March 25, 2010
     

S. KUZNETSOVA/S. Peng
    
6 2, 3 6, 6 4
    
An interview with:
    
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA
    
THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

    Q.  I imagine you're not thrilled with how you played today.
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  Well, I'm not thrilled because I was getting mad with myself and I was fighting with myself.  Because like I felt the ball very well and I felt my game, but I was up and down.
    Like if I play it I win; if I don't, it's a mistake.  So it was kind of on and off.
    But I think it's a little bit normal as I didn't play many matches.  But I know I worked out well and I practiced well.  I can do it, it's fine.
    But she just makes me so frustrated when I'm not making it.  That's it.

    Q.  Is her style difficult with two hands on both sides, topspin off the two handed forehand?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  Actually not.  Actually first set was very easy, and I just get frustrated a little bit.  I stop moving my feet in the second set and just lost one game, and everything's went wrong.
    In tennis, you don't need much.

    Q.  What made the difference at the end, you think?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  I think I started talk to myself better, you know, not being so negative, not so    I didn't make my errors get me down as it did in the second set.

    Q.  What did you say to yourself?  Give us an example.
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  It's hard, you know.  (laughter.)  It's very mean.

    Q.  Very mean?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  No, I'm just kidding.  No, just when you get frustrated you get very mad, and sometimes you don't have to let you get mad.

    Q.  Do you get mad in Russian or English?  Are you angry bilingual?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  Russian.

    Q.  Seems like your forehand has been off lately.  What's going on there?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  Actually it's good.  But just getting a little bit    I'm frustrated because I'm not making, but I feel it good.

    Q.  Do you think she played well in the second set?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  I think I gave her chance to play well.

    Q.  Right.
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  First set she had nothing to do in the court.  I was just much better the way it should be.
    But in the second set if you let player play and player play and they believe in it, they start fighting and the game becomes equal.

    Q.  Do you feel more pressure after winning the French now that you're putting more pressure on yourself?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  I don't put pressure.  I just get disappointed when I'm not playing good enough.  That's it.

    Q.  Were you hurt at all when you fell?  Seemed like you were walking a little funny.  Did you hurt yourself at all during the match?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  No, no.

    Q.  How do you like your chances here overall?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  For me, I like to take it easy.  You know, for me just to get through one round and next round, and then we'll see, you know.  Not talking too much about chances.

    Q.  I'm doing something on the Chinese women.  They have three in the top 56, Li Na and Zheng.
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  Russia is better; five in top 10.

    Q.  I've done that story for years.
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  Yeah, I believe you.

    Q.  Do you see an improvement from these girls?  Is it a mental strength?  Groundstrokes?  What is it?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  I think working.  Working, really working on the court and just learning.  You know, like Chinese people, they improve so much.
    First they came on tour they had no clue how to talk English.  Then they go on the courts and see coaches, practicing, sit down and writing notes, what you doing.
    They come to every country and they writing notes, and then they come to school together or they hire different coaches from different countries.
    So they learn more about tennis and    yeah.

    Q.  You've faced her twice before.  Is there anything different you see in her game this time around?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  No.

    Q.  Talking about the Russian women, I think there are 13 Russian women in the draw here.  Are there a lot of youngsters coming through, as well, even though it's sort of junior levels?  Tennis in Russia gonna be healthy?
    SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA:  Not really.  I wish it would be more.  I know it's not really many coming up.
    But I'm not sure.  I'm not follow it that much.
    
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