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ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2015

Francesca Schiavone

PARIS, FRANCE

F. SCHIAVONE/S. Kuznetsova
6-7, 7-5, 10-8

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you tell me first where do you find so much energy, so much patient, and in particular where did you find the courage to hit this long line backhand on the match point, please?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: What was the key? Today was the key that long line with backhand. I had to, otherwise backhand against backhand she was much better than me. So I had to play over there or in or out, and I play very good long line. Long match, yeah. With Svetlana I think we can play hours and hours and hours because we know each other exactly like I said before to play. Was great for me. I don't know. She is amazing, and every time I play against her I say, Oh, my God, now what can happen? And it's happen a long match again.

Q. I wonder after maybe a couple of years of not-so-good results, do you feel this year you rediscovered the magic at Roland Garros and your game is coming back to how it used to be?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I don't know how much of magic there is and how much work and keep going to believe in something that looks so far away but was so close. It's just good to take it and do it. There is big different, but can be so small. So I'm very, very happy to be here in the third round at Roland Garros. (Smiling.)

Q. You're getting older. Memories are there, and also doubts of course. Can I still do it? Is it the fight inside yourself? How deep is the desire to move on and show that you can still play matches like this?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Si. When you pass tough, tough moment really and you go to the court and you have to fight for five hours, four hours, you say, Okay, I take it. I don't care how many minutes of time I have to stay on the court, I care about what I do. I put the goal that I have to give everything inside the court.

Q. You also showed that age is not a factor, but passion for the game and desire is the most crucial factor.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think for everybody is like this.

Q. What does this win mean to you? What does a performance like today mean?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: That's good question. It's a good question. I didn't think about this. I think is still inside me something. You know, when you fight, you fight for something. You fight, you fight, and then you are reaching the mountain, but you go back and you are again down. Then you fought, you go up. It's tough. You are there and go again. (Motioning down.) So when you arrive there, you think about how is going from there to here. (Motioning down to up.) So you keep going for one meter more. You need just one meter more. When you do the step, here you feel (touching heart) yourself happy and proud and -- yeah, very happy.

Q. When you describe it like this, climbing the mountain, you feel the emotions, the tears in your eyes, this is almost a feeling like winning it. You won this tournament, but performance like this maybe feels the same, that you can still do it?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think every match is a great history for me now. Doesn't matter where I am. Doesn't matter the score. Everything is a present for me now. So I'm living like this. That's all. I'm here, third round, and I keep going in my way.

Q. How deep did you have to dig? You must be exhausted? How deep did you have to go inside to have this last point?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I say the last point, I say to myself, Play my tennis and go to take it.

Q. If you play like this, how long can we enjoy your game? Another couple years?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I don't have any idea. I'm not thinking about this. I hope to recover. I will do the best to recover and to be prepared for the third round.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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