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PILOT PEN TENNIS

August 24, 2006

Elena Dementieva

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Elena.

Q. What were the good things today?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think it was a good match, you know. Svetlana was playing very well today. I felt like I was of moving well, playing well, but the footwork, just the little steps, wasn't there today. I just missed lots of balls in important moments. Just, you know, gave her lots of chances, lots of opportunity to lead with the score. With this kind of player, you really have to play your best every single point because you know she's a fighter, she's a very powerful player.
I feel like I wasn't playing my best today.

Q. Your footwork normally is one of the best parts of your game.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, yeah, it's hard to play without this little adjustment. I had a feeling like I was a little bit far away from the ball. Maybe that's the quality of her speed, you know, that she was trying to play against me.
But, yeah, I feel like I could play a little better.

Q. Did you sense she was getting tired there?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I'm sure she was getting tired there because, you know, it was hot out there. We had some long rallies, you know, lots of dropshots. It was a very good match. Was tough to play for both of us I think.

Q. In the sixth game of the final set, you fought off four breakpoints to hold serve. Were you thinking that this might be kind of a way to get the momentum back on your side?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think, you know, first of all, I lost the third game when I was 40-Love on my serve. It was very difficult to come back because she was serving very well and she was keeping her serve.
I was fighting, I was staying there. But, you know, it was very difficult to come back when you just lost your chances in the beginning of the set. She didn't give me any chances afterwards.

Q. What are you going to be working on over the next few days?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think I just need some rest and recovery and be ready for my first match in New York. I feel like I'm playing good. It's just, you know, need some time to relax I think before the big Slam.

Q. What are your expectations for New York?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, my expectations? Yeah, I'm just hoping to play well, you know, as usually. This is the biggest event of the year. It's going to be tough. But, you know, I like the competition. I'm ready to play.

Q. Is it your favorite of the four Grand Slams?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: My favorite is the French Open, but I like to play in New York as well.

Q. Can you talk about how the Russian women are doing in general. Obviously you two knew each other out there well. Everybody seems to being to well going into the US Open.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, yeah, I mean, if you look at the US Open Series, I mean, in Cincinnati Zvonareva won, then Sharapova in Stanford, me in LA, and Svetlana in the semifinals here. It looks like, yeah, we like to play hard courts, we like to be aggressive. This kind of surface really suits to our game.
We've been very successful in this hard court. I think lots of Russian has a good chance to go to the semis and maybe win the US Open.

Q. How do you feel about your game compared to previous years going into the US Open? You've had good results there.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I usually used to play really well in this series because I like to play on hard court. But it just -- it's very difficult, you know, to know where and how you have to play and what is the best preparation for US Open. For me it's, you know, just a matter of how many matches I'm playing to get my confidence before the Grand Slam. I feel like I'm ready right now.

Q. When you talked yesterday about your confidence being so high after winning the tournament in Los Angeles, how important was that?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I mean, I think it's important, you know, to be confident, maybe a little bit tired but confident before the Grand Slam. It's important to have all those matches under your belt before the Grand Slam.
You know, I'm just -- I just feel, you know, this one really gives me a lot of confidence. I hope to keep it.

Q. The strapping on your thigh, was that precaution?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yes, it is. Just precaution.

End of FastScripts...

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