US OPEN

September 9, 2005

Elena Dementieva

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Uhm, you know, I think I was playing pretty good today. Maybe, you know, just some easy mistakes that I made. Yeah, but I feel I was playing pretty good today, especially the first set.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, yeah, I think, you can change the game around by winning unbelievable point or by changing the rhythm. I mean, that's the fair point. But by taking like 12 minutes time-out, I don't think it was a fair play, but she could do it, I mean, by the rules. And she did it. If that's the way, you know -- if that's the only way she can beat me, I mean, it's up to her.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, I've never had such a long break, you know. Nobody -- I mean, I can't remember that anyone could take such a long break before, you know, like 12 minutes. That was really a lot, you know. Yeah, I was trying just to keep warm, you know, just stay focused because, you know, that was pretty long.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I wasn't angry because I know that's the way she play, you know. She use every, you know -- I don't know. If she has 20 seconds, she gonna use 25 seconds between points. I mean, she use all extra time that she has. That's the way she play and, you know, I was ready for this.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, you know, I think it's didn't affect my game. But do I think she had something, I don't think so. But, you know, she could do it by the rules and she did it.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't think that it's a good thing to have such a long break. I mean, three minutes, it's a good -- I mean, it's good enough, if you have an injury, just somebody to come to the court and, you know, just tape you. I think it's -- I mean, it's enough. But I don't think it's fun for the players and, you know, for the crowd just to see her, you know, 12 minutes lying down and do some treatment.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: No, just like I said, that's the way she played. That's the way she wins. I mean, that's kind of player she is. I mean, she's trying to use everything, you know, just to take any advantage of, you know, some little distraction, everything. But I think, you know, she was playing pretty good, pretty solid game today. And, you know, all the thing really didn't affect my game. You know, it was all, you know, all my fault and, you know, I don't think that, you know, she did something, you know, incredible.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: No, I really don't think so, you know. Once again, she did everything by rule, you know. If that's the way she play, it's up to her.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't need it, you know. I'm here to play. When I go on the court, you know, if I have something, I can tape it before my match. When I'm on the court, you know, I'm just enjoying to play. I really want to be just a better player, you know, just to beat someone, just play better, not to, you know, put any distraction or this kind of little things to distract the game of my opponent. I just want to play good, you know. That's what I'm looking for on the court.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, when you have to play against Mary, you have to be ready for this. You know, you have to be patient, you know. She's -- you know, she likes to take all this extra times and, you know, it was okay for me, really.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't know why we're talking about this, really. It's just only one point. Yeah, she was ready to play. Then she said, "I'm sorry." It's not about one point, you know. One point cannot change the whole match. Even that I did this double-fault, it's didn't affect me.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: No, no. I never think about point I just lost, you know. No, it's not -- it's not the way it is. I'm just trying to focus on the next point. I don't remember what I've done before, no.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, I feel like it was a great chance for me to be in the final again. I played her before, you know. I beat her other times. I think it was a real chance for me to be in the final again. I feel disappointing, yeah. But with the whole tournament, I think it was a very good tournament. I was playing very solid here, especially last match against Lindsay, and today as well. So, yeah, I can take it as one of the, you know, best tournament of this year for me.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: (Laughing). No.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I mean, who knows? But I was, you know, pretty -- dominated in the first set, you know, playing very solid. You know, she didn't have any chances. Yeah, but who knows. I can't tell you right now.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: No.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: No, no, no. Maybe I was a little bit, yeah. Maybe I was a little bit angry, you know, in the beginning of the second set, but then, I mean, I know if I want to win this match, I have to be focused, not to think about what she did. That's what I was trying to do, you know.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: No. I mean, what can you say? I mean, it's too late for, you know, this negative thinking and, you know, it was just a game.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, I don't think they gonna change the rules only because of this match. As you remember last year with Serena and Jennifer, you know, such a big mistake from the chair umpire, you know, we still using the same system. We don't have like an electronic system, we don't use it. I mean, everyone can make a mistake, you know. Just I think we're all human being and it doesn't really matter.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I think, you know, I didn't take advantage of the first set, that I was playing so good, you know. I could win the second game of the second set and lead 2-Love and then the thing could be different for me. So I just gave her a chance to play better in the second set, and she took the advantage of this.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, just before the match you just have to be, you know, focus and, you know you have to be patient on the court. You just don't have to be ready, you know, straight after you finish your point. You can, you know, just have little walk, you know, because she is not ready to serve until she is, you know, completely ready. So just, yeah, you know it's going to be a long match and you have to be patient.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I mean, it's not a thing to discuss about. I mean, what can you say? It's not interesting, to talk about the way she play.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Oh, yeah, so it's all about this, you know, treatment on the court (laughing).

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I mean, once again, it didn't affect me, you know. After this break, you know, I was serving. I won this game very easily, you know. I was very close to win the second game on her serve, so that means, you know, that it didn't affect my game. Just some little mistake that I started to do, maybe because she started to play, you know, deep and heavy. I mean, she was playing pretty good today, you know. I think she improved since last time we play, so she has a very solid game for the moment.