Next up is Justine
watching nastyas match
..havent seen her smile in a while
Q. Can we ask you what the former president said to you after the match today?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, he congratulate me. He said I play really nice and good. Pretty much it. He was really happy.
Q. You reached the final in Istanbul last week, and then you are in the fourth round without losing a set. How do you feel about that? Does that give you a lot of confidence?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, I think today was pretty good match, the best one so far in the clay season for me. I'm really, really happy with my game today.
But my next match, it's going to be really tough. I have to maybe play even better to beat Justine. I'm going to enjoy today, but tomorrow, it's going to be different day.
Q. Has Mr. Yeltsin watched your matches before and congratulated you like that before?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, I think he just arrived yesterday, so it was the second day for me.
Well, when he watched before, I never lose a match so far. So hope he going to stay here (smiling).
Q. Do you think you play the same tennis today as in 2004 when you won the tournament?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, you know, I felt like this because I played really solid today, the whole match ‑ not just one set, not three games. It was two‑set solid match. It was really close, though. It was really good.
Q. Last year when you came back here to defend your title, you had a very difficult time with things that we know about. Do you feel now that you can act like a champion again, whereas last year it was very difficult?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Uhm, you know, the life makes me stronger, for sure. No matter what happen right now in my life, I'm just try to ‑‑ when I walk on the court, I try to forgot and just play my match.
I'm definitely acting not as a loser. I'm getting to ‑‑ you know, it's a long process to act like a champion. But I just try to win match by match and then we will see.
Q. You won the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, and Mr. Yeltsin congratulated you then. Do you talk much? Do you have much of a chat about tennis?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, he's still a pretty busy person. He has a lot of stuff to do at home. Well, when we do something really great in a tennis court, he always invite us for tea or lunch to celebrate together this victory. Yeah, most of the time it's a victory.
Not a lot last year because I was losing a lot. But 2004, we met a lot.
Q. Is it special for you to play against Justine?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, every match is special for me. It's not about Justine really. I think when I'm on the court, especially here, because, you know, I won here, but then I was losing first round every year. So for me, this year it's really interesting because I keep winning so far.
Q. How do you compare your form now with when you won the title?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: This match, I can compare this match, was pretty close because I play really well today. Hope I'm going to play like this after tomorrow and going to show my best tennis.
Q. It's a different kind of tennis when you play Justine than Ivanovic. Do you almost have to play outside yourself and try to find different things in your game? >ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Today?
Q. No, against Justine than today, because she won't give you as much as Ivanovic will. ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, it's true. But still Justine is a normal person who can do mistakes. Of course, not easy ones. She's not going to give you any free points, but she still can miss.
I know that I can win the match if I'm going to play my best. I just need to believe in myself and be strong.
Q. Sounds like you do have some of that inner confidence back, that you can play against a great player in a Grand Slam again and win. ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, if I'm going to feel like I felt today, it's going to be like this.
Q. Will there be an extra edge to the match because she took the title that you held?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: What do you mean?
Q. You held the title, and Justine won it last year. Will it be an extra meaning to the match for you? ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, no, not really. I want to play good this year. Doesn't matter who won which year. This year is a completely different one.
Q. Are you a little sorry it's not the final?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yes. Of course, I want to be in the final. Doesn't matter who I'm going to play.
Q. One last question about Mr. Yeltsin. He was watching Maria's match as well yesterday. ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I saw that.
Q. She doesn't spend a huge amount of time in Russia. Does that surprise you that he watched her?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Why? He loves Russian player, no matter where they live. Svetlana lives in Spain
, but he still like her. Doesn't really matter where you live.
Q. How many matches has he attended that you've won? ANASTASIA MYSKINA: All of them. Well, most of them.
Q. But how many times has he come? Do you remember? Do you remember how many times he's come to a match that you won? Is it more than 10?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Oh, for sure. I don't really count. I just know he bring a lot of luck for Russian players.
Q. Years ago it was quite known in Davis Cup, he didn't bring much good luck to Volkov when he came to the match. Now that he's not a politician, now it's Putin the president, do you think it can change and he can bring good luck? We also remember Clinton, he was a politician, not any more the president. Do you think this is superstitious? ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, you know, for Volkov, most of the time only girls bring the good luck. It's a different story. I know just Boris Yeltsin, he give his heart for tennis, he loves tennis. He just the biggest fan that I ever known in my life to just support tennis. He always with his heart, that's why he's bringing luck.
Q. Is your mother able to join you here this year?ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Not here. Maybe Wimbledon. It's too hard for her.
I feel like giving Yeltsin a big hug..he's so supportive of everyone!! ;D ;D
I know you can do it!! ;D
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