NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 27, 2004

Nadia Petrova

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Nadia, please.

NADIA PETROVA: I played very consistent from the beginning, and I just make a go for myself, just go for every point, every game. So I was really eager to win every point, I would say. So I was really happy in the end with the result, 6-2, 6-2. It was a bit of a difficult weather conditions, so I wanted to stay as less as possible on the court.

NADIA PETROVA: It did not affect me at all. I think it just maybe even did help me, because I used my serve more. And it worked very well, especially the first one. I won a lot of important points on my serve. The wind was taking off my spin shot, so it was making it more difficult for her.

NADIA PETROVA: That's a good question, because last tournament was difficult week for me because I had six-week break after Australian Open because of the flu back at home. And it was hard to start playing matches because my head was totally not focused on my game, on the points, you know. I was just giving away a lot of opportunities, and I lost the third round. Then I've done a lot of practicing the last couple of weeks, and I was really hungry to go and play, to get as many matches as possible under my belt.

NADIA PETROVA: Yes.

NADIA PETROVA: Right, right, yeah.

NADIA PETROVA: Yeah, I remember. It was 3-2, love-30, I think, on my serve, yeah. As I say, I focused more on my serve. Serve did help me to get out of the difficult situations. There were a few more games when I was down in the beginning and then made my way back.

NADIA PETROVA: I don't know who I'm playing next match (smiling).

NADIA PETROVA: Oh, I'm looking forward. I'm looking forward. Unfortunately, the hard court, I missed most of the hard court season. So clay court is coming, and I'm looking forward for it because I can't wait to play the French Open.

NADIA PETROVA: It's hard to say. I must say it started not a while ago, because before it used to be CCP, and it was kind of -- the door were closed for everyone, only like athletic federation that could take the athletes to some Olympic Games or to some big competitions. For other people, the doors were closed. At that stage, you know, sport was just kind of hoping or amateur kind of sport, you know. Then when -- after all this Perestroika, everything happened. Everybody could do whatever they wanted. They could go anywhere they wanted. From that moment, I think people realized that now they can make money out of sport. So they start practicing, you know - not like having fun but thinking that it's their job, doing a sport like a job, because you can make living out of it. And I think first one was Anna. And after her, there were more and more coming up. I think we all very well physically built. We all strong. And we do well now.

NADIA PETROVA: I'm just looking to go to the clay season, yeah. I'm not expecting anything from here, from the first tournaments. But further I get, better for me.

NADIA PETROVA: Actually, both of them. Serve is good to build up the point, you get the free point. And forehand is just some extra in the rally.