AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Date: 2005-01-28

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 28, 2005

Alicia MolikSvetlana Kuznetsova
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, MOLIK-KUZNETSOVA/Davenport-Morariu 6-3, 6-4

The Moderator Questions for the doubles champions, please.

Question A lot of people said you were going to win the Australian Open, Alicia.

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah, I'm just glad I could share it with this wonderful girl next to me, Kuzy. She's a big part of it. It's our first tournament together, so what a way to start. It's pretty amazing, the first time we team up we win a Grand Slam. We played really great all week and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the year.

Question Is it some small consolation for you for losing in the singles?

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah, I don't really like to look at it as a consolation. But, you know, it still gives me a huge amount of satisfaction. It's still a Grand Slam title, regardless. You know, I would love to win a singles one one day, obviously. But to win a doubles one is fantastic. I've been in a couple of mixed Grand Slam finals. Haven't been able to manage to win one. So today is, you know, it's a very big moment for me. Yeah, to say that you have won a Grand Slam, it's something that not many people have done. So I'm pretty happy right now.

Question Svetlana, it must be nice for you, you lost three finals last year.

Svetlana Kuznetsova Yeah. Well, and won the year before. So it was real nice. I felt like, you know, I felt like we understand each other on the court so this is the most important thing, and we have fun. You know, sometimes before going out the court, before finals of Grand Slam, I played singles and doubles, I felt like I was gonna win. Not like I relax, but the feeling because we were so confident in our doubles team, I guess. It's not often happens, and you just play first time with somebody and you get to understand so well each other. So it's good.

Question Svetlana, do you get called Kuzy outside of Australia? I think it's a bit of an Australian thing, isn't it?

Svetlana Kuznetsova Australian people started, you know. But I understand for people it's so complicated to say my name. Maybe sometimes Kuzy, it's easier. I don't mind. Whatever people call me.
ALICIA MOLIK: I call her Kuzy (laughter).
Svetlana Kuznetsova I don't mind. Whatever.

Question Alicia, there was a lot of emotion out on the court after the match. Was it something you bore in mind, Corina's situation, going into the match?

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah, I mean, tennis is something that I totally understand. You know, both Svetlana and I obviously think it's amazing that Corina is back out on the court, first of all, to have made a comeback after what she's been through. Tennis is such a difficult sport. So to have gone through something and come out of something on top and, again, be living your dream is something that, you know, not many people get to experience or not many people understand. So, you know, when you're out there, you set a lot of things aside. I mean, it's a credit to her. First of all, you know, to fight back from the illness that she had; and, second of all, to have the desire and the get-up-and-go and the dedication to get herself back to where she was. I think that's a tremendous feat, you know. We often take a lot of things for granted. So the fact that you get to see one of your peers, one of your friends, you know, experience difficulties in their life, it makes you realize how lucky you are. That's why, you know, we try and enjoy ourselves as much as we can. Tennis isn't a do-or-die thing, it's not a do-or-die sport. There's people less fortunate for us. That's why the other day when I did lose against Lindsay, I was obviously disappointed but it's not something I'm going to be dwelling on for too long.

Question Like Lindsay, you showed a commitment to doubles in this tournament even though you would have been pretty tired from some of those singles matches. Is it something you intend to keep doing all year?

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah, absolutely. I felt pretty fresh, even yesterday and both today. Haven't felt tired at all. I've been feeling very good. I've been making sure that I look after my body and I've been coming out feeling very fresh and ready to go each and every match. I treat doubles as seriously as I treat singles. It's great to step out on the court with someone, have a laugh, have a bit of fun. Because we spend so many hours on the court down the other end of the court from our coaches by ourselves. There's no one to joke with, no one to have a laugh with. So it's a lot of fun.

Question Svetlana, would you expect or hope that winning a doubles title like this will perhaps influence the selectors in the Fed Cup? You didn't get in the final last year of the doubles, I think. Would you hope that might change?

Svetlana Kuznetsova Uhm, well, you know, it's I think what Shamil Tarpischev deciding. This was his decision and I think he made the right decision. It's not about me playing doubles or winning doubles. It's always a team. We were not doing well as a team, so that's why they didn't select us. Well, if I would be Aussie or she going to be Russian, it's different thing. But there is a team. It's a team sport. It's different.

Question Alicia, having played Lindsay, can you give some insight into how you see the women's singles final going tomorrow?

ALICIA MOLIK: You know, it can go either way, seriously. I mean, as long as -- you know, Lindsay has had a very full schedule, obviously playing doubles today. So, you know, I'm hoping that she backs up well and feels good tomorrow. They're both aggressive girls. They both play big games. So it's probably going to come down to who hits, you know, the most lines tomorrow. They play such games with fine lines, you know. It's probably going to mean -- the difference will probably only be a point here, a point there. It's a really difficult one to pick. I think it's going to be a fantastic final. They always play great matches.

Question How do you see the year ahead?

ALICIA MOLIK: I'm really looking forward to it. I leave to go away in about a week, week's time. I couldn't have, you know, asked much more of myself this summer. I've, you know, been very dedicated. I feel like I've been very professional. I feel like I've handled things very well. You know, I'm pretty happy with what I've done here in Australia. But I'm really looking forward to getting away and playing and doing what I do, traveling. It's been a while since I've packed a suitcase so, you know, I hope I don't forget anything. But looking forward to the year. I really, really am, especially starting off at the ranking that I am now. It's pretty exciting. Get maybe high seeding in a couple of tournaments, which always helps.

Question Will you play the next few events that are coming up together?

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah, yeah. We always, both Svetlana and I, always our main focus and we train for singles. Where we can, we're going to play doubles. It's impossible to play every week because I think it's -- yeah, it's difficult to ask that of your body week in and week out. You play so many matches. When you have to play doubles late at night, it throws you off for the next day. Singles, for me, it's, you know, priority. But I love doubles equally as much. So I'm hoping if we keep winning like this, then we don't have to play doubles every week. That's the plan.

Question Alicia, how can you sum up this tournament given you win doubles and you made the quarterfinal?

ALICIA MOLIK: Pretty solid.

Question Alicia, you won in Stockholm last year in Sweden. Will you come back and play this year?

ALICIA MOLIK: I think are -- is it a different time on the calendar? I think it is a different time. I'm not sure yet what I'm doing with my schedule, but I had a great time there last year. I mean, it's so far away. It's many months away. So I plan like the next three or four months, and after that I'll review it and plan the next few. But it's definitely very close to the US season, which I really like. So it's going to be difficult.

Question All the Swedes want you to come back.

ALICIA MOLIK: Oh, I'd love to go back, too, if it fits in with my schedule. Traveling does take its toll when you have to travel from Europe to America. As much as I want to play in certain cities, it's important to remember I guess the time changes and effects it has on, you know, your body and adjusting to different time zones.

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