US OPEN

August 29, 2005

Svetlana Kuznetsova

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Svetlana, please.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I mean, of course I'm disappointed to lose that match, you know. But things happen like this. You know, it's happened to many top players, they lose the first round. It happened to me. I try to stay strong and take positive things out of this. I know I was not at my best today. She been playing pretty well. This is what I think happened. It was pretty humid out there and it was tough. It was tough to stay there. This is my point.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No. My back was very good. I'm feeling pretty well, but I don't think -- I mean, couple things disturb me before the tournament, so I couldn't prepare that well. I just didn't play my game.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I mean, now nobody will disturb me about this. Nobody will say me nothing. I just relax and I'll take some time off, I guess. And I just prepare for next events. I'm learn a lesson. I mean, is tough. But, you know, the tough things make you grow stronger and make you learn. I learn with it. Just looking forward to play mores tennis. I know I'll be back on my level, but it just takes some more time.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I don't know. I'll see how it feels. I need to think about things. I will decide during the next weeks.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I mean, I didn't think of it. You know, I had to concentrate on my game, not about where they put me. Maybe if you guys think like this, maybe it should be, you know. It's not my decision, so I just do on the court whenever they put me to play.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, I think you just have to learn, you know, to plan your calendar a better way. It's just year after year after year, you cannot just keep playing like 32 events a year or 25. First of all, it's not only your mind, body, it's your mind cannot hold, then start the problems. Especially too much matches every week. So it's a bit hard. Last year I played lots of tournaments. In the end, that's why I was in great shape and I was doing well. But maybe this year it wasn't the key to play so much and get in better shape. Maybe it was to better to plan the calendar. So many times you have to learn this.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: You know, it's really hard to say something like this. I mean, I wanted it badly. I think I tried a lot. I've tried my best. You know, I've been there. But, you know, it was not my day. Things were not going my way. I was positive, you know. I didn't do anything which is ugly. I just wanted to stay as I am on the court and still try my best, you know, because if I get pissed, if I go wrong way, it's not going to help me at all. I was ready, but I wasn't at my best.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I'm pretty familiar after playing last year US Open, Bali, Beijing, playing indoors. I pretty familiar with that. I know how you feel when you just don't have any gas and you can't go any more. But now I think it's something different, and I have to find out what's that. It just takes a while to learn it. It takes a while to play with pressure, to learn how to play with pressure, you know. Just on the same things where they're coming to you, just stay the same and play the same. It just takes time to learn.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: The pressure, yeah. But the pressure, usually you put it by yourself. Because you think too much what people say; you think too much about the press, what they say. But I was just think, I go there, I just do my best. Happen, not happen. You just cannot do anything more. I've been there, I tried my best, it wasn't my day. What do I do? Kill myself? No, I don't. Just take positive things out of this and maybe I'll try to learn. That's it.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Like my level, my game?

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think like very good game in Roland Garros when I played Justine. But I still didn't use all my chances. Just pretty normal stuff. I just need to prepare this time better to play my good tennis again because this year it didn't happen.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think I get more pressure than attention, you know, because every time they asking like -- it start almost like, I won last year, then from this year, January, "What do you think about defending your title?" When you hear it all the year, it's like I know I have to defend, but it's better to defend than never have to win it, you know. I already won it, so I'm happy with that. I will have so many chances, you know, just to play this game again and just will play -- hope to play many more US Opens and have chances to win it again.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No. Just happen. Just happen. I wasn't at my best. I was not till -- till this day was not good year for me, so good as last year. I just take things how I take it.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I didn't expect it last year either. I mean, I'm just playing. When you have good chance, you do your best. When chance not happens, you just try, and see what happens. If you never try, you never do it. Sometimes you feel horrible and you winning a title, and sometimes you feel good and you not winning anything. So it's tennis, it's life.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I think now it's got a little bit less. I feel it less. I don't know when it's about other girls. Last year it was much higher for me, I know. It's really important. It's really been pushing us up, you know. Now I think everybody's a bit tired is my opinion.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: If I would know, I wouldn't do this, right (smiling)? I mean, if I know what's the problem, I would say, "Okay, I have to change it." But sometimes it's just not going your way, things doesn't happen. It's not that easy because I guess I just been a bit tired last year after everything. I mean, it's been tough year. I flew all over the world. After US Open, I went Bali, Beijing. After, I just been burn out in indoors. It takes your body to recover. After, when you start to play again, it's hard to find your rhythm. This is what happened to me, I guess. I mean, this is so many different points. I mean, I just want to have some time off and just start it again. I really believe I'm going to do well again.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I mean, this wasn't big match for me, I don't think so. I take big match against Justine, I lost with two match points. I lost to Myskina also two years ago. I really think I'm player professional when I stand up and play again. I don't let myself to go so much down. Of course, any time you have ups and downs, you know. Now I'm a bit down, so I think is going to be some up in there.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: You know, I mean, to remember memories, it's not enough to win the game. I don't know if I explain myself well. If you just -- I don't know, it's nice to win, it's nice to be here. Every year I will enjoy it because I know I won this thing. I mean, it's just one dream which came true, and I know that many people, they dream, and they cannot get it. I'm happy to be here and to try it again once more and once more. I cannot win every time. Nobody can do this. You can't expect this.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: You know what, I would still go and play tennis because I love this game, just without everything, you know. I hit to have fun, I hit to keep in shape, just practice well, to don't have pressure for a while from the tournaments, just get myself out of it. And next when I come, I want to feel fresh again. I want to look for a fight, you know, to come back again.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Not really. I spoke to the captain last year, the end of last year and start of this year. I was not planning to play. I cannot put myself to do the best for my country.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah. But, I mean, I would love to, but I'm not in the best shape to do it. I cannot play -- I learn a lesson last year. I played lots of tournaments. I've done the best for my team, I guess. I went to Argentina after Wimbledon, which was not easy. I went to -- the end of the year as soon as I had to play Fed Cup. I couldn't do so well. I didn't do that much in the final. I just want to play at my best for my team, and now I cannot do this. All injuries and stuff, I just want to have some time off, I guess. I don't know, I'll think about it.