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US OPENAugust 27, 2003Maria KirilenkoNEW YORK CITY MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You won last year, and now you're in the main draw. What's the difference that you feel between playing the Juniors and playing the main draw? MARIA KIRILENKO: The Juniors, if I start to play, I need 3-1. So I can't to win the match easy, so, in the Juniors. But in WTA, so every point, the players fight every point. So is different, too. Hard. Q. What do you need to improve your play? You have a very good net game, I saw that. Are there other parts? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, I try to go to the net. So what I improve? Q. What would you like to improve, which strokes, which things? MARIA KIRILENKO: I think maybe serve, serve to improve, so... All shots improve (smiling). Q. Are you still limited to how many tournaments you can play? MARIA KIRILENKO: Ten, ten tournaments, plus four tournaments if I get in main draw -- not main draw, quali Grand Slams so... Q. Was this one of the best matches you've ever been involved in? Was this one of the best you've ever played as far as competition? MARIA KIRILENKO: You mean...? Q. Today. MARIA KIRILENKO: Today, my best match? Q. Yes. MARIA KIRILENKO: No, I play good, too. Today, the best match mine, but I had the best match too in India. I play with Widjaja in second round in main draw. I won to here, so I play. Q. At 5-4, you're down 5-4 in the second set, what are you thinking at that point? "Just one point at a time," to get back into the match? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, lead 5-1, start to go to 5-4. I don't think nothing. I'm just serve. It was first set, second set, 5-4. I just serve and it was luck. Q. Obviously, being in shape, stamina is a big part of a match like this. It's 90 degrees outside. Were you tired at all? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, so tired. Q. It was very hot out there, right? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah. In the third set the score was 5-all. I move and I feel so bad, yeah. I don't know how you say it... (Taking a deep breath). Move, it's so hard. Now, I'm so tired (smiling). Q. Did the fans distract you at all, the fans on the court next to you? The doubles match, they were cheering loudly. Did that distract you? MARIA KIRILENKO: I didn't - sorry? Can you try, you mean fans? Q. The match next to you, the court next to you. MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah. Q. There was a lot of cheering and yelling for the doubles match there, a lot of people jumping up and down. Did you notice that? Did it bother you? MARIA KIRILENKO: No, no, no. I didn't hear, my concentration is on my game. I didn't hear the fans. Q. When Barna got back to 5-all in the third set, were you concerned you perhaps lost your opportunity to win the match? MARIA KIRILENKO: So I was very disappoint? Q. You were up 5-2. MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, I lead 5-2. She play very good, so didn't make mistakes so easy. So I played normally. But she played very good. So I disappoint, was disappoint. 5-4 and I have... it is 5-2. It's okay. I thought that I have to fight every point so she can't to play too long very good. So she has nervous, too. So I play just every point. Q. You play Mauresmo next match. MARIA KIRILENKO: Yes. Q. What thoughts do you have about that? What do you think? MARIA KIRILENKO: It will be first time for me, so - how to say - okay, I will play the same every point and we will see what's happen. Q. A lot of the other players are bigger and stronger than you. MARIA KIRILENKO: Yes. Q. Is that intimidating for you when you take the court against them? MARIA KIRILENKO: No. No, no. Why? Just go and play. So I'm just 16 now, so maybe in the future I will stronger. Q. They're not faster than you. They may be taller but the speed is a part of the game, obviously. MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, yeah, but they're taller. Q. Right. That's part of your game. Is it harder to play against a left-handed opponent? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah. In the first set -- so first round I play with Logar, so she play the same, left hand. So it was easy. She play good but... Today, first set was very - how to say - hard, hard to play. So she had the serve and... Q. And spinning? MARIA KIRILENKO: Spinning, yes. Q. Big spinning, big kick? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah. Can't return in first set. It was so many mistakes on my return. In the second set, I try to do better. Q. So lefty, lefty. Now you have to go against the righty. MARIA KIRILENKO: Right. Q. No more lefty for now? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's okay. Q. You seem to like to play at the net, get into the net. A lot of young players don't really do that right away. MARIA KIRILENKO: Yes. Q. Have you always liked to play at the net? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, yeah, I try. I try to make attack. Attack? Q. Yes. MARIA KIRILENKO: Attack and go to the net and make a shot. Sometimes I serve and go to the net. Q. Serve and volley? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, yeah. Q. I read in a Russian newspaper, Kafelnikov, you're one of the players that he helps? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, he helps me. So he help me give me wildcard in the tournaments, so... And I practice before the US Open - no before the US Open - practice in Croatia one month ago, so... And he come to us and we practice. Q. Does he give you any advice? Like during a tournament like this, do you see him? Does he give you any tips? Does he talk to you about opponents or help coach you in any way? MARIA KIRILENKO: No, no, no. I have a coach so he don't ask me what I have to do. Q. What was it like to practice with him when you were in Croatia, to practice with a player who won Grand Slams, was No. 1? Is that intimidating? Is he friendly? MARIA KIRILENKO: I just practice so much so... I don't understand the question. Sorry. Q. The first couple rounds you're on the outer courts. The next round, we're not sure where you're going to play, but I guess with a seed, you might be in one of the big stadiums if you play in the next round. Are you looking forward to that? That's kind of like stepping up, a bigger crowd? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, so many people. Q. More people to cheer for you? MARIA KIRILENKO: Yes. Q. That should be fun, right? MARIA KIRILENKO: Uh-hmm. It's okay (smiling). Q. Why do you think there are so many good young Russians on the women's tour right now? MARIA KIRILENKO: What I think? Q. Yeah. What is it about the training in Russia that has produced so many... MARIA KIRILENKO: So you mean so many Russian players, yeah? Q. Yeah, on tour right now. MARIA KIRILENKO: It's good we have so many Russian players. All the Russian players play very good. So it's good (smiling). Q. When you were growing up, which player or players did you want -- who was your favorite player growing up, when you were younger? MARIA KIRILENKO: My favorite player is Yevgeny Kafelnikov in men's. And women's, Jennifer Capriati. Q. Why? MARIA KIRILENKO: Because I like how she hit so... She hit so quickly, fast, so... And she make attack. I like how she... Q. Do you know her? Are you friends with her? MARIA KIRILENKO: No, no, no. Maybe if I will play good here, maybe after (smiling). End of FastScripts…. |
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