a different person in a little bit of a different way, gets to you differently.
Yeah, he's pushed me and believes in me. He's also coached against me, which I like.
So, yeah.
Q. You won three tournaments on clay, and then Rome. How important was Rome for you? Before you had just Strasbourg and not great, great clay court season. How important was Rome? And what is the difference that you find between the Rome tournament and this one?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, Rome brought me a lot of confidence because I beat players that have had a lot of their success on clay and were maybe favorites against me on clay courts and I was able to beat them.
And, yeah, I felt like I improved as the tournament went on. That certainly gives me a lot confidence.
But when you get to the next tournament it starts from scratch. You start from the first round and you face different opponents and it's a new day.
Everything is different. We have a different ball. The courts are a little bit different. The atmosphere.
Yeah, but it's really about adjusting and taking that confidence, but also knowing that it's not going to be the same.
Q. You once famously described yourself on clay as cow on ice.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uh huh. And I don't regret it. I really don't.
Q. What is your comfortable level now on it? Obviously you've come a long, long way.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I've certainly improved. When I said that comment I was referring to the first few days and weeks on clay when you're after you've played on hard court for such a long time, it's such a different feeling.
Used to be tough for me to move around and get back into position. Also I mentioned recovering from tough matches and going into the next ones was quite difficult for me maybe four years ago or so. I feel like that's the one thing that I've really improved and I've really worked hard on.
Q. The other day you spoke of your love of street culture. Obviously Paris is quite different from L.A. or New York or other capitals. Talk a little bit about Paris's culture, street culture.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think it's classic and I think it's unpretentious. The whole city is beautiful. I think people take part in the beauty of it and they come here and enjoy every little angle and aspect of it.
I unfortunately haven't had that amount of time to be able to browse and to go in different areas as much as I would have liked to in the past.
But that's something I can't wait to come back when I have more time. It's one of the cities I would love to even have an apartment or just browse.
You know, I'm kind of stuck around the hotel. But hopefully one day.
Roland Garros May 30 2011 - Victoria Azarenka
V. AZARENKA/E. Makarova
6 2, 6 3
VICTORIA AZARENKA
Q. Just talk about this match and about your tournament. Obviously you haven't dropped a set and looked pretty sharp. How did you feel? Do you feel the same way you look on the court?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, pretty much. (Smiling.) I think so far, you know, as I was talking my previous press conference, I'm improving from match to match. I had a tough opponent today. We always had very long matches.
Today I think I came out really playing well. You know, was very strong from the beginning. Was a little bit of a slack after 2 0, but then I came back strong and I was dominating with every game.
Feel pretty good, pretty confident. Looking forward for my next match. Long journey.
Q. You've been to this stage of a major before, haven't broken through. Do you feel ready for that mentally? Is that a challenge for you?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, I think I'm in a different chapter of my career. You know, it's going to be a different quarterfinal for me. But I'm feeling really, really confident. You know, really looking forward to it.
I'm going to play against another tough opponent, so it's going to be a great challenge.
Q. What's the key to Na Li? You've played her. You lost to her in Australia. She hits an aggressive ball.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, yeah, for sure. She's one of the best strikers on the tour and she has a good serve. Well, the key is, you know, to really try to play my game, to be aggressive, and try to take that domination away from her.
Australia was a very good match from her. I think it's going to be very different, plus different surface.
But, you know, the mental is going to be the key to, you know, play, because she's very strong. You can never see emotions from her.
But, well, I'm really looking forward to really take the challenge and take a revenge from Australia.
Q. About the crowd, a lot of people say that the French Open crowd know their tennis, they're connoisseurs. What do you think about that?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, yeah for sure. I think French people are I don't know how to say this word in English, but they really know tennis well, and they expect the good game from the players to show.
So I think it's nice. You know, they really don't clap on the bad points or on the double faults unless you play against French people, which is fair enough.
But I really like the crowd. I think they can be really respectful.
Q. If you don't come out of this tournament with at least a semi, how frustrated or disappointed will you be in this new chapter of your career?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I see a little bit of a sarcasm from you there. Well, for me, I will be happy with whatever I have. You know, for me, it's important if I play my quarterfinal and I give the best I can in this match, I'm going to have no regrets definitely.
6 2, 6 3
VICTORIA AZARENKA
Q. Just talk about this match and about your tournament. Obviously you haven't dropped a set and looked pretty sharp. How did you feel? Do you feel the same way you look on the court?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, pretty much. (Smiling.) I think so far, you know, as I was talking my previous press conference, I'm improving from match to match. I had a tough opponent today. We always had very long matches.
Today I think I came out really playing well. You know, was very strong from the beginning. Was a little bit of a slack after 2 0, but then I came back strong and I was dominating with every game.
Feel pretty good, pretty confident. Looking forward for my next match. Long journey.
Q. You've been to this stage of a major before, haven't broken through. Do you feel ready for that mentally? Is that a challenge for you?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, I think I'm in a different chapter of my career. You know, it's going to be a different quarterfinal for me. But I'm feeling really, really confident. You know, really looking forward to it.
I'm going to play against another tough opponent, so it's going to be a great challenge.
Q. What's the key to Na Li? You've played her. You lost to her in Australia. She hits an aggressive ball.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, yeah, for sure. She's one of the best strikers on the tour and she has a good serve. Well, the key is, you know, to really try to play my game, to be aggressive, and try to take that domination away from her.
Australia was a very good match from her. I think it's going to be very different, plus different surface.
But, you know, the mental is going to be the key to, you know, play, because she's very strong. You can never see emotions from her.
But, well, I'm really looking forward to really take the challenge and take a revenge from Australia.
Q. About the crowd, a lot of people say that the French Open crowd know their tennis, they're connoisseurs. What do you think about that?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Oh, yeah for sure. I think French people are I don't know how to say this word in English, but they really know tennis well, and they expect the good game from the players to show.
So I think it's nice. You know, they really don't clap on the bad points or on the double faults unless you play against French people, which is fair enough.
But I really like the crowd. I think they can be really respectful.
Q. If you don't come out of this tournament with at least a semi, how frustrated or disappointed will you be in this new chapter of your career?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I see a little bit of a sarcasm from you there. Well, for me, I will be happy with whatever I have. You know, for me, it's important if I play my quarterfinal and I give the best I can in this match, I'm going to have no regrets definitely.
Roland Garros May 30 2011 - Ekaterina Makarova
V. AZARENKA/E. Makarova
6 2, 6 3
EKATERINA MAKAROVA
Q. Tell me about the match and also about Victoria's level. You've beaten her, but you haven't played her on clay.
EKATERINA MAKAROVA: Yeah, of course she's great player and it's really tough to play against her. I'm a little bit upset I couldn't show my best tennis today.
She played pretty clear, like not easy mistakes and all the time pushing me. So I don't know. I think it just wasn't my best day.
Q. Do you think she's playing at a level to win the tournament at this point? It seems very wide open.
EKATERINA MAKAROVA: Yeah, of course. Like she can win it. She play great tennis all the time pushing the opponent, so it's really tough to play against her, so of course she can win this tournament.
6 2, 6 3
EKATERINA MAKAROVA
Q. Tell me about the match and also about Victoria's level. You've beaten her, but you haven't played her on clay.
EKATERINA MAKAROVA: Yeah, of course she's great player and it's really tough to play against her. I'm a little bit upset I couldn't show my best tennis today.
She played pretty clear, like not easy mistakes and all the time pushing me. So I don't know. I think it just wasn't my best day.
Q. Do you think she's playing at a level to win the tournament at this point? It seems very wide open.
EKATERINA MAKAROVA: Yeah, of course. Like she can win it. She play great tennis all the time pushing the opponent, so it's really tough to play against her, so of course she can win this tournament.
Roland Garros May 30 2011 - Petra kvitova
N. LI/P. Kvitova
2 6, 6 1, 6 3
PETRA KVITOVA
Q. You seemed to be in control of the match. What happened in the third set?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, you know, I don't know. Yeah, I was a little bit I think nervous or I didn't make the chance what I had, and after this I was down mentally. Probably this.
Q. Did you feel any pain?
PETRA KVITOVA: No.
Q. It was a problem in the last game or...
PETRA KVITOVA: About the shoulder?
Q. Yeah.
PETRA KVITOVA: No, I didn't feel any pain.
2 6, 6 1, 6 3
PETRA KVITOVA
Q. You seemed to be in control of the match. What happened in the third set?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, you know, I don't know. Yeah, I was a little bit I think nervous or I didn't make the chance what I had, and after this I was down mentally. Probably this.
Q. Did you feel any pain?
PETRA KVITOVA: No.
Q. It was a problem in the last game or...
PETRA KVITOVA: About the shoulder?
Q. Yeah.
PETRA KVITOVA: No, I didn't feel any pain.
Roland Garros May 30 2011 - Li Na
N. LI/P. Kvitova
2 6, 6 1, 6 3
NA LI
Q. It looked like you might be in trouble during the third set. What happened to turn it around?
NA LI: It may be trouble; not really trouble. It was tough, like 3 Love down in the final set.
Yeah. I mean, even myself, I didn't believe I can come back, you know, because she has a huge big serve, and even doing until final serve. But I was think, Okay. She just broken one serve game. If I come back, still have chance.
So I don't know what happened. Maybe just my husband left and I can win six games in a row. (Laughter.)
Q. Your husband, did he leave? Is he gone?
NA LI: Yeah, after I was 3 Love down.
Q. I know you've answered this before, but if you could tell us again a little bit about your decision to have your husband not coach and how it's worked out so far. Obviously very well?
NA LI: Yeah, I mean, it's tough. Like husband, coach, always like, you know, tough to, how they say, communication if you have husband or coach. On court or off the court, you know, we are three years every day like 24 hours together. So of course I was tired.
So we need a break. And also after Melbourne I didn't do well. So I need to change the team a little bit to improve me a lot. That's why I ask for Michael. He's from Denmark. I ask him to help me, and, yeah, now the husband is hitting partner.
Q. As you said, you have been struggling after Melbourne final in Melbourne. Do you think there's any specific reason of that struggling?
NA LI: I mean, for the player, I was like after I'm done, I was if you do well in Melbourne, I mean, if you play tournament against opponents, you do different. Because if they play against you, nothing to lose.
The thing about she play final. What I should do? And also, of course, I was a little bit sad. I have the match point, but I couldn't win the match. Yeah, after I was feeling like how do I do well beginning of the year and after it didn't work.
I also training so hard like before every day, but that didn't work. That's why after finished hard court season, I was changing my team a little bit, yeah.
Q. Do you think you are the same level as the Australian Open? And, also, since the women's draw is quite open now, do you think you have a chance to go deep?
NA LI: Why not? I qualify already. If I win fourth round, what I should say? I play bad tennis? I don't think so.
I mean, I try to keep same level in Melbourne or even more better. I didn't like clay court, but yeah, but I still in the quallies [sic]. So I couldn't say that anymore. But, I mean, you have to do try the best of tennis on the court. Doesn't matter what level you have. Yeah.
Q. You have collaboration with Michael was a trial for three tournaments. These three tournaments are already a success. Even if not finished yet, do you think you will go on with him?
NA LI: This is third tournament. I did not finish yet. Yeah, I mean, I would like working with him. But after this tournament I have to ask him if I have the time to traveling with me maybe, because he has a family. I could only say, Okay, Michael, come with me.
This is no chance. I have communication first and see how many weeks he can traveling with me. We talk after French Open.
Q. Let me ask perhaps a difficult question.
NA LI: Okay. I try to answer.
Q. How does a wife tell a husband, You're fired?
NA LI: I would never say that. I mean, it's tough. You know, the husband, coach, and also he was working with the team.
So I try to never say, I fire you. (Smiling.)
Q. I think you have chance to advance to the quarterfinal here in Roland Garros. Do you have any clay courts in China? How do you feel this condition? The surface, balls here, they change the balls.
NA LI: I mean, for professional player, if you didn't like the air, didn't like the weather, didn't like the serve, you still have to play the match.
I mean, some things you couldn't choice. So you have to, how you say, challenge yourself, to play with something. Even like in China, right now in China they have many hard court, but in season you have clay court, you have grass court season. You couldn't give up because three months for whole year. You should do something for yourself.
Q. Very few tennis players have studied journalism. I believe you have. If you could change the way tennis is covered, how would you change it?
NA LI: Oh. (Smiling.)
More prize money. (Laughter.) I think every player like that. Yeah, I mean, I love the way right now the tennis. I didn't want to change anything.
Q. But the way that tennis is covered by the journalists, by the writers, how would you change that?
NA LI: You have to ask them. See, they're from China.
2 6, 6 1, 6 3
NA LI
Q. It looked like you might be in trouble during the third set. What happened to turn it around?
NA LI: It may be trouble; not really trouble. It was tough, like 3 Love down in the final set.
Yeah. I mean, even myself, I didn't believe I can come back, you know, because she has a huge big serve, and even doing until final serve. But I was think, Okay. She just broken one serve game. If I come back, still have chance.
So I don't know what happened. Maybe just my husband left and I can win six games in a row. (Laughter.)
Q. Your husband, did he leave? Is he gone?
NA LI: Yeah, after I was 3 Love down.
Q. I know you've answered this before, but if you could tell us again a little bit about your decision to have your husband not coach and how it's worked out so far. Obviously very well?
NA LI: Yeah, I mean, it's tough. Like husband, coach, always like, you know, tough to, how they say, communication if you have husband or coach. On court or off the court, you know, we are three years every day like 24 hours together. So of course I was tired.
So we need a break. And also after Melbourne I didn't do well. So I need to change the team a little bit to improve me a lot. That's why I ask for Michael. He's from Denmark. I ask him to help me, and, yeah, now the husband is hitting partner.
Q. As you said, you have been struggling after Melbourne final in Melbourne. Do you think there's any specific reason of that struggling?
NA LI: I mean, for the player, I was like after I'm done, I was if you do well in Melbourne, I mean, if you play tournament against opponents, you do different. Because if they play against you, nothing to lose.
The thing about she play final. What I should do? And also, of course, I was a little bit sad. I have the match point, but I couldn't win the match. Yeah, after I was feeling like how do I do well beginning of the year and after it didn't work.
I also training so hard like before every day, but that didn't work. That's why after finished hard court season, I was changing my team a little bit, yeah.
Q. Do you think you are the same level as the Australian Open? And, also, since the women's draw is quite open now, do you think you have a chance to go deep?
NA LI: Why not? I qualify already. If I win fourth round, what I should say? I play bad tennis? I don't think so.
I mean, I try to keep same level in Melbourne or even more better. I didn't like clay court, but yeah, but I still in the quallies [sic]. So I couldn't say that anymore. But, I mean, you have to do try the best of tennis on the court. Doesn't matter what level you have. Yeah.
Q. You have collaboration with Michael was a trial for three tournaments. These three tournaments are already a success. Even if not finished yet, do you think you will go on with him?
NA LI: This is third tournament. I did not finish yet. Yeah, I mean, I would like working with him. But after this tournament I have to ask him if I have the time to traveling with me maybe, because he has a family. I could only say, Okay, Michael, come with me.
This is no chance. I have communication first and see how many weeks he can traveling with me. We talk after French Open.
Q. Let me ask perhaps a difficult question.
NA LI: Okay. I try to answer.
Q. How does a wife tell a husband, You're fired?
NA LI: I would never say that. I mean, it's tough. You know, the husband, coach, and also he was working with the team.
So I try to never say, I fire you. (Smiling.)
Q. I think you have chance to advance to the quarterfinal here in Roland Garros. Do you have any clay courts in China? How do you feel this condition? The surface, balls here, they change the balls.
NA LI: I mean, for professional player, if you didn't like the air, didn't like the weather, didn't like the serve, you still have to play the match.
I mean, some things you couldn't choice. So you have to, how you say, challenge yourself, to play with something. Even like in China, right now in China they have many hard court, but in season you have clay court, you have grass court season. You couldn't give up because three months for whole year. You should do something for yourself.
Q. Very few tennis players have studied journalism. I believe you have. If you could change the way tennis is covered, how would you change it?
NA LI: Oh. (Smiling.)
More prize money. (Laughter.) I think every player like that. Yeah, I mean, I love the way right now the tennis. I didn't want to change anything.
Q. But the way that tennis is covered by the journalists, by the writers, how would you change that?
NA LI: You have to ask them. See, they're from China.
Roland Garros May 29 2011 - Svetlana Kuznetsova
S. KUZNETSOVA/D. Hantuchova
6 7, 6 3, 6 2
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA
Q. You want to talk about the match? Pretty good third set for you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah. I was a little bit frustrated in the first set. Took me a long time to get into the match, and I think next matches I shouldn't allow myself to make these things.
I have to play like I played second and third set. I started to play better. Just play my normal game.
Q. So getting moved from the stadium, you probably thought that might happen anyway, so did that have any effect when you had to move from Suzanne Lenglen over to Court 1?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: It was frustrated. Anyway, it's hard to have so long day and wait. Then to get move another court, I think scheduling was not too smart to do this. When you saw the schedule, I know already we couldn't play in this court. There was no chance. Even didn't know if Fognini would go five sets. It was no chance to play on this court.
Q. So were you happy with your level overall other than the first set? Did you feel like you were hitting the ball well, moving well?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I happy with my game. I playing great. Happy with this. Only thing, I was not in the game, and I cannot allow myself to do this again.
I knew I was better. Even losing the first set, I had set points. And I had to just play better and stay focused. But I could manage to finish it 6 2 pretty easy.
Q. I'm not going to call her your coach. Did Anastasia have any special words before the match or after?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, in this small moment in the match, I looked at her and she's like, Move her. I'm like, Yeah, yeah, I know what to do. But she's supporting me. And I have great group of supporters, which I really appreciate. I just happy to be with them here and to play this French Open.
Q. Did she beat you on that court in 2004?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah.
Q. It was. So when you looked over there, did you remember?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, I remember first match when I played. I told her, Yeah, yeah, it's your court. And she told me once she had thought about it as well.
Q. You want to talk a little bit about Bartoli? You know her well. She's been around for a number of years.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: If I would choose the court to play against her, it would be clay court for sure, because is best surface for me and I think the worst for her.
Only thing is we played in France, so for her is going to be a lot of support. And this is the only thing.
But, anyway, I feel great. I play great. I just looking forward to play her. It's not gonna be easy match, but I have just play my game.
Q. One more question. But I guess just coming in here, your confidence probably wasn't at an all time high, so just to get to the second week and put yourself in a position to be a contender again, it's good for you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah. As I said always, if I get three, four matches under my belt, things start to be different for me. And now I solid on clay. I feel great. And always French Open brings out the best out of me.
6 7, 6 3, 6 2
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA
Q. You want to talk about the match? Pretty good third set for you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah. I was a little bit frustrated in the first set. Took me a long time to get into the match, and I think next matches I shouldn't allow myself to make these things.
I have to play like I played second and third set. I started to play better. Just play my normal game.
Q. So getting moved from the stadium, you probably thought that might happen anyway, so did that have any effect when you had to move from Suzanne Lenglen over to Court 1?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: It was frustrated. Anyway, it's hard to have so long day and wait. Then to get move another court, I think scheduling was not too smart to do this. When you saw the schedule, I know already we couldn't play in this court. There was no chance. Even didn't know if Fognini would go five sets. It was no chance to play on this court.
Q. So were you happy with your level overall other than the first set? Did you feel like you were hitting the ball well, moving well?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I happy with my game. I playing great. Happy with this. Only thing, I was not in the game, and I cannot allow myself to do this again.
I knew I was better. Even losing the first set, I had set points. And I had to just play better and stay focused. But I could manage to finish it 6 2 pretty easy.
Q. I'm not going to call her your coach. Did Anastasia have any special words before the match or after?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, in this small moment in the match, I looked at her and she's like, Move her. I'm like, Yeah, yeah, I know what to do. But she's supporting me. And I have great group of supporters, which I really appreciate. I just happy to be with them here and to play this French Open.
Q. Did she beat you on that court in 2004?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah.
Q. It was. So when you looked over there, did you remember?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, I remember first match when I played. I told her, Yeah, yeah, it's your court. And she told me once she had thought about it as well.
Q. You want to talk a little bit about Bartoli? You know her well. She's been around for a number of years.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: If I would choose the court to play against her, it would be clay court for sure, because is best surface for me and I think the worst for her.
Only thing is we played in France, so for her is going to be a lot of support. And this is the only thing.
But, anyway, I feel great. I play great. I just looking forward to play her. It's not gonna be easy match, but I have just play my game.
Q. One more question. But I guess just coming in here, your confidence probably wasn't at an all time high, so just to get to the second week and put yourself in a position to be a contender again, it's good for you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah. As I said always, if I get three, four matches under my belt, things start to be different for me. And now I solid on clay. I feel great. And always French Open brings out the best out of me.
Roland Garros May 29 011 - Francesca Schiavone
F. SCHIAVONE/J. Jankovic
6 3, 2 6, 6 4
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE
Q. It was a very tight match. What do you think made the difference today?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think the key was when I came back in the third set, and I really was much more consistent than before. With my spin, I could control a little bit more than her.
Q. Now that the top three seeds are out of this tournament since Zvonareva lost today, does that add more pressure on you?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No. We live with pressure, so from the start we have to organize ourself at the best and to play feeling the pressure, and so with the good balance between good play and pressure.
So tomorrow or in two days will be another match. I say every day that you can't fly too much or you have always to watch the next step and next match.
So we will see. For sure it's interesting, but in the woman tennis now is really, really open. Many players play good.
Q. You won the title last year. Nadal, also. But Nadal this year has lost a bit of confidence. What about yourself? How do you compare yourself to last year? Better or playing just as good?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Better for tennis? No. But better like experienced, like person. I can improve more and play better than today or some days ago, yes.
Q. It's not about today's match, but Patty Schnyder, she just announced her retirement. You guys are kind of like same generation, so could you give us any comments on her retirement?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Patty was she's great, because she's really simple person, and I think she sign history in tennis. She was been top 10 for many, many years. Great talent with lefty. Was not easy for me to play against her.
I hope she can find good life, next life with husband. And that's okay. That's life.
Q. It always looks very spectacular when you go in the decision of the match. What did you think when it was so close in the end? Is that like improvising? Or is that a plan, going to the net and putting the other one under pressure? Or it's just coming naturally in the moment?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, no, I have to think to go inside. I tried to do it before, but I couldn't because my ball was not so deep. Then I found a good angle, and I played a little bit more deep with spin, and I had the chance to serve good, go to the net.
That was the key. I should do maybe a little bit more before. But when you feel it's time to do it, you do it.
6 3, 2 6, 6 4
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE
Q. It was a very tight match. What do you think made the difference today?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think the key was when I came back in the third set, and I really was much more consistent than before. With my spin, I could control a little bit more than her.
Q. Now that the top three seeds are out of this tournament since Zvonareva lost today, does that add more pressure on you?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No. We live with pressure, so from the start we have to organize ourself at the best and to play feeling the pressure, and so with the good balance between good play and pressure.
So tomorrow or in two days will be another match. I say every day that you can't fly too much or you have always to watch the next step and next match.
So we will see. For sure it's interesting, but in the woman tennis now is really, really open. Many players play good.
Q. You won the title last year. Nadal, also. But Nadal this year has lost a bit of confidence. What about yourself? How do you compare yourself to last year? Better or playing just as good?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Better for tennis? No. But better like experienced, like person. I can improve more and play better than today or some days ago, yes.
Q. It's not about today's match, but Patty Schnyder, she just announced her retirement. You guys are kind of like same generation, so could you give us any comments on her retirement?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Patty was she's great, because she's really simple person, and I think she sign history in tennis. She was been top 10 for many, many years. Great talent with lefty. Was not easy for me to play against her.
I hope she can find good life, next life with husband. And that's okay. That's life.
Q. It always looks very spectacular when you go in the decision of the match. What did you think when it was so close in the end? Is that like improvising? Or is that a plan, going to the net and putting the other one under pressure? Or it's just coming naturally in the moment?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, no, I have to think to go inside. I tried to do it before, but I couldn't because my ball was not so deep. Then I found a good angle, and I played a little bit more deep with spin, and I had the chance to serve good, go to the net.
That was the key. I should do maybe a little bit more before. But when you feel it's time to do it, you do it.
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.
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 29 2011 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
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.
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.
Roland Garros May 28 2011 - Maria Sharapova
M. SHARAPOVA/Y. Chan
6 2, 6 3
MARIA SHARAPOVA
Q. Can we say you were totally in control today?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I felt like I was in control most of the match. I only got broken once I believe in the second set, and I served really well throughout the match. You know, I took my chances when I had them.
So, yeah, I was quite pleased after playing a three set match that I had a quicker one today.
Q. So you've got Radwanska. You've played her a number of times, I think only once on clay, though, Istanbul. But she's obviously a tough out on clay. She moves well, gets a lot of balls back. You want to just talk about that?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it will be a really tough match because I think this is one of her best surfaces. She's a really good mover and moves well on clay and gets a lot of balls back, and just be important to be aggressive and look for my opportunities to move forward.
Q. So is there any shot you're really not confident in right now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think I can still be a little bit more aggressive. I definitely feel like some balls I was a little bit late today.
But, yeah, just looking to move forward a little bit more.
Q. You had a very long injury to the shoulder some time ago. I wanted to know how it is difficult to live eight months without playing tennis. Do you have time to think for the first time to the life behind tennis? How did you live that time?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it definitely opens your eyes and you see things from a different view, because usually when you're waking up every single morning everything is on autopilot; that you're going to wake up and put my Nike clothes on and go and train. It's a routine. And then you have a tournament.
So when you don't have that for a long time, you, you know definitely opens your eyes and you start thinking a little bit.
I missed it a lot, and I wanted to get back to it as quickly as I could.
Q. Do you think that your amazing comeback that you did against Garcia, do you think that it added some kind of self confidence to what you might do here in Roland Garros; that maybe this might be the year where you'll be more successful than the others? Has it given you any extra belief?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You know, I was just really happy to come back, you know, from that, from the position that I was in. I certainly wasn't thinking, Oh, if I come back in this match and I end up winning it's going to give me so much confidence.
You just try to fight for every point in order to win the match. And then when you do, you have the next match ahead of you, and that keeps going.
Every day is different, and you face different opponents. And you can never be overly confident, because if you are, then I don't think you push yourself, you motivate yourself enough, you know.
Q. You're obviously getting deep into a run at a slam, but if you could step back and just talk about women's tennis in general. A lot of developments are going on. Older players, a lot of upsets, near upsets, no dominant player. Fewer Americans. Can you give us a sense of what your read is?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I honestly don't know. I have enough trouble focusing and knowing what's on my agenda and my schedule.
You know, I'm mostly just selfishly worrying about myself and just trying to win matches. It's tough to focus on what's going on around you and whether, you know, someone's on a comeback or playing well or losing or what.
It's really none of my business, to be honest.
Q. Well, in terms of your business, do you think now that you've been on the circuit for a good while and a lot of ups and downs, do you think this experience is really kicking in and is a significant plus at this point?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, it's definitely beneficial, because I know no matter what position I am in my career, I have the experience. I've been on the tour many years. I have played many matches. I've won some. I've lost tough ones. I've won tough ones.
I look back to that, and I know that I have that in my mind when I'm playing current matches. That helps me a lot.
So it's certainly helpful to have, you know, big wins at Grand Slams and to have tough losses from which I've come back and made myself stronger. You learn a lot from before.
Q. Patty Schnyder called an end to her career today. Can you comment on her impact in tennis in general and maybe about your experiences with her?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, she gave me lots of trouble. She did. She had a nasty left hander everything. I remember playing a tough match against her here, I think. I don't know if she had a couple of match points or something, but it was one of the early rounds at Roland Garros.
Especially when I was younger, she just played this cat and mouse game, and sometimes you just felt like the silly mouse.
No, she gave me tough ones. And she's had a really long career. I mean, when I was young and coming up, she was actually in the top 10, top 20 or something. Yeah.
Q. Before what you did in Rome, would you have expected to get into the second week here looking so strong, feeling so confident?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, I mean, you plan on it, because that's where you want to be. I just plan on trying to win my next match, whether that's before my first round, my second, before the second week or whatever it is.
Q. You have changed your racquet and you have changed your long time coach in the beginning of this year, and looks like you are really eager to win another slam or to come back to No. 1. In order to do that, I assume you have made top 10 a decision. Could you talk a little bit about that?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I made a couple of changes. I switched racquets in November, which I was very happy about. It was one of the first few racquets I picked up and I loved from the first ball I hit with it, and I knew I would be making that switch.
As far as the coaching, yeah, it was definitely a tough change, because I worked with Michael Joyce for almost seven years. You know, he was a really good friend of mine.
I had a certain routine. After a really long time when that changes, it's tough to mentally make that big of a change to say I'm going to go for something different. But I think it was the right thing. I needed a new perspective. Yeah.
Q. Rafael Nadal said earlier today he is 24 but feels like he's been playing on the tour for 100 years. How do you feel to that regard?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, I'm sure he said that because we even though maybe we started playing professionally, I think I did when I was 14 or something, and we started playing tennis from a very young age, and, you know, we've done this for almost all our lives, so we feel like we're on this sort of hamster carousel and we just keep going. It's true.
I think that's why it feels like every year we come back and, you know, like, Oh, nothing changes, and next year you come back, Oh, nothing changes. Same old same press conference room, same court, same people. Yeah. I think that makes you feel old.
6 2, 6 3
MARIA SHARAPOVA
Q. Can we say you were totally in control today?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I felt like I was in control most of the match. I only got broken once I believe in the second set, and I served really well throughout the match. You know, I took my chances when I had them.
So, yeah, I was quite pleased after playing a three set match that I had a quicker one today.
Q. So you've got Radwanska. You've played her a number of times, I think only once on clay, though, Istanbul. But she's obviously a tough out on clay. She moves well, gets a lot of balls back. You want to just talk about that?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it will be a really tough match because I think this is one of her best surfaces. She's a really good mover and moves well on clay and gets a lot of balls back, and just be important to be aggressive and look for my opportunities to move forward.
Q. So is there any shot you're really not confident in right now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think I can still be a little bit more aggressive. I definitely feel like some balls I was a little bit late today.
But, yeah, just looking to move forward a little bit more.
Q. You had a very long injury to the shoulder some time ago. I wanted to know how it is difficult to live eight months without playing tennis. Do you have time to think for the first time to the life behind tennis? How did you live that time?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it definitely opens your eyes and you see things from a different view, because usually when you're waking up every single morning everything is on autopilot; that you're going to wake up and put my Nike clothes on and go and train. It's a routine. And then you have a tournament.
So when you don't have that for a long time, you, you know definitely opens your eyes and you start thinking a little bit.
I missed it a lot, and I wanted to get back to it as quickly as I could.
Q. Do you think that your amazing comeback that you did against Garcia, do you think that it added some kind of self confidence to what you might do here in Roland Garros; that maybe this might be the year where you'll be more successful than the others? Has it given you any extra belief?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You know, I was just really happy to come back, you know, from that, from the position that I was in. I certainly wasn't thinking, Oh, if I come back in this match and I end up winning it's going to give me so much confidence.
You just try to fight for every point in order to win the match. And then when you do, you have the next match ahead of you, and that keeps going.
Every day is different, and you face different opponents. And you can never be overly confident, because if you are, then I don't think you push yourself, you motivate yourself enough, you know.
Q. You're obviously getting deep into a run at a slam, but if you could step back and just talk about women's tennis in general. A lot of developments are going on. Older players, a lot of upsets, near upsets, no dominant player. Fewer Americans. Can you give us a sense of what your read is?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I honestly don't know. I have enough trouble focusing and knowing what's on my agenda and my schedule.
You know, I'm mostly just selfishly worrying about myself and just trying to win matches. It's tough to focus on what's going on around you and whether, you know, someone's on a comeback or playing well or losing or what.
It's really none of my business, to be honest.
Q. Well, in terms of your business, do you think now that you've been on the circuit for a good while and a lot of ups and downs, do you think this experience is really kicking in and is a significant plus at this point?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, it's definitely beneficial, because I know no matter what position I am in my career, I have the experience. I've been on the tour many years. I have played many matches. I've won some. I've lost tough ones. I've won tough ones.
I look back to that, and I know that I have that in my mind when I'm playing current matches. That helps me a lot.
So it's certainly helpful to have, you know, big wins at Grand Slams and to have tough losses from which I've come back and made myself stronger. You learn a lot from before.
Q. Patty Schnyder called an end to her career today. Can you comment on her impact in tennis in general and maybe about your experiences with her?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, she gave me lots of trouble. She did. She had a nasty left hander everything. I remember playing a tough match against her here, I think. I don't know if she had a couple of match points or something, but it was one of the early rounds at Roland Garros.
Especially when I was younger, she just played this cat and mouse game, and sometimes you just felt like the silly mouse.
No, she gave me tough ones. And she's had a really long career. I mean, when I was young and coming up, she was actually in the top 10, top 20 or something. Yeah.
Q. Before what you did in Rome, would you have expected to get into the second week here looking so strong, feeling so confident?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, I mean, you plan on it, because that's where you want to be. I just plan on trying to win my next match, whether that's before my first round, my second, before the second week or whatever it is.
Q. You have changed your racquet and you have changed your long time coach in the beginning of this year, and looks like you are really eager to win another slam or to come back to No. 1. In order to do that, I assume you have made top 10 a decision. Could you talk a little bit about that?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I made a couple of changes. I switched racquets in November, which I was very happy about. It was one of the first few racquets I picked up and I loved from the first ball I hit with it, and I knew I would be making that switch.
As far as the coaching, yeah, it was definitely a tough change, because I worked with Michael Joyce for almost seven years. You know, he was a really good friend of mine.
I had a certain routine. After a really long time when that changes, it's tough to mentally make that big of a change to say I'm going to go for something different. But I think it was the right thing. I needed a new perspective. Yeah.
Q. Rafael Nadal said earlier today he is 24 but feels like he's been playing on the tour for 100 years. How do you feel to that regard?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, I'm sure he said that because we even though maybe we started playing professionally, I think I did when I was 14 or something, and we started playing tennis from a very young age, and, you know, we've done this for almost all our lives, so we feel like we're on this sort of hamster carousel and we just keep going. It's true.
I think that's why it feels like every year we come back and, you know, like, Oh, nothing changes, and next year you come back, Oh, nothing changes. Same old same press conference room, same court, same people. Yeah. I think that makes you feel old.
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