	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 16, 2004

Anastasia Myskina

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Anastasia.

Q. Were you expecting a little tougher match today?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I think I play really well today. Yeah, definitely I thought it's going to be not maybe three sets, but for sure not 6-2, 6-1. I think I played really well today.

Q. With any one particular phase of your game?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I tried to at least play smart because she hit the ball pretty hard. I know if I'm going to hit hard, it's just the way she wants me to play. So try to mix it up a lot. I took a couple steps back. I think I played really smart.

Q. It seemed like you knew what she was going to do all the time. You played conservative a lot. She'd hit two balls, the third one almost every time was out.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: She doesn't play a lot of rallies. I know she play a lot of cross-courts. I think I read her game pretty good today.

Q. Did you pay any attention to her game the other day when she played Karatancheva?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No. You don't have to watch just the Karatancheva match. She played before. I know that her forehand weaker than other shots.

Q. Your next match is going to be entirely different against Conchita. Have you played her before at all?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, I beat her in Wimbledon last year. For sure that's a match I'm going to stay a step forward because, you know, it's completely different match. I just have to play my game.

Q. How much did it benefit you to have practiced with Maria all those times when you were still working with Lansdorp?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I definitely have a big advantage because I know her better than I think anybody. Just, you know, I know her game better than I think anybody else on the tour right now.

Q. Do you feel her getting a little nervous against you because you're older than her and she likes you, maybe admires you?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I think, yes. Of course, I put pressure because maybe my higher ranking or something. Definitely I think the coaches put pressure on her because they think that she have to beat everybody right now.

Q. Did you hear her dad coaching her during the match? Could you hear him?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Of course. I think everybody can hear him.

Q. I don't speak Russian. It appeared to me he was telling her where to hit her returns, how to approach some of the balls. Did you hear?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, of course I heard what he said. But, I mean, it's completely his -- whatever he do. I think he feel right. But I think he put pressure on her more.

Q. He was really coaching, wasn't he?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, but still, you know, I didn't really pay attention. I just play my game. I was up. I just have to play -- I just continue to play. I didn't really pay attention to it.

Q. But you know that the coaches aren't supposed to be coaching?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah. But, you know, what are you going to do? She was down 6-2, whatever, 5-1. I mean, she was down like 4-1 when he start yelling at her. I think, I mean, he tried to change something, but it didn't help a lot.

Q. If she wasn't your friend and it was another player who you didn't know, might you have gone to the umpire and said, "Can you ask Mr. Sharapova to stop coaching"?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No, I don't think so I would do that. I just play my game. I just know that if I will play my game, coaching not going to help.

Q. We see a lot of coaching in women's tennis, not just in this match, not with just Russian. Would you like to see with Fed Cup there be coaching on court?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No, I don't think so it's not a good idea because my coach not really yell at me, not telling me what to do during the match. Not all the time. Maybe, yeah, when I'm down, but not really. And I think it's not good. When you on the court, you just play, you think what to do. I think that's the best way to play.

Q. I've noticed you're normally the one yelling at your coach.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: That was long time ago. I don't remember that (smiling).

Q. Do you think that her father was yelling too much on her, and do you think that puts too much pressure on her when he's doing that?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I think, I mean, my father used to yell at me, and I just know how to feel because it's lot of pressure. I mean, of course we all want to win. All coaches want us to win. But you don't have to yell at the player. Just puts down more, that for sure.

Q. If you could have one accomplishment for this year, either in terms of a ranking or winning one event, what would that be?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: What I want to do? I want to win everything. But I really, really want to win one of Grand Slam, that's for sure. I mean, that would be awesome if I could win again my hometown tournament, that's for sure.

Q. Which of the Slams would you choose?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: French Open, because I can't win a round there. Lucky win everything all around in one time, it would be better.

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297