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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 17, 2006

Elena Dementieva

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Elena, please.
Q. Tomorrow are you going to start the final down 0-6, 0-5?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: No, actually I was thinking to have a good warm-up, you know, two hours, two hitting partners so I can start a little bit earlier, so I don't have to embarrass my mom by watching this kind of match (smiling).
Really, that was a very tough one. Last time I beat Justine, you know, I saved one match point. I didn't expect an easy match against Justine. That's really what happened today.
Q. What was the key to the comeback from 2-5 down?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Actually, I don't know. When I was 6-2, 5-2 down, I was like, "Welcome to Miami, I have a flight tomorrow." Really, I didn't expect myself to win this one (laughter). I was having some fun, some lucky shots. I was smiling. My mom, you know, she was angry with me. She said, "Are you playing semifinals or are you having some fun here?"
It's really all about, you know, if you stay positive, no matter what, you can do it.
Q. When you went to a third set, you knew you had her, right?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: When you play against Justine, you never know what's going to happen. After this unbelievable match point that she saved at 5-4, you really think that you have to be focused till the end. You have to play every single ball with her.
No, I didn't expect any easy third set with her.
Q. Your legs seemed to be much stronger than hers at the end. You were running much better. You seemed to tire her out towards the end of the third set.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't know. Yeah, she seemed a little bit tired to me, as well. Maybe she had some problem with her knee, as well. Maybe it's a little bit bother her during the match.
But, yeah, I think the third set, it was very physical. We had such long rallies during the match. You know, it was really about who was feeling a little bit, you know, more fresh I think.
Q. How proud are you of this victory, especially how you did it?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I am proud, you know, of myself (smiling). It was a very tough one, especially before our first Fed Cup round. I really need this kind of experience against Justine. So maybe I can help my team playing against Belgium.
Q. The first match point that you had was a very exciting point. You made a lot of great shots but didn't get the point. I would have thought it would have been tough to keep going after that, to stay positive.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, I was thinking the same. I said to my mom, "That's it." After I lost this point, I said, "That's it, no more."
Then just, you know, I don't know. I think I just learned, you know, how to forget and play next one. It's really important, you know, if you want to be the best one. You need to learn how to forget very quick because it's not about what you just did; it's about what is coming up next and next.
Q. How did you learn to forget?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Just by playing tennis. We have such a great opportunity to play every week. We always have a chance to go and try one more time. This is really how you can learn that it's not about one particular tournament, one particular match, match ball. It's all about, you know, the whole process. You have to be fit and healthy during the year. You're really focusing on the whole year, the whole season.
Q. Every player obviously enjoys themselves on court or else they're not going to play the game. You really show that you enjoy yourself on court. How important is that for you when you're playing?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, sometimes it's really to enjoy yourself when you're losing 6-2, 5-2, you have nothing to do about it, and you just keep smiling, enjoying, having some fun, going for some crazy shots. It's really easy. And I think she was pretty tight because she was trying to finish, to close this match.
But, yeah, I mean, I didn't see any reason, you know, not to be so exciting and happy on the court because I'm playing a semifinals, and, you know, I just feel great. I think it was a great match.
Q. What about Maria now?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think it's going to be tough. I hope I have enough time to recover after the semifinals. But it's going to be interesting for me to play her.
Q. Sometimes your serve ranged from 79 miles an hour to 101. Can you explain the difference? These were first serves. How can one be 79 and one 101? I'm sure there's a reason.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, actually today it was not easy to play. It was kind of windy and cold. I was trying just to put it in, just serve with lots of spin. I didn't go for my first one. I was trying to be safe, you know, and play some safe games because it was a very difficult circumstances to play today.
Q. Do you look at the speed gun or does that get into your head?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I do sometimes, yeah. It's interesting for me (smiling). I don't know.
Q. Do you sense the whole stadium is looking at it, too?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Oh, yeah? When I serve (smiling)?
Q. How tired are you? You've now been on the court in this tournament for more than 10 hours.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: (Laughter).
Q. Is that your answer?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I am tired a little bit.
Q. Do you go with a special feeling tomorrow in the final because also it's a Russian final?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, it's great to realize it's going to be a Russian final tomorrow. I'm very proud to see another Russian final in a big event like this one. It's very exciting.
And to play against Maria, it's going to be very interesting, like I said, because I play her long time ago, and she looks very powerful. She look one of the best player for the moment. It's interesting for me.
Q. Do you think you'll achieve your goal to become No. 1?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I hope so, yes.
Q. Does all the shrieking and howling that Maria does after she hits a ball bother you? How does that affect you?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Oh, not at all. During the match, I just -- I feel I'm very focused. Nothing can really affect my game, no one from the crowd, nothing that comes from the opponent, nothing really.
Q. What do you think makes Maria such a tough player? What do you think she's improved as of late?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think the most amazing thing about her, she looks very experienced player even at the age of 18. She looks like she really got all the experience. She's mentally tough. If you look at her technique, she's not that perfect, especially her forehand, but she's very confident and it works for her.
Yeah, I think she's very tough mentally. That what makes her very strong and not easy to play.
Q. Can you play the same type of strategy against her that you did against Justine, especially if you're tired?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You mean three sets? No, I hope not (laughter).
Q. Will it be a battle of strokes or of wills?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't know. I really don't know.
Q. Amélie will be No. 1 next Monday. What do you think about that?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: You know, I'm very happy for her. I think she really deserve it, especially with a Grand Slam win in Australian Open. I think it's great for the French tennis, it's great for her. I have a lot of respect, you know, to Amélie as a player. I think she's a very good one.
She really deserve this No. 1 position for the moment.
Q. How well do you get on with Maria?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't really know her, really.

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