svetlana kuznetsova

[alsl]

Womens' singles 3rd round

Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) [1]
vs.

Dinara Safina (RUS) [7]

Patty Schnyder (SUI) [3]
vs.

Nathalie Dechy (FRA) [8]


Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) [6]
vs.
[glow=red,2,300] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) [4] [/glow]

Catalina Castano (COL)
vs.
Nadia Petrova (RUS) [2]

Post match interview here : www.familycirclecup.com/pages/articles/20060413191327.pdf
~she talks about her relationship with nadia and other russian tennis players and how its like coming from a sporty background

[alsl]

OMG! she lost to Groenefeld!! 6-3 7-6

*sigh*

hate that scoreboard..

[reese]

Svetlana won her semifinals in Warsaw against Chakvetadze 6-1 6-1

[alsl]

next up...KIM

[pau]

uhh Kim, that will be a hard match... good luck to Svetlana!!!

[alsl]

DAY 8 Sveta d. Schiavone

Q. It was a very tough match this morning. Can you describe a little bit how you came through.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah, it was very tough for me because first set, just all day seemed to be like not my day, you know. I felt it. I couldn't make the ball in. It was just all against me in the first set.

Then I just had to play somehow because I wanted to win badly, and I had to hang out (sic) somehow. And I did all possible.

Definitely, I was not playing well, but I guess my heart bring me through. I just was fighting all the points. Whatever I could do, I was trying doing that.

She got tired in the third set, and I was fitter, I think, what surprised me also (smiling). Yeah, in the third set, I remember last two years and it was tough. 5‑4, I still push myself to forget everything, just to start to play every point.

Mentally, I was not playing like every balls from the start, but in the second and third set, I make me through, and I start to play better.

Q. You had a very good beginning of the season. Can you explain in which mind you came to the French Open? What are your goals here?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: My goal is just to play match by match, not to look forward for next matches. I just want to win each of them. The one I've played, the first two I didn't play so well.

I played good clay season, not so bad, but not perfect, you know. But I had enough matches to prepare well myself on clay and I know what I can do on clay. I had to work on my mistakes. Here I'm in the French, I made quarters. I never been to quarters before.

So I'm very excited about that, and I just want to play next match best I can and hopefully I'll play better. But doesn't matter what that day will be, I will just give my best and just be there.

Q. What can you do better?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Don't do so many unforced errors I did today (smiling). Definitely to play my forehand. I have more time to run from backhand and hit forehand. Serve better. Definitely my big weapon is forehand and I have more time to come to the net. Also I can defend. I can run. But my game is inside of the court, moving the opponent.

i really dont know who to support.. sveta or dina..dina or sveta

..someone's been in the gym

[Annie]

Oh Kuzi I got a vew grey hair's after that match LOL ;D ;D ;D But good win girl and good luck!!!!!!

[alsl]

Day 10 d.Dinara 7-6 6-0

Q. At the start you made a lot of unforced errors. What was the problem?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I guess the nerves. I just couldn't move. I was not like ‑‑ it maybe looked like I was not awake. But, you know, when you play quarterfinals, you always awake.

I just felt I wanted it badly, and I just had to breathe between the point and just to let it go somehow and just start play again. It was very tough.

But I already knew in the match against Francesca that I played before, I think it helped me out. And suddenly I just start to play back. Once I notice she does also some easy mistakes, so she also was nervous. I start to play a little bit against Dinara. I started to put the ball back, and suddenly I realize I'm doing all right. I was not that bad. I was 5‑2, 5‑3, 5‑4. Then I was like, oh, I could be still in this set because I was just trying to play ball by ball.

Finally I get 5‑All and I say, Okay, here we start the match. There where I really started to feel myself a little bit in the game.

Q. You're in the semifinal now. Did you expect that when you started this tournament?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I never thought about my result in this tournament. I just wanted to go match by match because I was not doing as good tournaments before as I would love to do. But I was doing all right. I knew I have game to make it and to be here. I had close last two years.

I just wanted to play badly here. I still in the tournament and I want to enjoy match by match. Now I have no pressure. I just play as I can, and hopefully I'll do well.

Q. You will have pressure. You will play Vaidisova.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Why should I have pressure? I'm in semifinals. I have done very well during this tournament. Yes, she's doing also great. But I think there is even chances. I just want to play. I think I'm more clay court player. I'm just going to do my best. If she can beat me, she should play well.

I just going to give me best. There is no pressure out there. I have my pressure all behind already.

Q. Definitely you like clay?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah, I do like clay. But sometimes I need just a little bit more patience.

Q. I suppose you've been asked when you were down 5‑1 what your state of mind was.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: My state? You know what helped me? I said, Okay, I've been there. It's like the same movie. I had the same movie two years ago, two past years I had the same movie. I was losing from match point. I could make it through this year. Today was the same movie as Francesca's match. I was 5‑1 down and I started to play. Today I could make it back to 5‑5. When I was playing 5‑6, 6‑All, I was like, I couldn't believe I still in this set because I was just played disgusting points. Any ball she put me, I just couldn't put it in the court. I looked like junior out there. I mean, I felt ridiculous.

But I stayed in the game. I wanted it badly. And I just kept fighting. I kept doing something with my mind. I didn't want any negative reaction. I just wanted to be there.

Q. What is it for you to be in the semifinals in a Grand Slam after your victory at the US Open?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: There is lots of points for me. First of all, I never been to semifinal in tournament as Roland Garros. I've done quarters in Wimbledon, everywhere, but not Roland Garros, you know.

Then I thought I can play very well on clay, but I never done very well on clay. So it was like surprising me little bit. So now I know I can make it and I'm playing pretty well.

In semis, all chances, everybody's even, because it's already semis. Everybody playing good if they made it to the semifinal. Especially I had a lull last year. I played very well in Miami. I made it a little bit through, but not in Grand Slam yet. So I'm second time in the semifinals, so I'll just do my best out there.

Q. Your game has ups and downs. We saw that with Francesca and today. Is it the way you play or the way you are in life? Is it a more general attitude you have?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, no, not at all. I guess it's just this week because it's very important for me because I just want it so much. Sometimes I cannot control my emotions on the court because I just want it really badly. I just want to be there and enjoy. I'm not thinking about winning or something. I just very disappointed when I lose or I don't like something. Sometimes it's very tough to go through it, you know.

So today I think I was in control of my emotions in the match. I was not so much in Francesca match. But I just made it through, so I'm very happy with it.

[glow=red,2,300]Q. Why didn't you play doubles with Amélie at the French this year?[/glow]

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I'll let you know after the tournament . I just don't want to say nothing before my singles match . But this has nothing to do with Amélie. We're going to play Eastbourne and Wimbledon ;D , so...

..its all good

[Annie]

Kuzi, you are my only RG hope now...GO GIRL!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[alsl]

I wonder if Yeltsin is still there watching Kuzy.I have a feeling that if its a kuzy/justine final,and if she really fights and works hard she might beat justine but we'll see..

[alsl]

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Kuzy beat Vaidisova 5-7 7-6 6-2

1st set:rough start for both but Nicole emerged stronger and broke Kuzy to win the set

2nd set:Kuzy fell apart..at one point I thought it would all be over when Vaidisova was serving for the match but Kuzy pulled through ..SPECTACULARLY!! Tiebreak:Kuzy got many mini-breaks and just closed it up.

3rd set:Vaidisova fell apart badly and at one poing Kuzy was up 4-0 I think..or 3-0..Anyway,Sveta started doing what the commentator said which was to STOP FEEDING VAIDISOVA'S POWER and place her shots rather than focusing on ball speed.An ace closed up the match ;D

KUZY's IN THE FINAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where are those dancing bananas when you need them?
..ouch
..turned out to be a real good winner

[Annie]

SHE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D

I cannot believe she got so lucky and Vaidisova crumbled

DAVAI KUZI!!!!!!!!!!!!! FIGHT FOR IT GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!

[alsl]

Day 12 d. Vaidisova
[glow=red,2,300]Q. Schiavone, Safina, now Vaidisova. How can we get you to play the first set of these matches like you play the last set? [/glow]
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I wonder if I know that, I would be so happy.

I don't know. I mean, I played already better than against Dinara first set so it's little bit better. I was a break up, 5‑4, serving for the set. Then I wanted to win the point too fast and I did some unforced errors. Then I let her go a little bit.

And in the second set, she was just playing unbelievable. I could only defend. I was defending. I had maybe to play inside of the court, but I couldn't get this, I couldn't make myself do that. I just found myself running behind the baseline and putting the balls back. Then 5‑4, I knew either I win this game or I'm gonna be in Barcelona tomorrow (laughter).

So I say myself, I got to put the balls in. Finally, she make few mistakes. She got little bit nervous. I know how it feels because I been there, in her position, so many times and I've done it. And I had a little bit more experience than she has. I was just fighting there.

And third set, I knew much more ‑‑ I think I am better physically than she is. I was just playing every point. Yeah, suddenly she start to do more mistakes and also I been attacking more.

Q. If she was nervous at 5‑4, serving for the match, now we're at 5‑5 in the tiebreak. You give her a dropshot she has time to hit . She drives it out of the court. Suddenly, you're serving for the match. Do you think she was nervous?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah, but this is also experience. Like, if you hit to her all the time, it's so comfortable. The stronger sometimes you hit, the stronger she will answer it. Sometimes you change a little bit something and it's bounce more difficult, then she does mistake. For her to move is little bit tough. She has very long arms and legs and she covers lots of the court.

So once you move her, it's very tough. Maybe bounce a little bit. It takes her time to adjust. Okay, I mean, dropshot was not good (smiling). It was maybe lob‑dropshot, I don't know.

Q. There was a moment where you seemed to try to hit so hard as Vaidisova. Do you think tennis is only hitting? Today, it was two schools, different schools down there in the court, or how do you work with clay and also hitting hard?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Uhm, no, definitely it's not hitting. I can hit the ball, but I'm not gonna win hitting the ball. I can hit with some players, but my game is not hitting. This is important. My game is moving the opponent around and then playing lots of forehands and serving well.

I not gonna go against Maria and play flat. I mean, I gonna lose like 0‑0 or something because she plays flat and it's her game. Against each opponent, you have to find new game. And depends on player you play, I can adjust myself, you know. I think this is works with me pretty well. This is my advantage against other players because other ones, they can do either they hit or either they don't. I think I can do both little bit. Of course, it depends on how my day, how I feel and how I play.

Q. What does it mean to you to be here in the final? Can you believe it, because you've had so many disappointments here over the year?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: You are Belgian, no? You are from Belgium, right (laughing)? I was expecting this question.

Q. You love Belgium, huh, yeah, I think?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Me and Belgium, it's like my home country, you know (laughing). They treat me a little bit opposite.

To be in the final? Which question answer, about Belgium, my question or your one?

I mean, it's amazing, no? Sometimes it comes back to you, not only going other way, because I been here two years, fourth round every time, losing matchpoints, Justine, Anastasia, every time. Now it's means a lot to me to be in the final here because I didn't put my hands down. I just been working. I been through low year last year and I been still working hard.

I never was thinking even to stop doing something, to stop working. I just had little bit doubts if it's gonna come the way I want to, if I gonna make it through. But I always been trying, I always been there.

So I think now it's little bit coming back to me. I just want to enjoy it as much as I can. Definitely it's gonna be very hard match, the final. I just have to play, forget all the matches from the past, and just to play from first point to the end. This is only chance I have.

Q. You come to every Grand Slam and every tournament hoping you can win, thinking you could win it. What were your expectations realistically, given your conditioning, the way you've been playing this year for this tournament? Did you come in with a feeling you had a good chance or not?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I never came to Grand Slam thinking I'm gonna win it or if I have chances to win it. I just come there and I play every match. Every match I can, I just do my best. You have to think step by step. Otherwise, if you go in the stairs and you don't go over first and second, you cannot jump to the seventh, you know. Of course, I mean, this is mistake sometimes.

I made myself just to play every match. I knew I can. This is, yeah, I had this feeling that I can play well on clay and I was so close last year. This feeling brought me little bit pressure.

But then I wanted just to forget about everything and enjoy game on clay because it's nice. You can run lots of balls. The points are very interesting. I have to wait a little bit. I need to be a bit more patient and, you know, just play.

My feeling was not too great because I didn't win tournaments on clay before Grand Slam. But I've done very well in each of them. I was very consistent this year, and this is brings me lots of confidence.

Yeah, I'm just ‑‑ I played well Miami. This is so far the biggest events this year. Australia Open, Miami and here. I think it's important to do well on big tournaments. If you lose in small one, it's not that disappointed as when in Grand Slam. While I am on the court, I'm thinking, This is only chance I have. This is here. This is for what I work, and I work hard. So I just want to be there, and that's it.

Q. Was there any point today in that match where you were thinking, even though you're not supposed to think this way, Maybe it's over?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I was in the second set, when she was hitting all the lines, I was like, What I got to do here? I don't know.

I mean, I give all credit to her. I said, Look, she plays well. Then I said, Look, I just keep it up. I was 5‑3, 5‑4, and I was thinking, What I have to do now? I was thinking that she has less experience than I do. I've been there. I know the way she felt.

I said, Okay, I just don't do any mistake now. I just put the ball as deeper as I can. I don't take any risk. And she made mistake because she was rushing too much, I guess so. But also I didn't give anything up to her.

Q. Who at the Sanchez‑Casal academy has helped you mentally understand that you can be a winner even in these tight matches? And how much did the win at Key Biscayne mean in terms of your confidence building into this tournament?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah, about mental thing, this year I think I change a lot from last year. I had time to think about everything. And what I changed, it was everybody does the job they have to do. Like I don't go to fitness coach and talk about psychological stuff. I go to my psychologist. And about food, I talk to the food doctor or nutritionist. I just felt very good with my coach. Stephan work with me since last two tournaments of last year, preseason, and all this year.

Yeah, he's the one who helps me the most this year. He's there with me all the time I need. I've been through tough moments, and any time he was wishing to help me, I know I can call him any time in the day or night, you know. He always gonna be there. It's like part of my family and I feel very confident with him.

I know even I'm losing, I'm winning, he gonna be there for me. I have lots of, like, big communication thing with him, you know. I just know that is one person who will understand me and never gonna blame me if I lose easy match or whatever. He will just go back home or think about what I did wrong and we gonna start working again.

Q. And Key Biscayne?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: In Key Biscayne, yeah, it was huge thing for me because maybe I have talk a lot about this in the past, that I didn't believe in myself, that I couldn't make it, that I couldn't beat top players in a row. Since I won Key Biscayne, it's like to me, I know I can do this. But this is little bit different pressure now, because knowing that you can do it, go out there and do your best every day, it's pretty hard.

But now I never doubt in myself. I just go out there and I do my best. Maybe there is not a good day for me and I lose, but I still know I gonna be fighting and try to make it through. So it worked with me on last three matches. I think it's help me a lot.

Q. I just heard Justine won, so she's your next opponent. Are you happy that you get your rematch now?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I would have rematch against both of them, you know (smiling). I mean, it was no doubt about like definitely I am ‑‑ I don't know. Now it's really no pressure. Now it's a final. I know I have to play great game, you know, to beat Justine or whatever. I played with her in Berlin two weeks ago. It was very good match. I done some mistakes. I let her go forward a little bit more in the first set, and second one was very close. But it was very good match. She had to play very well to beat me.

I just want to give a fight. I just want to go out there and do best. Of course I would be unbelievable happy if I will take revenge. But this is a final. This is a match. It's like kind of dream just to be here and play it, you know.

Yeah, I mean, I know it's gonna be tough, very tough opponent. But I have nothing to lose out there. And I guess she's the favorite, no?

Q. You know what you have to change to beat her?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think so (smiling). I'm not gonna talk it to you now, right?

Q. Is that an extra motivation to play a Belgian?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Oh, jeez (smiling). No, I mean, it's not. How it's gonna be extra motivation? It's motivation to play Grand Slam. It's motivation to play Justine. How many Grand Slams did she win? She's just amazing. She plays very well on ‑‑ five, right?

Q. Four.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Hopefully, it won't be five (smiling) . No, just kidding.

I mean, she play ‑‑ I think she's one of the best players who play on clay. She can mix her game. She can play well everywhere. It's motivation just to play, to be there and to play Justine. It has nothing to do with Belgium, you know. Belgium is very good country. Not better than Russia, but, yeah, smaller. <a true patriot >

[alsl]

The Kuze by Peter Bodo

You’ve got to love Russia. Okay, so you don’t have' to love the late Joe Stalin, or the late, bad old Soviet Union, or the present Russian dope-and-prostitution mobs, or even the current president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.

But their tennis players? Can you show me a more diverse, interesting and original crew - at every level, from style-of-play to style-of-hair? In comparison, the Spanish Armada or French Connection are about as diverse and intriguing a bunch as U.S. Congressmen.

So it is with particular pleasure that we announce the resurrection of Svetlana Kuznetsova, former U.S. Open champ - and yet another one-off Russian character. The originality begins with her corporeal being.

If you didn’t know The Kuze was a pro tennis player, you might think she was an understudy to one of those 80 year-old crones in Moscow - the ones who sweep the subway stations with a straw brooms. All she lacks is the babushka.

The word that comes to mind when you contemplate Kuznetsova is “dumpy.” Sure that's cruel, but there’s a larger, important truth being served by putting it that way. This woman is extraordinarily – almost improbably - gifted. Which would you take, talent or beauty?

I don’t know about you, but I can watch Kuznetsova all day. She’s got this really cool, [glow=red,2,300]crab-like thing going[/glow], with her legs serving as the equivalent of claws. They’re formidable and forbidding tools, and they contrast sharply with those slumping shoulders. Her body language is right out of the “woe is me” school.

Just a little while ago, The Kuze beat Amelie Mauresmo to make the finals of the NASDAQ 100. Believe it or not, this is only the second time in her career that she’s gotten as far as the semifinals of a Tier 1 or better tournament – the other occasion being the 2004 U.S. Open, which she won, much to the inconvenience of the U.S. press, an outfit that still doesn’t quite know what to make of this woman.

It wasn’t like Mauresmo was off her fetching power game today, either. Kuznetsova just cracked the ball, on either wing, and had Mauresmo playing off her heels for the entire match. As the top seed and World No. 1 said, in a pretty subtle but astute analysis of what makes The Kuze so tough: “She’s very powerful, I mean, with her legs, with her upper body as well. That’s her weapon, obviously. Hitting very hard on both sides.”

I followed up that question in the presser by pointing out that nobody would look at Kuznetsova and think, Now there’s an athletic specimen. . ., so could Mauresmo please enlighten us on how she comes to be such a good player?

Mauresmo said:


”First of all, I think she has lost some weight since a few months (ago), you can see that she is very powerful. I mean, I don’t know how to explain it. When she’s placed and she’s going to hit the ball, all the power coming from the foot (legs?) is going to the racquet, you can see that everything is standing right there and is very strong. I mean I don’t know how to really explain that. . .”

That’s a pretty good try, in a language not your own, but I got a little more out of Amelie,


”She’s quick. She’s quick. I think she’s pretty quick, yeah. Pretty good footwork and she’s pretty quick. She’s practiced in Spain (Kuznetsova trains at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona), so all the footwork is there.”


So there you have it. This thing about footwork and Spain may be easy to dismiss, but consider this: Kuznetsova isn't especially fast, but she's a player who benefits more than most from being set properly and comfortably for her next shot. Take away that quickness (as opposed to speed) and what have you got?

Yeah, but I know what you're thinking: So where’s The Kuze been for the past 18 months? The answer to that is somewhat complicated, and she got into it in her post-match presser. Here it is, at least partially, in Kuznetsova’s own words:


". . .[when) you're like 19, you win US Open, and you don't win anything and you have so much pressure. I was one day [glow=red,2,300]reading interview of Marat (Safin),[/glow] and he said the same thing. When he won the Open, he was not ready for it. The same did I.

“Like, yeah, I played good. I was Top 12, Top 10, and then suddenly everything comes and you play so good and then you win, and then everybody expects more. You play so many tournaments in a row and you cannot, you just don't have energy. Then suddenly you lose your confidence, and this is where it breaks.

“You cannot go, you cannot lift your head up, and you lose confidence. I start to get injuries and I was not that ready to handle this pressure. I didn't work with any psychologist. I was just on my own. I had many people telling me different opinions. I didn't know where to go. I didn't know who's part I have to take.

“The end of 2005, I just took my time. I just decided, you know, I have to change, I cannot have this match anymore in my head. I just have to go somewhere. I took very important decisions for me outside the court.”

Kuznetsova declined to get more specific about these “important decisions” because they were personal, although she did say later that some of them had to do with her tennis game as well as her personal life.

Everything completely change from night to day more or less. Yeah, it's about everything. It's about training, where I have to train. It's about my private life. It's about things out of the court. It's about things where I have to live, where I have to stay. It's about everything.

“Just, you know, just my thing. I just don't want to go out and tell it to everybody. But, I mean, I had really important decision for myself.”


I didn’t get the impression that she was talking about some kind of conversion experience of some kind her. A lot of it, she said, had to do with why, and for whom, she was playing – an understandable monologue, given that her family are cycling champs of such accomplishment that they’re the contemporary equivalent of Russian royalty.

This would make The Kuze a great candidate for that not-so-exclusive, “I just want to please my daddy (or mommy)” club. And you know how often tackling that bugaboo has led to seminal changes in someone's life.

Whatever fork in the road The Kuze faced and took, it’s great to have her back. I’m hoping to get back to her saga in another post after the final.

[alsl]

Day 14 l. JHH 4-6 4-6

Q. What was your game plan going in, and did you execute it the way you wanted to?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, more or less, I was trying to play the way I wanted to play but I didn't expect that the ball would come so easy. Sometimes I was expecting rallies to be so much different, you know.

I was all the time I had chance to play inside the court and I had so many chance to go forward and play my forehand that I was just overdoing it. I was not ready for, like, sitter, you know.

Yeah, I think I just lose my chances. I had plenty of them during the whole match. Yeah, it was the same picture as usual I have against Justine playing. It looked so much similar to other matches. But I just don't use the chances. If you don't use the chance, you don't win the matches.

Q. Were you surprised about the way she played or what she did in the match?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, I just expecting her ball bit heavier, you know. Today it was not so heavy. But also the court was very slippery today, and the ball was ‑‑ she hit it, it was flat, it will bounce very fast, and if you hit it with a spin, it's bounce very high. I was playing a lot with the spin and I was not serving that well.

Yeah, these points which, I mean ‑‑ I was just thinking the match gonna be different.

Q. You scored ten points in a row at the start of the second set. Obviously, you had the momentum. Immediately, you lost the momentum. What happened at the time?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, I'm saying I didn't use the chances I had. I had so many of them. And she served well some important moments on the lines. But the rest, I was 2‑Love, 30‑Love, and I felt like I'm in control, same as I was in the end of the first set. Then you just miss two balls and then you lose your chance, you know. You let her come back to the match. And if you keep losing, keep missing, you know, you keep letting her back, it's not possible to win. So I think that was the key.

Q. You had a lot of problems with your forehand, it seemed like. Was there something in particular that you felt?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, the forehand is the shot, the best shot I got. It's also the shot I got to build my game on, you know. I wanted to move her around but the balls was so ‑‑ a little bit different coming to me than I expected them to. They were a little bit easier, but also bouncing a little bit higher. I was hitting it and I was not sometimes very well placed to hit that ball, and sometimes I was going for too much so I was just missing.

But I think I kept the right tactics. The thing is I just was missing too much.

Q. Overall, you had a very great tournament. Do you hope to keep that for Wimbledon?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah, definitely. But Wimbledon is grass court. It's completely different story, you know. I got to go and recover and practice, I guess, lots of serve and volleying out there.

Yes, I felt as I been fighting a lot this tournament. I been down so many matches, last three matches, which I won. I made it through. It was a little bit different with Miami, for example, because Miami I was playing different game because my game suits a little bit more to hard court. I was playing better than here. Still, I was playing good, but I didn't feel such good as Miami, but still it was good and I been fighting a lot.

So I keep it in my mind, and I try to improve some shots and do as always less unforced errors. But also I build my game on hitting hard and moving opponent around. Sometimes it happens you do lots of unforced errors.

Q. What has made Justine so successful, do you think, on the clay here at the French Open, three titles in the last four years? Is there one particular thing you would point to as the main reason for that success?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Hmm, I guess her backhand is very good. She gives lot of spin to it. And she plays smart, she mixes up her game. She serves pretty well.

And, of course, I guess it's mentality. It's the thing, self‑belief. She believes a lot to win.

Q. When you get into a match on clay with Justine, is there a feeling that she's not going to give you a point, you'll have to take it from her, you'll have to take some risks with your game?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I thought about it today. I thought that it's going to be very hard. And sometimes it was easier than I expected it to be. So this was surprised me a little bit.

Yeah, I been ‑‑ I saw her behind more, not so much in court, but also I didn't let her go in because I was dictating the point most of the time.