ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY NATIONAL BANK
Date: 2008-08-02

ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY NATIONAL BANK

August 2, 2008

Dinara Safina
MONTREAL, QUEBEC
D. SAFINA/V. Azarenka
6-0, 2-6, 6-3

The Moderator Questions.

Question Can you compare how you felt in this match compared to your last match, the way you handled changes in the game?
Dinara Safina: Compared to which match?

Question The last one you played.
Dinara Safina: In L.A.?

Question No, here.
The Moderator The quarterfinal against Sveta.
Dinara Safina: Yes, that was a little bit better because you knew exactly when you're going to go on the court because the weather conditions were better. And today it rained, so everybody mostly was saying, You're like 90% suspended for tomorrow, so you're already sitting and waiting till 9, because they said at 9 they're going to make a decision. So it's 8, you're just sitting and just waiting, and suddenly they come. Well, actually in half an hour, you might play.
I was warming up indoors. Just changed a little bit. But that's how we go sometimes. So even like this, I'm happy that I could go through.

Question Can you talk about what you expect from her tomorrow? She's knocked off many seeded players. What do you expect tomorrow?
Dinara Safina: Well, she's a very tough opponent. She proved that this week. She beat some very good players. Well, it's another match. I just want to focus on myself, playing my game, being aggressive and let's see who's gonna be stronger tomorrow.

Question Someone was asking her about you being so much taller than her. How does a shorter player affect your game?
Dinara Safina: She has her advantages. I have my advantages. It's just gonna be who's gonna use them better tomorrow.

Question Did your game make Henin retire? Did you scare her into retirement? You played the last game against her before she retired.
Dinara Safina: Oh, Justine. Actually it was kind of surprise for me. But I must say at least I got the chance to beat her because she was always beating me. Some players still never beat her. So to some players she's still unbeaten. At least I beat her. So I can say, I beat Justine. Maybe in the future when I will be like older, I can say I was the one who beat her.

Question What do you think happened to your serve between the first and second set?
Dinara Safina: I think just in general I just let her to dictate, of course, like I said, to be a little bit more defensive. Just everything clicked at the same time. So I was not any more like so aggressive going to the serve. That's all.

Question Did you see yourself in the final after the first set a little bit? Were you looking ahead too far?
Dinara Safina: No. I mean, because still the match is going and I knew that it's gonna be tougher in the second set because she will still find some shots to play better in the second set. Me, I slowed down, let her go into the match. So I complicated even more for myself.
But, well, I still could turn the match in the third set around and I'm really happy with this.

Question Tonight it was your opponent throwing her racquet into the ground. Is there something different about your concentration or focus or is it easier when you're winning?
Dinara Safina: Well, of course it's easy when you see the opponent is complaining about something. It gives you like, Okay, she's not happy with something. But she's kind of person like this. She does this. It's not really it affect her. Some player who never shows emotion, suddenly you see him hitting the racquets, you would say, Oh. But with her, I know she does this. Maybe it just helps her to let her emotions out.
So I don't think that really changed something with her, like to me. I know she will still be on court and she will still fight.

Question Was there something different with you keeping your cool tonight?
Dinara Safina: Well, I try to not show my emotions from my side because I knew that if I will start to show emotions, it's going to be worse for me. So just try to stay as positive and as calm as I could.

Question Are you starting at all in the back of your mind to start thinking about that No. 1 spot?
Dinara Safina: Well, it's still so far away. If I would be like top five, I would have maybe 200 points between them. Still it's like big difference in the points.
Well, at the moment I'm not so much focusing because it's still really far away. If it will get closer, then I might think. But at the moment I just want to concentrate in myself, that I'm staying healthy and playing like this, giving my hundred percent day to day, and let's see how far I can get.

Question Are you a hundred percent healthy right now?
Dinara Safina: I'm healthy.

Question It says you pulled out with a lower back injury earlier in the year. There were 10 players retiring with injuries at this tournament. Do you think next year when the WTA changes the structure and reduces the number of games you play, do you think people will stay healthier? Or is it normal wear and tear because it's late in the season?
Dinara Safina: I think it's gonna be actually -- now that I'm looking at the calendar for the next year, it's going to be really good because there is many times that we can have a break and really practice to get as healthy, take the time for ourselves to get the treatments. Because this year, especially with Olympics, normally after Wimbledon you still have some time to take rest. This year, because Olympics are between two Grand Slams, it just put everything close.
But on the other hand, I am lucky in Wimbledon I lost earlier so I could take the second week rest and then to get practice. But for the next year, maybe I won't like it, depends how it will go. At the moment I'm looking, it looks very good, the schedule.

Question Zvonareva pulled out of the Rogers Cup tournament, injured her wrist. Do you have any news on her? How serious is her injury?
Dinara Safina: I really have no idea.