WIMBLEDON
Date: 2007-07-05

WIMBLEDON

July 5, 2007

Svetlana Kuznetsova
LONDON, ENGLAND
The Moderator Questions.

Question What happened to the cornrows?
Svetlana Kuznetsova My head was very tired and was asking me to take them out, so...
It was two weeks and a half. I first was only going to keep it for one week. I like it. I keep it for two weeks and a half. Now I like it even more.

Question Do you call it cornrows in Russia?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah, more or less.

Question Did Serena help you with it?
Svetlana Kuznetsova No. Serena was home resting.

Question Have you ever been hit by an ace before?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Not really.

Question How good is she on grass? Is she better on grass than other surfaces?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I don't know. I mean, now I think she's in top of her form in last two, three years. I never played her like in really good form when she was winning a lot.
So she just played very well. I think she just played better than me today and I had to play very well to beat her. I still played good.
I didn't play bad, terrible or something. I still had to use all my chances to beat her. She was just playing well.

Question Is it different to play her here than playing anywhere else?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Well, of course, everybody has different styles. Of course, is different. She served very well today. Yeah, her game hurts a lot on grass.

Question Is there still the intimidation factor with the Williams sisters? Is that factor back again?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I don't know. I don't have any intimidation from them. I respect who they are, what they made, what they achieved in the tennis.
I think they're good people, that's it. I don't know about intimidation.

Question How is the stopping and starting affecting your game?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I think I'm pretty cool with it. This year I don't have any problems like that. I had also very tough week in Berlin this year. It was rain. We had to wait a lot of time in club.
It's hard, you know. Waiting is boring. But it's all right. Of course, it's not the same thing if you just wait all the time there -- sorry, if you go and play, but it's all right.

Question Are you prepared to play on Monday if you need to?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I don't have another choice. I'm here with my partner. I mean, what can I do?

Question It's not driving you crazy, this kind of weather?
Svetlana Kuznetsova It's for me important Wimbledon. The weather, I cannot change it. If I have to stay, no problem. One more day for a Grand Slam, it's not a big deal.

Question Venus seemed to be saying your cornrows might be painful for you. Was it hurting you?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Little bit. If you're not used to it it's getting dirty faster. You cannot really wash it good because otherwise your hair go outside.
No, it's been hurting me a little bit, but it's okay.

Question Next week is the marriage of Kim Clijsters. You are a good friend. Did you receive any invitation? If not, do you still have some contact with her?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I see her a lot on messenger, thing on Internet. I see she's connected sometimes. Yeah, I didn't receive any invitation. I was not that close, you know, to her so she invite me.
What date is that?

Question Next Saturday.
Svetlana Kuznetsova I'll just call her and will congratulate her. Probably she'll be busy. I'll probably text her SMS.

Question Who cut your hair?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I didn't cut it. I didn't cut my hair for a while. Looks shorter.

Question Do you think Venus will win the tournament?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I think she has very good chances. I think she has very good chances.

Question More than Justine Henin?
Svetlana Kuznetsova It's hard. I didn't play Justine. But she plays also unbelievably well. That's why I say chances for me, they both going to play final, that's what I think. I think it's going to be very interesting match.
If Venus going to keep serving like that, so good, I think she has really good chances.