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WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2007

Ai Sugiyama

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Ai Sugiyama.

Q. By the end of the match, you complained to the referee?
AI SUGIYAMA: Not to the referee, but the umpire. It was very wet at the end. Last two games were really slippery.
Especially with my game, if it's slippery, it's not really good for me. So I was a bit concerned about the condition.

Q. You asked him to suspend and he didn't want to?
AI SUGIYAMA: Well, right before the match point actually it start to rain quite. So before that it was just a drizzling. But it's still slippery if it's -- on grass, just drizzling is good enough for it get wet. So it was not easy.
But right before the match point it was pretty wet, yeah.

Q. Do you definitely think the match should have been called off?
AI SUGIYAMA: No, it's tough to say like that, you know, right before a match point. Of course, it's not easy to stop right there. But at the same time I didn't want to like give it away because, you know, if it's not easy to run, seems like giving up, so I didn't want it.
I just told them that it's too slippery. But she like touched the grass, it was not so wet for her, so I couldn't say anything.

Q. Do you think if it had been a match point for you and not a former Wimbledon champion at that point, they might have called the match off?
AI SUGIYAMA: I don't know. It's hard to answer. Well, I just thought it was too wet to play, so I just said to her. It's her decision. It's their decision actually. I couldn't really refuse to play. Yeah, not easy, that situation. It's not easy to say anything.

Q. Do you actually feel cheated as well as disappointed, that it ended that way?
AI SUGIYAMA: Timing-wise it's just too tough to say. I wanted to play, of course, nice condition I would say.

Q. Do you think when it comes to deciding whether a match should be called off the score should be irrelevant?
AI SUGIYAMA: If it's raining really hard, then I could say like, you know, stop right away. But who's going to decide? It's not easy to make decision now stop. Well, it's really hard to say.

Q. You must have felt disappointed.
AI SUGIYAMA: Yeah, of course, disappointed. By losing or playing like that condition?

Q. When it should have clearly been stopped.
AI SUGIYAMA: Yeah, yeah, but today's weathercast was like this, so I was expect it. But to be honest, last two games was not perfect condition.

Q. She's a tough opponent. What did you find most challenging today about her play?
AI SUGIYAMA: I think she was serving good, also attacking the receive really good. Her ball was really deep. Sometimes hit the chalk, couple times service, and also the groundstrokes. She was the one who was moving me around.
I wanted to, when I had the chance to come into the net or had a chance to do something with the ball, I really probably hesitate a little bit. Most of the time she was the one who was moving me around, so that's really hard.
The thing is, if I miss one shot, like if I miss the opportunity to go for the shot, then it's almost her turn, she's going to do something. Against the top players, once you got a chance, you have to really take it, take a risk to do something a little bit more extra.

Q. Were you generally pleased with your play?
AI SUGIYAMA: Yeah, especially at the beginning of the set, first and second. Both set I think I start good. But I just couldn't keep up the level or she raise the level, I don't know.
Yeah, at the beginning of the set, I started good, which was a good part. Yeah, I think I need to improve that, keep going a little bit even better level to do better.

Q. Do you think she can win? What attributes do you think she has to win?
AI SUGIYAMA: The whole thing?

Q. Yes.
AI SUGIYAMA: There are so many good players out there. Justine, Amélie Mauresmo. They've been playing really good tennis. Of course, she has chance. I don't know.

End of FastScripts

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