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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 5, 2017

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

G. MUGURUZA/S. Kuznetsova

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It wasn't the result you wanted, but did you get out of Brisbane what you wanted?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, I get couple of matches. I think it's my first tournament in last couple of years where I won two matches in a row in the first week of the year.

I am just missing this determination, you know, in the important moments to, you know, kind of get my momentum in the end of moment. Because I make whole game, like, I was 4-1 up, I had my opportunities. I felt like I was dictating, I felt like I was doing well.

But something was missing, and my goal is to work on that before Australia, hopefully.

Q. GarbiÃ±e is a talented player, but did you see a difference in her from winning the French or...
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: It's very hard to say. You know, I don't think it's only like, like when she won French, she change something. I think the things just go together. That's how you win slams.

Of course, you've got to have something more to win that, but it's not something like she changed suddenly and then she won a slam.

It's just she was in good shape, she was confident, and the draw was good and everything went her way. That's how it happened.

I think she would have many opportunities like that. She plays in high-level game, and it's really hard to compare, because, yeah, I lost to her in Paris that year when she won, but it's impossible to compare in that matches, because it's just different surfaces, different circumstances, different shapes. I play better now. I don't know how she values her game.

Q. When you talk about determination and that little piece at the end, how do you work on that? How do you work on that in a practice, or do you need matches to get that? How do you improve that?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: That's not practice. That's a mental thing, you know.

But I know I have it. Maybe I give a little bit less pressure, I mean, now because it's start of the year, you know. But to keep high level during the year, I should get it in, you know. I should finish my moments when I'm 4-1-up, and I should close that sets.

That's what's important, because tennis-wise, I feel good. Physically, I can do better. I work hard, but I need some time, couple more matches and I think I'll get much better.

Q. Is that where you feel that difference was at 4-1, you didn't capitalize on those moments and she kind of grabbed the momentum?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah, I felt like I was dictating in the start of the match. And in the end, I was not dictating because I was not aggressive enough in the end.

And I didn't serve that well. I was serving quite all right. Yesterday I served better than today.

And, yes, in the middle first set and start of second, I didn't get any first serves in. It's really hard to play on players like GarbiÃ±e, who receives well, with second serves all the time.

I was winning my serve, but still, it was not good enough. I have things to work on, and I still have one more event in Sydney, so I'm looking forward to that.

Q. Doubles in Sydney?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, no. Not at my stage of the career. (Smiling.)

No, I'm just kidding. I enjoy playing doubles, but it's really hard to make both. I don't want to pull out, and sometimes when you have priorities and you keep winning singles, you have got to go for your singles.

And then if I feel I need matches, I'll go for doubles. But my priority is singles, you know.

I will focus on doubles, I would like to be like top two or three doubles in the world. But for sure I cannot do both at the same time.

Q. Is that the same approach for the Australian Open, too, no doubles?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No. No, probably not. Unless, I don't know, Roger Federer asked me to play mixed doubles. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. (Smiling.)

The guy's balls, even heavier. I'm good. I'm happy with my singles, take my time off in between. I'm more than happy.

Q. Maybe he will ask you to do bongo drums with him?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Bongo drums?

Q. Did you see the video?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: That one? Yes, I saw it. I even retweeted it. (Smiling.)

I think I would look horrible on that, so I'd rather stick with my game. I have things to work on, and I really enjoy doing that, so I would love to improve and win more matches against top players.

Q. Why do you think that you won a couple -- you said you hadn't won a match or matches in the first week of the season for a while. Is that confidence from last year, or where did that come from?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I work on myself. Even at 31, you can work on myself. So I try to do that, and I feel mentally much better, but I still feel so much I can improve.

Q. You saw the thing from Auckland, the video with Madison Brengle?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yes. I also retweeted that. It's hilarious.

Q. What's your reaction to that? And if you ever kind of thought like that, like junking somebody or playing not pitch-perfect tennis, maybe sometimes the way to go? I don't know.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I mean, sometimes you do play like you see some players, the better you play, the better they are playing. The worse you play, they start to play worse.

So, I mean, that's interesting, you know, thought of the match from her, you know. I would not do that, for sure, but it's really interesting, I think. It's something different and very funny.

Q. Just looking ahead, obviously, where do you see yourself going? Your aspirations looking forward.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I just want to improve. I go in the match out of the court, and I don't see, like today, the moments I didn't use, I'm happy. But today I didn't use my moments.

This is what I want to improve during this year, using my moments and my opportunities. That's would be enough for me, because I will get a lot of it, I'm sure.

Q. You had the chance to play Destanee Aiava this week. What sort of advice do you think you can offer her? We don't see young women break through in their teenage years anymore, and you were someone that had success at a young age. What advice can you give to her?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Oh, I mean, it's all based -- you have talent. Everybody can have talent. But talent won't bring you up. You still have to do hard work.

She has to keep hard work, I believe, and just keep going. You know, there is not much secret. Just work hard and believe.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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