2004 U.S. Open
Date: 2004-09-07
Dementieva def. Mauresmo 4-6, 6-4, 7-6

Question How disappointing is it to lose a match like this?
Answer Well, it is a big disappointment. You know, especially 7-6 in that third set. The way I thought, you know, I had some occasions I didn't take. So I am pretty disappointed with that and a little bit angry with myself as well, not being able to take these opportunities. Because I felt that at some points during the match I had some good occasions, but didn't make it.

Question Do you feel like it's your approach, not doing enough with her serve?
Answer Yeah, but it's not so easy to return her serve. And I'm not happy with my net game. She passed me really well. But I thought I should have done better with that.

Question At what point, when you have just a series of losses which you think you should have won the match, at what point does it start to get to you personally, that you start questioning yourself?
Answer Oh, I don't ask myself that question right now. Right now, I just feel very, you know, very disappointed. But it's just the game, you know. You ask all the players, we all had at some points matches we should have won and we didn't and that's the game, and that's just the way sport is. Otherwise, you know, if everything was written before, we don't need to play. So that's just the way it is.

Question Were you aware that you could take over the No. 1 ranking with a victory here? Did it affect your play?
Answer No. With a victory you mean today?

Question Yeah, today.
Answer No, I didn't know. I knew if I was winning the tournament I would be No. 1. But, no, I don't - how you say? - I don't calculator, you know, I'm not in my room doing the...

Question Doing the math?
Answer No.

Question What is so difficult about her serve? Is it particularly frustrating when you look up and see a 57-mile-her-hour serve you missed or whacked long?
Answer Yeah, you know, you just have to adjust to that. In the same time, sometimes she serve 100, sometimes it's slow, sometimes it's spin, sometimes it's flat. You have to adjust. Everybody's talking about her serve, but she still make the semifinal, maybe more, was the final of the French. So after that, you know, she reacts very quickly after. I think her serve is maybe little weak, but then she's very quick and very aware that she's gonna have to play a nice shot after. And that she did pretty well today, I think.

Question When she started having physical problems, did you change your strategy at all?
Answer No. No, no. I just wanted to be aggressive on the serve. I wanted to make sure I, you know, I was going in. But, again, my net game and going forward wasn't good enough today.

Question Being one of the top players in the world, how frustrating is it that you haven't been able to get over a hump in a Grand Slam, to get to a final or win?
Answer It is something I want to reach; it is something I want to achieve. What can I say? It's just I hope it's gonna happen very soon.

Question Do you put too much pressure on yourself?
Answer I don't think so. Probably at the French is one of the -- probably the reason I am not able of giving 100 percent there. But I don't think so for the rest.

Question You still have a chance to become No. 1 if Lindsay doesn't win the tournament here. Would that take the sting away from this loss?
Answer Maybe, yeah. I mean, it would be great anyway. Just coming out of here or anywhere else, I think when you reach that No. 1 spot, it's great. But I would have loved to do it with, you know, in a good way.

Question You had some crucial errors in the tiebreaker. I'm just wondering how much of a factor were nerves in the tiebreak?
Answer I don't -- I don't know, really, because it's probably too early to say. But I just didn't handle that tiebreaker very well and made too many errors, especially on the return of serve. You know, she played well sometimes as well. But I don't know.

Question When you say it's "too early to say," is that because you're stunned or you need to go back and look at the tape?
Answer No, I need to -- because the disappointment is so big, you know, so I need to calm down a little bit and have a talk with my coach and make sure we see things clearly and, you know, make sure we don't analyze too fast or whatever.

Question How disconcerting was it when she called for the trainer at 5-4?
Answer How concerning?

Question How frustrating or difficult was it for you mentally to sit there?
Answer Well, it's difficult, you know, to hang in there. It's a crucial moment. It's very tough to stay focused. But that I was able to do, to keep my serve at 5-4 and keep going with the match. So it's not the reason I lost.

Question Do you feel like you played a good match and she played better than you; that you could have played better?
Answer No, I think, you know, I think I played -- again, I think -- I don't know how to say. But now, I feel I lost the match, you know. That's the -- my thinking now. I don't know.

Question Your coach said he was disappointed because you were in control for a set and a half. Is that how you feel?
Answer Yeah, some occasions I had to really put this match away, and I didn't do it.

Question Early in the third set when you were up, were you thinking with her movement -- well, I don't know if her movement wasn't that good because she was moving pretty good, but did you think once you had her down in the third set, it would be easier to close?
Answer No, no, I didn't expect to win because of that, no. I wanted to -- didn't go through my mind.