US OPEN

September 7, 2005

Elena Dementieva

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Uhm, you know, when you play a tiebreakers you don't really have time to think about anything. It's all about your instincts, you're just going for every shot because you know that, you know, one point can, you know, make a big difference. You know, it was a very close match, so even she had a matchpoint, I never give up and I as trying, you know, just go for the winner. And, you know, I did it.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I mean, playing against Lindsay, you know, that's the good shot to try on. Maybe it was a very dangerous moment, but I decided to make it. And, you know, I think it's quite good, you know, to change something in the very, you know, important moment of the game, because that's kind of shot can, you know, just break your opponent.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: The dropshot?

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah. I think playing against Lindsay, that's a good idea to use the dropshot. She play so deep and heavy, sometimes is not easy to make it. So I was just waiting for the shot I can go for it.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: That means a lot to me. You know, she's the No. 1 in the world for the moment. It's just, you know, make me feel that I can compete against such a good players and I can, you know, achieve my goal to be No. 1 one day. This kind of match really gives me a lot of confidence, you know, playing against Lindsay here in New York with the crowd support for her. You know, it wasn't an easy match. I think that I could stay true and, you know, finish that well, you know, it really meant a lot to me.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, my serve not my favorite shot. I wasn't so upset with this. I was just preparing myself, you know, mentally for the tiebreak, so -- and, you know... I was, you know, just concentrate for every single ball I was playing, you know. Even during the match ball, I didn't really realize that it was a matchpoint by her.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I mean, it's quite amazing, you know, because last time I play against Jennifer here it was I think 6-0 or 6-1, first set for me. Same story here tonight. And then I just couldn't finish in two sets. I just started ups and downs all the time. Just amazing, you know, all these tiebreaks in my life, you know, how many I played. Just feel like I like to play tiebreaks.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I think she is a very powerful player. She likes to hit very hard. It seems like she's in a great shape for the moment, you know. It's gonna be tough match. You know, we're both hard hitters, so it's gonna be all about, you know, mental preparation and, you know, just the confidence. Because I think we both ready, you know. Just, you know, we both have a chance to go to the final.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, you know, when you play against Lindsay here, you really have to, you know, serve well, because otherwise she will take advantage and you don't have any chance, you know, to win this long rally against her because she is so good in the baseline. So, you know, I was pretty happy with the way I was serving, especially in the third set. I think she didn't expect me to serve that good. I was serving some T and, you know, she really didn't expect me. So I think that's why maybe, you know, I would win this one 6-1 so easily.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, playing against No. 1, you have the feeling you have nothing to lose. You just feel more relaxed. I think the pressure was on her. But at the same time I wanted to win so badly because, you know, I lost here so many times before. I got some positive result, but still... Just to play against No. 1, it's a big challenge for me.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Uhm, you know, it's very difficult to say because sometimes it's not because she did so many mistakes for nothing. I mean, I was putting a lot of pressure on her and I was playing very well from the beginning. So maybe that's why. I mean, she couldn't find her rhythm, and she started to, you know, do some easy mistakes, and maybe it was because of my game. Yeah, but, I mean, she was playing pretty good in the second and the third, you know, when she started to feel more confidence than in the beginning. Yeah, I don't think she was playing bad. I think she was playing very good today.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: (Smiling).

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Uhm, you know, my second serve, I agree, it's very slow, but I slice it, and it's not easy to go down the line. So I'm like -- I'm serving my second serve, I'm almost ready for the second shot. I'm open in the court a lot and I can go down the line and I can make my point. It's good to have some variety in your serve, you know, just to make your opponent feel nervous sometimes. But this serve, I mean, it's not easy to make it.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Uhm, you know, I think, yeah, I was playing pretty aggressive from the beginning, but that's the way I like to play. And maybe against Lindsay I didn't have so many good, you know, results because I was more defensive. And this time I was trying to, you know, just put a lot of pressure on her and be aggressive all the time. I was staying little bit far, you know, from the court, just to get to the rhythm because she was playing so deep. And, you know, I think I got my rhythm. Yeah, I got my game today.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, that was the plan, to move her a lot. She's very good if she trying to make you run. I was trying to move her, trying to change some rhythm, some dropshots, just to mix it up a lot. Maybe that's the key for the match.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, yeah, I agree. I played her couple times before, but right now she is a completely different player. I mean, she feels so confident. She has such a solid game, you know. She moves much better. I mean, she really improve a lot the last two years. Yeah, I beat her, but I know it's a different player right now, and I really have to play my best to beat her this time. She didn't even drop a set playing here, so I know it's going to be very tough match.