AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2005

Anastasia Myskina

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Anastasia, please.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I think that was really bad match when I play, but then also I gain something positive that I came here, practice, and hopefully I'm ready right now to play here because that's the most important tournament for me.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I'm not going to be sure about that. But definitely I try. I work hard and I try to be hundred percent for Tuesday.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, definitely. I mean, you never know. Now especially right now I think it's more interesting because nobody really know who's going to win. Sisters really, really work hard. They want to win. Maria playing great. Dementieva playing -- Alicia play unbelievable. So I think it's really interesting right now.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I mean, like everybody. Amelie, Lindsay, everybody. That's what I want to say, that it's really interesting right now.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Oh, that would be great. I think that would be really, really interesting if it would be that way. But, you know, it's professional sports. It's really hard to be healthy and not get injured. So that happen sometimes.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, I think I have a pretty good draw. No Russians until quarterfinal, so I think it's great (smiling). Really look forward to playing. Really want to win here.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No, not at the French. I was losing first round for six year. I mean, only win one match there. I was really hoping to win couple matches there, but not the whole tournament. But after this, I get a lot of confidence. And I think the last year was great year for me.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: It's okay. It's great. For me it's no problem at all.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, it was really hard week. Me and my coach was practicing a lot on the court, off the court. I played last week, it was really hard because it was really hot, and I wasn't ready for that conditions at all. So that's why it was a good lesson, and I think I'm going to learn something new for tennis match.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Not really because it's really emotional sport. Sometimes when it's good emotions, people like it. When sometimes it's bad emotions, people doesn't like it. But it's you on the court. Sometimes I think you have to express yourself - not really bad, but sometimes it helps, sometimes it's not. I try to change because I think for me it's really doesn't help on the court to be really emotional.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Oh, everybody really, I mean, upset is not the word. It was really bad thing happen to the whole world. I know lot of girls play exhibitions in Hong Kong, in Asia, something else, to earn some money. We going to do something here, as well, to earn some money to help people. I don't know what it's going to be exactly, but we had the players meeting last night. We were thinking, we were talking about it. Everybody really want to support and help people.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yes. We don't know really exactly what it's going to be, but for sure something to help.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I didn't, I didn't, because I was waiting for Australia. I was thinking to talk to the WTA. Because I didn't play any exhibition, so I didn't do anything.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: You know, when people hurt somewhere, it's always hard to focus on something.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Friends, no. Why? We still good friends. Still respect each other, I think. We all do the same thing. We all do the same job. We fight on the court. But I think off the court you still have to be normal person and be friendly - at least friendly - because the tennis not forever. You still want to have a friend when you finish your tennis career.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Really, nothing. Because it was a hard and huge year last year. I finished in December because I played exhibition in December. And that was really just 20 days of nothing because it was too much already.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: In Estonia.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No, nothing. No running, nothing. I was just really dead.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, nothing. I start practice before Hopman Cup couple days.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Oh, we don't know what Martina do. Maybe she's practicing really hard to come back. I don't know really. It's really interesting that she decide to play there. I think it's a lot of people surprised by that decision. If she's going to be back, I think everybody look forward because it's going to be really, really interesting as well when she's going to come back. But I know tennis improve since she quit. So we will see.