WIMBLEDON
Date: 2007-07-03

WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2007

Svetlana Kuznetsova
LONDON, ENGLAND
The Moderator Questions.

Question It was presumably quite important not to let her get a foothold in the match early today.
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah, I started very well. I did break straightaway, so it was lots of confidence for me. I've been serving extremely well so I am very happy with my performance.

Question Was it more comfortable than you expected it to be, given she took Dementieva out yesterday?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah, it was pretty comfortable. She started very well, but I felt like during the match like I put in more and more pressure on her. She was playing worse, worse, worse.
So for me it was better. I was getting more confidence. I was trying to play better. She went a little bit low. Yeah, I expected a very tough match, but I'm happy. Every round my performance grows, so I'm happy about it.

Question You played a couple young players in the last two rounds. Do they play differently than the older players, maybe some intimidation on the court?
Svetlana Kuznetsova This is what I was just trying to say. In second set, you know, normally like people can get back and start to play better, but it didn't happen either with Radwanska, neither with her, with Paszek, because I can see them getting on them because they start losing. They go down on them and they're not playing so good.
But more like girls who have more experience, they still play equally, you know, so they have chances always.

Question How would you assess her game? What's her potential?
Svetlana Kuznetsova The same question I've been asked after I played Radwanska. I think the girls are playing extremely well for their age. She's only 16. For her, fourth round of Wimbledon is a good achievement. She's playing good. Her game on the grass court is dangerous because she has very good backhand, good serve. I mean, there is lots of things she needs to get better, but her age, I mean, she has lots of time to do that.
But you'll see exactly what's going to be like maybe off both of them in like two years.

Question Do you see her at top 10, top 20, top 30?
Svetlana Kuznetsova It's hard to say. I never would pick somebody, you know, because it's very tricky thing to play, you know, with prognosis of players. To say something, I would never just say. But I think she can be very good.

Question Fed Cup, will you be on the team?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I think I'm on the list (smiling).

Question Who else is going to play?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I don't know. I really don't know, because it's pretty tough, because many people have injuries. Nothing is clear yet.

Question Is your game in the sort of shape to take you to your best ever Wimbledon this year?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I mean, now I'm so far to the best I've been here. Twice in quarterfinals, so I don't know. I'm looking forward to next match.
I'm happy with my performance, because I start playing not so good my first match and now I'm playing better than ever I played in this tournament.
Really enjoy the game on grass. Now I start loving it, so it's good.

Question You're going to play Maria or Venus, two players that have won here. Is your game at a point, if you play well, you can seriously challenge them?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah, why not? Of course.

Question I'm asking you. Just talk about your level and the challenge that those two present to you.
Svetlana Kuznetsova No, I mean, they're extremely good players. They've been No. 1s. They both won Wimbledon. They play very good on grass. But I beat Maria maybe a few years ago on grass court.
But still, I would never say no. I would never say I don't have chances. I have lots of chances I think. But I still have to perform well and play good game.

Question You played enough Grand Slams now. When you go into a Grand Slam and you're playing at a good level, how much of the outcome is determined by your mental and how much of it is technical?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I would say 70 is mental, 30 is technical.

Question What's the most interesting remark you've received about your hair since you got here?
Svetlana Kuznetsova In the past?

Question In the last week and a half since you got to Wimbledon, who has made the most interesting remark?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I definitely can say I cannot remember this. But I definitely can say that the most question I've been asked is, "How long did it take?" I hear it more than my name. People just go like, "How long did it take?" I'm like, Okay, I have to put a huge note on my front so everybody knows.
But everybody say it's something different. You got balls to do that. This is what most people say.

Question Venus and Serena say anything?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah, they give me so many - how you say? Not compliments, but they tell me what I have to do to take care of it. Like so many --

Question -- advice?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah, so many advices on what you have to do. They're like, Yeah, you got to keep it for longer.

Question So how long did it take?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Three hours and a half (laughter).

Question If it's 70% mental, what do you do to get yourself mentally in a great space so when you're on the court things don't go away from you?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Just, I mean, for me the most important thing is to take everything out, like really focus on the game, you know. Because if everything, the pressure, other people's opinion, whatever everybody does get into my mind I cannot play well.
So for me it's just important I stay focus on the game and play the ball. If I do so, it can go instead of 70/30 to 60/40 or 50/50. For me it's very important just to focus, play point by point.

Question You served and volleyed a bit in the match. Are you trying to incorporate that more into your grass court play? Is it something you'll try against players like Maria or Venus, or was it you were comfortable with your lead in the match?
Svetlana Kuznetsova No, I always try to do that. I always say I want to come more to the net, but still it takes time. The best thing is to do when you lead in the score for like 5-2 or something.
But definitely I would love to do it in other tournaments, not only in grass court. But, yeah, I did it today and I was very happy with this.

Question Was it a mistake not to play on Sunday?
Svetlana Kuznetsova It's hard. I mean, Wimbledon is tradition. It's all about tradition. We got to keep it somehow. But it's also tough now to play all days in a row. It's okay.

Question Yesterday Serena Williams collapsed on the court with a serious calf injury. Have you ever been in a match where your opponent had a serious injury and you just didn't know how to play against her because psychologically you went out of your game plan?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I saw little bit. I saw when she started to collapse. I don't know how you call it. She fell down. Definitely she was not acting. Definitely it was really terrible pain.
But for me it was so surprising how she could still hang on in the game and won that match. I didn't see anything afterwards.
But, I mean, it was unbelievable that achievement for Serena, but I also realize that for Daniela it was very hard to play. I don't really remember if I played somebody like that. I mean, my memory's not so good about the past matches (smiling).