AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2006

Nadia Petrova

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

NADIA PETROVA: Yes, it was.

NADIA PETROVA: I just feel like I simply gave it away. I had all the chances in the first set, 5-4 serving for the set, 6-5 serving for the set, 6-4 in the tiebreaker. You know, it's like it couldn't be a better present that I would just did to Maria. I must say she fought hard for it. She stayed in the game. I mean, there's nothing I can do about it now. I can just go through my mistakes and get my head cleared from all this and just move forward.

NADIA PETROVA: It could be. It could be. There's also good point from the match, I'm quite happy about it, that even that I lost, I stayed much better in the rallies. I had most of the time controls in the rallies. I'm just getting very close next time not to let those opportunities slip away.

NADIA PETROVA: It can be a way of work, as well. I think for me is just matter of facing those kind of players more and more.

NADIA PETROVA: I can't say it's a distractions because, first of all, when she start grunting, it means she's getting tight, she holds the ball. Second of all, the balls are not coming as fast. So that's her way, you know, get out of tension.

NADIA PETROVA: It doesn't bother me. It doesn't bother me at all. If it would, I would definitely go and tell him.

NADIA PETROVA: Not at all. I don't see any problem. Monica did the same. I think no matter how hard you grunt, I think you can still hear the ball coming from the racquet, especially in the arena. The sound is much higher.

NADIA PETROVA: Well, I mean, that's Yuri (smiling). I just tried to ignore him completely. Even didn't look at his side once.

NADIA PETROVA: The wind definitely been very, yeah, difficult. Especially, I mean, I had so many double-faults, I think I even went for my record today with the double-faults. Quite frustrating with that. Same conditions for both of us. Who could better cope with it became a winner.

NADIA PETROVA: It's a pain thing. If the match would go to three sets, I have no idea how I would just hold the racquet.

NADIA PETROVA: It was both. In the beginning it was errors. Then by the end of the match, it was just my blisters. I had to open it up twice, get the fluid out. Then by the end of the match, it just start to bleed. I couldn't really hold the racquet any more.

NADIA PETROVA: I do have couple of people. As soon as I'll be back in home, I'll probably just repack my bags and go further. I have someone in Germany that I like to try out. I even didn't have met him, but I heard good things about him. So I'm just going to try out. I'm in a search for someone.

NADIA PETROVA: Well, I would say, yeah, I still have to work little bit more on my consistency. Then, of course, the mental toughness, as well. With such a powerful groundstroke as I have, I should be using the net much more often than I usually do.