US OPEN

September 6, 2006

Dinara Safina

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. There was a moment or a few where it looked like the last place you wanted to be was on that court. Is it true? Why would I get that sense, that that was the last place in the world you wanted to be?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, maybe like in the second set I was so disappointed, you know. Because when I stepped on the court, I was I could say like the whole tournament I was feeling pretty well like the balls. I was getting more and more confident in myself.
Suddenly, I stepped today on the court and I just was going like for too much, you know. In the first set, for me, like she didn't do much. I think I was doing too many unforced errors. I mean, in the first set I won maybe four points on my serve because I was just rushing, missing everything.
I mean, yeah, was completely, well, not my day today.

Q. You show your frustration in a very similar way as your brother. Did you kind of learn the racquet toss from him? Is that just instinctual?
DINARA SAFINA: Might be instinct, you know. I don't know. It's my behave, you know, my instinct.

Q. Did he ever talk to you about that, like, You shouldn't do that, I do it, but you shouldn't do it?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, you know, if I am doing it too much, before he was telling me like, Listen, this is too much. It's okay if you hit it once, or once in a like in the first set, like if you really get like once in a set, but not every game doing.
But, yeah, he's telling me if I am doing it too much.

Q. Can you tell him the same thing?
DINARA SAFINA: He's too old (smiling).

Q. As frustrated as you are now, do you feel like this was still a good run for you, that you played
DINARA SAFINA: No, of course definitely. Doing the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam, it's always great. I just, I mean, am still very disappointed with my game today, no? It was might be I wanted too much today, you know. It was disappointing because really I felt it so good also warming up today. I felt like my balls are good. Like I'm hitting the balls. Suddenly, you step on the court and it's completely turning not the way you wanted. As hard as I was trying, every changeover I said, Calm down, don't go for too much. First point of the game, I was trying to hit winners with the crazy shots, you know .

Q. Do you think that you can you're only 20 in a couple years, get into the top 5 and win a Grand Slam? Is that very possible?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, you cannot think like in five, ten, six years, you know? I think it's matter of you work, you know. I think every one is dreaming about this. You know, now I'm 30, I'm trying to working maybe to come closer, maybe top 10. Then once you get there, you start, Okay, I want to be there. Then you Top 3. And then you are already there. It's very close. Like top 10 players can beat everyone in the top 10. It's not like Amelie's is unbeatable. Justine is beating her. Davenport. But she's consistent in the Grand Slams.
You know, now, I mean, my step is trying to get closer to top 10. And then when you there, you start to think, Okay, now I have to improve this, this, this to be a little bit higher, you know. That's the way. Once you there, you have to just, I think, go for it.

Q. What are the things that you believe you need to work on right now?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, for me, I mean, I think in my game, I mean, if it's not working, like my baseline. Like today, I was rushing a lot. I think it has to be my serve, that at least I win games with my serve. I still holding my serve.
I was struggling even holding it, you know. I only won the first game on my serve at 6 2, 3 Love. I mean, it's disappointing for me because I cannot say, it's one of my weapons, my serve, but today, was just not working.

Q. Marat is serving at 3 3 in the fifth set.
DINARA SAFINA: (Smiling).

Q. Will you go out there? Will you watch?
DINARA SAFINA: No, I have my doubles, so, I mean, I still have to concentrate. I understand I lost my singles, but now, I mean, I have to go for my doubles.

Q. This summer they had on court coaching. Would that have been helpful today?
DINARA SAFINA: I mean, for me, like I know what I have to do. Of course I speak with my coach and I have my game plan for the match. When it's not working, doesn't matter who sits next to you. Also I understand inside. I understood what I had to do, but I couldn't handle my nerves. They were stronger than me today. They took control over me today.

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