2003 US Open
Date: 2003-08-27
Kirilenko def. Barna 3-6, 7-6, 7-5

Question You won last year, and now you're in the main draw. What's the difference that you feel between playing the Juniors and playing the main draw?
Answer The Juniors, if I start to play, I need 3-1. So I can't to win the match easy, so, in the Juniors. But in WTA, so every point, the players fight every point. So is different, too. Hard.

Question What do you need to improve your play? You have a very good net game, I saw that. Are there other parts?
Answer Yeah, I try to go to the net. So what I improve?

Question What would you like to improve, which strokes, which things?
Answer I think maybe serve, serve to improve, so... All shots improve (smiling).

Question Are you still limited to how many tournaments you can play?
Answer Ten, ten tournaments, plus four tournaments if I get in main draw -- not main draw, quali Grand Slams so...

Question Was this one of the best matches you've ever been involved in? Was this one of the best you've ever played as far as competition?
Answer You mean...?

Question Today.
Answer Today, my best match?

Question Yes.
Answer No, I play good, too. Today, the best match mine, but I had the best match too in India. I play with Widjaja in second round in main draw. I won to here, so I play.

Question At 5-4, you're down 5-4 in the second set, what are you thinking at that point? "Just one point at a time," to get back into the match?
Answer Yeah, lead 5-1, start to go to 5-4. I don't think nothing. I'm just serve. It was first set, second set, 5-4. I just serve and it was luck.

Question Obviously, being in shape, stamina is a big part of a match like this. It's 90 degrees outside. Were you tired at all?
Answer Yeah, so tired.

Question It was very hot out there, right?
Answer Yeah. In the third set the score was 5-all. I move and I feel so bad, yeah. I don't know how you say it... (Taking a deep breath). Move, it's so hard. Now, I'm so tired (smiling).

Question Did the fans distract you at all, the fans on the court next to you? The doubles match, they were cheering loudly. Did that distract you?
Answer I didn't - sorry? Can you try, you mean fans?

Question The match next to you, the court next to you.
Answer Yeah.

Question There was a lot of cheering and yelling for the doubles match there, a lot of people jumping up and down. Did you notice that? Did it bother you?
Answer No, no, no. I didn't hear, my concentration is on my game. I didn't hear the fans.

Question When Barna got back to 5-all in the third set, were you concerned you perhaps lost your opportunity to win the match?
Answer So I was very disappoint?

Question You were up 5-2.
Answer Yeah, I lead 5-2. She play very good, so didn't make mistakes so easy. So I played normally. But she played very good. So I disappoint, was disappoint. 5-4 and I have... it is 5-2. It's okay. I thought that I have to fight every point so she can't to play too long very good. So she has nervous, too. So I play just every point.

Question You play Mauresmo next match.
Answer Yes.

Question What thoughts do you have about that? What do you think?
Answer It will be first time for me, so - how to say - okay, I will play the same every point and we will see what's happen.

Question A lot of the other players are bigger and stronger than you.
Answer Yes.

Question Is that intimidating for you when you take the court against them?
Answer No. No, no. Why? Just go and play. So I'm just 16 now, so maybe in the future I will stronger.

Question They're not faster than you. They may be taller but the speed is a part of the game, obviously.
Answer Yeah, yeah, but they're taller.

Question Right. That's part of your game. Is it harder to play against a left-handed opponent?
Answer Yeah. In the first set -- so first round I play with Logar, so she play the same, left hand. So it was easy. She play good but... Today, first set was very - how to say - hard, hard to play. So she had the serve and...

Question Big spinning, big kick?
Answer Yeah. Can't return in first set. It was so many mistakes on my return. In the second set, I try to do better.

Question So lefty, lefty. Now you have to go against the righty.
Answer Right.

Question No more lefty for now?
Answer Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's okay.

Question You seem to like to play at the net, get into the net. A lot of young players don't really do that right away.
Answer Yes.

Question Have you always liked to play at the net?
Answer Yeah, yeah, I try. I try to make attack. Attack?

Question Yes.
Answer Attack and go to the net and make a shot. Sometimes I serve and go to the net.

Question Serve and volley?
Answer Yeah, yeah.

Question I read in a Russian newspaper, Kafelnikov, you're one of the players that he helps?
Answer Yeah, he helps me. So he help me give me wildcard in the tournaments, so... And I practice before the US Open - no before the US Open - practice in Croatia one month ago, so... And he come to us and we practice.

Question Does he give you any advice? Like during a tournament like this, do you see him? Does he give you any tips? Does he talk to you about opponents or help coach you in any way?
Answer No, no, no. I have a coach so he don't ask me what I have to do.

Question What was it like to practice with him when you were in Croatia, to practice with a player who won Grand Slams, was No. 1? Is that intimidating? Is he friendly?
Answer I just practice so much so... I don't understand the question. Sorry.

Question The first couple rounds you're on the outer courts. The next round, we're not sure where you're going to play, but I guess with a seed, you might be in one of the big stadiums if you play in the next round. Are you looking forward to that? That's kind of like stepping up, a bigger crowd?
Answer Yeah, so many people.

Question More people to cheer for you?
Answer Yes.

Question That should be fun, right?
Answer Uh-hmm. It's okay (smiling).

Question Why do you think there are so many good young Russians on the women's tour right now?
Answer What I think?

Question Yeah. What is it about the training in Russia that has produced so many...
Answer So you mean so many Russian players, yeah?

Question Yeah, on tour right now.
Answer It's good we have so many Russian players. All the Russian players play very good. So it's good (smiling).

Question When you were growing up, which player or players did you want -- who was your favorite player growing up, when you were younger?
Answer My favorite player is Yevgeny Kafelnikov in men's. And women's, Jennifer Capriati.

Question Why?
Answer Because I like how she hit so... She hit so quickly, fast, so... And she make attack. I like how she...

Question Do you know her? Are you friends with her?
Answer No, no, no. Maybe if I will play good here, maybe after (smiling).