ROGERS CUP

August 17, 2005

Sesil Karatancheva

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: I thought it got away lots. Well, I was up, you know, lots of times, especially in the third set, basically leaded the whole time. And I think the moment that I kind of broke mentally was 4-3 and 40-Love, that game that I missed. But, you know, I am really upset about it, but I guess it's just a matter of saying I learned how to deal with situations like that one.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: I wasn't really thinking anything, but I was feeling a bit shaky. Although I was leading, I was feeling, you know -- I was still thinking that I've lost my serve before that. I was kind of expecting her, you know, to not really get disappointed and lose. But I wasn't really expecting her to come up so strong after being down 40-Love with such a good serve. Then I guess I just kind of put pressure on myself and eventually lost (smiling).

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: Well, not really. She just kept returning everything. She kept running. She kept staying in the match. I was feeling tired. I just felt that, you know, I mean I can't keep up that high pace going for too long. The two times I tried to go for winners, I wasn't -- basically I wasn't in a position to doing that. But I guess I was just hoping that I'm going to come out lucky and the ball is always going to go in. But feet are feet; you have to use them.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: Well, actually, now when I think about it, two friends who were with me out there trying to convince me that I'm still very young and that shouldn't let me down. I mean, being 16, I have so much more time in front of me. But, you know, once you know that you've gotten so close and you still lost it, it kind of makes you more upset instead of losing 1-0. But, I don't know, I just -- maybe I am convinced now that there's a part of experience and an age thing. But still, I don't think that should be an excuse why I lost today.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: No, I would do it again if I could.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: I don't know. I just think that whenever you say something that either is a mistake or not, it's already done. You shouldn't be sorry about it. You can't really turn back time. Being, you know -- saying your sorry really isn't going to change the things or saying, you know, I won't do it again. It's kind of like obviously this is your personality. So just have to go with whatever you think and whatever you feel. I think that's the right thing to do.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: Oh, no. I definitely think that she has a great game. Obviously, she has the right to do -- she has the right to do whatever she feels like. Obviously being a Grand Slam champion gives you that right at a certain point, so... I think you can do whatever you want once you got it.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: If you'd ask me, I would tell you two years ago when I got to Indian Wells. I'll tell you, yeah, I don't know. Right now I think that this is probably -- I feel great. I'm feeling great in my game. But then after matches like that, I realize that there is so much more I have to learn. The hard part is once you lose, you don't really know where to start from. That's why I guess you have family and coaches next to you to point you where you should start. I think I know everything. I feel like the best I could feel. When I lose like that, I kind of wonder what else more could it be out there? But I guess there is.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: He said I played great. He said that I played great, I did really try. But after the first set, she did really pick up the pace. And I did stay with it. But after that 4-3 game, you know, she didn't really -- he basically said what I just said, that she came up good with the serve. After that game, I didn't really got -- I mean, I was trying to keep up myself, you know, It's okay, it's 4-0, you have nothing to lose and the match is not over yet. But it really isn't that simple once you know that you had that three game balls and you could have ended the match that same game that now you're fighting to get the lead.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: You know, a lot of places feel like home right now. But nothing can really change home at a certain point. Bulgaria is always going to be my home. I love America, really. I spend a lot of time here. I was in San Diego last month. I can say that I just felt like I was home. I had so much people around me. I don't know. I guess I'm always going to have two homes. I still haven't decided which ones, though.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: Yes, indeed I did.

SESIL KARATANTCHEVA: Yes. I was supposed to take it in school. But since all the traveling, never really got to go on my lessons or anything. Obviously I like music. Spice Girls just came up with their new CD. I'd listen, as I said, 24/7. Even my father learned their songs. It was kind of funny. But, yeah, it was quite an experience.