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PACIFIC LIFE OPENMarch 12, 2007Nicole VaidisovaINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA Q. You would seem to have a favorable draw? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I can't complain about it. Every time I play, no matter what kind of draw I have, I usually just take it match by match, you know, and see what happens. Q. What is your history against Bartoli? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I have no idea. I'm very bad in my memory with playing people, but I don't think I played her in the last year. I'm pretty sure I haven't played her in the last year, so... Q. How do you assess your game at this point? How do you think you're hitting? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Pretty good. I feel pretty good. After Australia, I took a couple weeks off, I was practicing and was in Florida, so it was good, you know, just rested, feeling sharp again. So it's good. Q. I saw you play Maria in a World Team tennis match in Newport Beach when you were about 14 years old. Do you remember that? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah, three years ago. Q. You won? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah. Q. I got the feeling you were trying very hard that night. NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I mean, every time I go out there to play, I try very hard, so it doesn't really matter for me who I play. I just really enjoy it. It was my first time playing World Team Tennis. I was so excited because I didn't have a great ranking, I was outside of top 100, so being able to play against those players for three weeks, I had a great time. We had a great -- a lot of fun, so it just was trying to, you know, do my best and so very exciting. Q. Did you take a lot of confidence from winning that set against Maria? She had just won Wimbledon and that was her first appearance after winning Wimbledon. NICOLE VAIDISOVA: For me, it wasn't really such a big deal. It was just, you know, fun. We got another win, so that is what matter most to me. Of course we were happy if we beat the top 10 player, then, you know, but, you know, I didn't even think about it too much after. Q. That was prior to Vancouver, wasn't it? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah. Q. Weren't you playing for the team from Sacramento? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah. Q. The Sacramento Capitols? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah. Q. Did you talk about the match today, Nicole? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Did I what? Q. Did you talk about the match at all? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: No. Q. So just talk about how you played until she got sick. NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I think, you know, once I got the point and the play, I was definitely the one in charge, you know. She served pretty well. First I had a little trouble with that. But otherwise, I think it was -- I was pretty much in control. Q. Could you tell she was getting sick there in the second set? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: No, not really. I didn't really. She didn't ask for anything specific. Just tried to do my own thing, but I didn't really see anything, but you never (indiscernible). Q. How do you gauge your level overall this week? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: So far, you know, I played pretty well. Played some doubles, too. So I'm gonna mix it up a little bit. I just really like playing here. It's only my second time, because last year I skipped. It's a fun tournament, so it always gets you more excited, more happy to play. Q. What do you like about it? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: It's just relaxed. You know, the courts are so close to the hotel and everything is kind of nice here. You don't -- you know, it's not so crazy that everything is transferring in general, everything, all. The players lounge is there, it's pretty mellow. You can go to the pool or go to dinner somewhere nice and just relax. Q. Did you get hurt after Paris? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: This year? Q. Yeah. NICOLE VAIDISOVA: No. Q. So how come the -- why did you take so much time off? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: That was just a schedule I planned already in the summer, because, you know, I played a lot in January, so, you know, I did some other stuff and everything. It was, I think, a lot, and, you know, I just tried to do my schedule the way that I can play the whole year, every tournament, 100 percent, and make sure there's no injuries or anything. Because at this point, I think health is definitely the No. 1 priority, because I, you know, still want to play five, six years. Q. So these periodic breaks are maybe even more important than the bigger off-season, just make sure you're taking your weeks in between the big runs? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I mean, you have to because we have such a long season that you can't play every week, you have to take off. Q. So just talk about your feelings coming off of Australia, and obviously you played great up until the semifinals, but maybe not your best there. So what were you thinking reflecting back on the tournament? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: No, I was -- no, I was very excited because it's always kind of tricky, the first Grand Slam, you know, just getting back, you know, after a month off, pretty much month and a half. So it kind of shows how your off-season went, if it was any good or not. I had some great matches. Serena just plays really good, you know. I've got to give it to her. She had a great round. I had my chances, but I think I left really happy with myself. Of course, I'm a little disappointed, but mostly happy. Q. Were you surprised how good she is, and how impressed are you by how she serves and returns, Serena? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I wasn't surprised how she -- how she did there because she's a great champion. She was one of the people I was watching a lot when I was growing up, so I have tons of respect for her. She's -- she really is a fighter and a true champion, I think. Q. What did it tell you about your own game when you got off the court, about some things you maybe need to do to get to that level? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I think my strategy was definitely off a little bit. I think I should have played differently. I don't think I had too many unforced errors or anything. My serve didn't work out that great that day, but in general, more like strategize a little bit better. Q. So now that you've cracked the top 10, what's the next goal for you? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I don't set myself goals, ranking-wise or anything. I just, you know, try to work hard. I know if I do that, the results will come, and, you know, just try to play my best this year. Q. In her two matches here, Maria Sharapova has now had a total of 97 errors. Does that encourage you that you might have an even better chance of winning this tournament? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I haven't seen one of Maria's matches or anything, so I don't -- I don't think she's even in my part of the draw, so I don't really pay attention much. Q. Have you played Bartoli? Can't remember? THE MODERATOR: That was before you got here. It's in the transcript. She hasn't played her. She didn't remember. NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I'm sure I played her, but I don't remember where. Q. Would you have seen her? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah. Q. So it's going to be a pretty hard-hitting match there, huh? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: She actually plays a little differently. She plays a little differently. I saw her today. It was a good match for her, but I think I go out there, try to do my best, and, you know, hopefully, it will work. Q. Talk about your watch deal. That's pretty big for you, huh? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I'm pretty excited. The ad's going to go running in a couple weeks, the commercial is going to come around in August, and, you know, so definitely excited. It's a little different, and, you know, you see other people, you know, my friend Paula did it, too, so it's fun. Q. Off court, do you have a rivalry with Maria in the advertising business? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I seriously don't really pay attention to what she does. She does her own thing. I do my own thing, and, you know, I don't really worry about it. Q. Did that say to you, Nicole, when you got the watch deal, though, because that's a pretty big company, "Wow, I've really come far in my life. This big company wants me to represent them"? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: It's fun to see, you know, what you do gets you somewhere differently, and you get to do different stuff, you know. You get to do shoes; you get to do the promotions; you know, you get the watches. It's fun to do something different than just hit 500 forehands. Q. Is that a Citizen or not? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah. Q. It is. What kind? Identify -- NICOLE VAIDISOVA: I wouldn't be advertising Fire, would I. Q. Already, huh? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: It wouldn't work out too good. Q. Do you like the watches? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: No, I do. I do. I play matches in this one, and I have some off-court ones, you know, some big, big ones, some with crystals on it. I like them. They definitely have... Q. They give you a whole case of watches when you sign? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: They send me catalogs where I can pick from. So, yeah, I mean, it would be hard to, for years, you know, wear a watch that you hate, but, no, I think the people there are really fun to work with, so it makes it even better. Q. Did you give any presents to your dad, mom? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Of course. My dad, my mom does, my brother, now wants one. Everybody get a watch. Q. Can you explain the question why do you wear a watch during matches? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah, it's more like a fashion accessory. I like the diamonds in it, so I'm a diamonds person. So I like the way it glitters. But, I mean, sometimes you need to know the time, right, so... Q. You mean, if you can't see the clock across the court? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah, if you can't see the clock, you're, okay, 2:30. Q. You got diamonds in that watch? NICOLE VAIDISOVA: Yeah. Q. I'll be darned. THE MODERATOR: Thanks. End of FastScripts |
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