US OPEN
Date: 2005-08-28

US OPEN

August 28, 2005

Svetlana Kuznetsova
NEW YORK CITY
The Moderator Questions for Svetlana, please.

Question Good afternoon, Champ. Welcome back to New York. How many times have you been interviewed since you came to New York?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Since when?

Question How many requests for interviews have you had since you arrived here in New York?
Svetlana Kuznetsova This year?

Question Yes.
Svetlana Kuznetsova I was not doing anything, I guess, because I did not know if I had requests. I had one long interview when I came and that's it because I didn't want to do many thing.
The Moderator She's here now.

Question Are you feeling a little bit like the forgotten champion?
Svetlana Kuznetsova No, I just don't let my mind, you know, into it. I just practice. And I feel relaxed. I do my thing. It doesn't bother me.

Question How about the (inaudible)?
Svetlana Kuznetsova It's good. Very good. I'm very happy with it (inaudible). I'm happy.

Question As the defending champion, Svetlana, don't you feel that you deserve to be the player playing in the feature match tomorrow?
Svetlana Kuznetsova It's very hard to say, no. I guess there is lots of good players to play on the center court here, also. And I think this is a tournament director or tournament decide whoever gets more crowd and what's more important for them to play on the center court. I am playing. I think I will play there also, so I don't mind, whatever.

Question How would you assess your career right now?
Svetlana Kuznetsova You know, I think I've been going pretty fast, you know, from back sports to the top sports like through these few years. This year I was not, like, improving so much because I am already in Top 10 and it's much harder, you know, to stay there and to go higher. Last year was a big breakthrough, and this year I couldn't make it so good also. So I am expecting it still to be better.

Question What's been the problem in your game this year? Why haven't you been able to reach the level that you had here last year?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I don't think -- I mean, it's difference. Very hard to say something. Last year was very hard. I travel a lot, I had lots of pressure and stuff. This year it's a bit difficult, but my body still may be not ready to do the same job as it did last year. I'm sure I'm going to get this way again.

Question Is it mental? Is your confidence down? Is it physical that you don't feel --
Svetlana Kuznetsova It's different. It's difficult to say because it's -- I mean, is different things, you know. There is lots of (inaudible) each thing, you know. As I get on top, maybe I can realize what's going on. But I'm just trying to enjoy the way it is now. Of course I want to have better result, but still it's not possible to play on the top of your game all the time.

Question What are your expectations for this tournament?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I mean, I never thought of it, you know. I just want to go out there and play each match, match by match. So let's see how far I can go, what I can do.

Question When you go out to train before a Grand Slam, before a big tournament, days before, do you want a very intense workout or a good workout but not maybe as hard as you would play in a match?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I want to have -- really great to have it intense, but not long so I don't get tired for next match.

Question Some of the top players have decided to not play many tournaments so they can rest a lot, and I noticed you have played 20 tournaments. You have worked very hard this year. Can you talk about the workload that you are carrying, why you play so much, more than some other players?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I think, actually, after last year I think I played less this year. But I just wanted to plan better calendar, you know. I didn't play any Fed Cup matches this year, so it's been a bit easier. But still I played a lot. And this is -- it depends on your body, you know. Everybody chooses, you know. And I didn't play that much matches this year, you know. I feel when I need matches, I play a bit more of tournaments. But there is players who just play a few and they win all of them or they do good results, so this is enough for them. Everybody's different and everybody has different body and practice, you know. But still I have to work lots of things on my game, my calendar also. Next year we'll plan it even better, you know. This year you get to know yourself, you get to know tournaments, you know how to plan it better.

Question Would you like to play less next year?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I would love to if I do better, if I win more matches. So this is depends on the matches because your best shape you get only few matches, practice.

Question Even if you play fewer tournaments, when you go deep into the draw, you wind up playing more matches than everybody else anyway, no?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah, I mean, I play more matches, I win more matches, I play less tournaments; this is pretty clear, yes. So this is what I'm saying, I need to win more matches.

Question You could play 13 tournaments and probably play more matches than somebody who's played 30 tournaments?
Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah.

Question Is the memory of the win here fresh in your mind, or does it seem like a long time ago?
Svetlana Kuznetsova No, to me it seems a bit like, "Wow, it's already been one year," you know. You just realize you do one more round, you know, (inaudible), one more just trip and you have to play the Open again. It's been just pretty quick. And this looks fresh. It looks similar as last year.

Question What was your first feeling or thoughts when you came back to the Tennis Center here?
Svetlana Kuznetsova I just didn't know -- just maybe I was not that satisfied, you know, not that happy with the year. I've been not so satisfied as last year. I've been through, you know. It shouldn't bring me maybe less confidence, but coming here, it just change everything. I just forget all tournaments been before, I forget all what's behind me, and just I remember the memories and want to do good in here, want to just play my best tennis and just don't think what happened before it.

Question I am from India. You've played Sania Mirza a couple of times. Can you tell me what you think of her as a player.
Svetlana Kuznetsova No, I mean, she's great player. She gonna be very good, I think. She has very good forehand. Well, she has to play lots of matches and improve, but she can play good.

Question Do people recognize you around the grounds when you're here? Do they congratulate you on last year? Or can you walk here pretty anonymously?
Svetlana Kuznetsova No, I went to buy shirts the other day and lots of people are gonna ask me, like, "Oh, this is the girl, she won last year." Sometimes they go, "What's your name?" I'm like, "Uh..." and I feel uncomfortable to say something, you know, because I'm like "Kuznetsova." "How?" And you're like, "Okay, whatever. Just forget it."

Question Are you going to enjoy New York City at all other than playing tennis?
Svetlana Kuznetsova It depends. I hope not to because last year I didn't have any chance, you know, and I been on the courts playing matches and enjoying my day here and enjoy my matches, enjoy myself, you know, out there. And this year, I hope not. But if I have chances, I'll go to see something because I haven't been out much.

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