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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2008

Shahar Peer

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Cruised through the first se 6-0. She broke you to go 5-5 in the second. The crowd erupted. Must have been tough to get back your focus.
SHAHAR PEER: Yeah, but I think the crowd was -- some of them were for me. It was a very good atmosphere. I think I was playing very, very, very good the first set. I mean, I had almost no unforced almost.
I had a break point in the second set, first game, and if I would take it it was different. But she was playing much, much better, like she was not -- too many winners, but it just was my mistakes.
She played very deep, and a lot of balls caught the lines and she was playing better and better. But I'm happy I won this match, because I didn't know who I'm going to play against. I never saw her, and she's a young player which is coming up, so it was a different match for me today.

Q. Next up you've got Dementieva. You've played each other three times. She's 2-1 against you. What were your thoughts going into the match?
SHAHAR PEER: I don't know. She's a good player. I practiced with her actually a few days ago. I will just have to play better than -- maybe the same as the first set but better than the second set today, and better than the first match I was playing this tournament.
Of course, to play, to step up my game, but it will be a tough one. She's a good player, and I'm looking forward for this match.

Q. Has her game changed slightly since she's changed her serve, Elena's? She's changed her serve. She throws the ball over her head more and it's more of a kicking serve.
SHAHAR PEER: Last time I played her it was long time ago, so it's hard for me to answer this question. I didn't play a match against her since, I don't know, a year, more than a year. I don't remember even when was the last time.

Q. What changed between Monday and today?
SHAHAR PEER: You know, I was working pretty hard the last few months, and just Monday I didn't play good. Today the first set I was playing very good, very aggressive, very consistent, and it's just the matter of how I came to the match. I hope I will play even better in the next two days.

Q. Do you think a loud Australian crowd actually makes you play better, when they're supporting the Australian as opposed to the Israeli? Do you think if your back gets against the wall you fight harder?
SHAHAR PEER: I am always a player who is fighting. Like I say, I think the Israeli crowd was unbelievable. I don't think they were less noisy than the Australian ones. They were even more noisy. I really like to play in front of them.

Q. You seemed annoyed a couple times when she hit the ball back at you. What did you say to her in the end?
SHAHAR PEER: In the end I told her she played very good. I said, Good luck in the future, because she's a very good player. She's 17 I think, what I read, and I think she has a good future.

Q. Just a question on Doha. They banned -- it's illegal for Israeli citizens to go there and you're going to have the opportunity.
SHAHAR PEER: Is it illegal?

Q. Yeah. They banned Israeli citizens.
SHAHAR PEER: Ah, citizens. I don't know.

Q. You're going to have the opportunity to do that. I know you said that you're going just to play tennis, but do you think maybe it's something that you would cherish as very few people that have the opportunity are going to do?
SHAHAR PEER: Well, you know, the first time when I was thinking to go, I asked the people who knows about it in Israel. Right away they said it's no problem, because there is many Israelis, I don't know who live there or are going there. Because I didn't know you cannot be a citizen.
Anyway, I'm really comfortable about what I chose, and like I said, I really want to go play tennis. It's a very nice country, and I'll just go there and have fun and do what I need to do.

Q. (Speaking in Hebrew.)
SHAHAR PEER: I think when I come to a Grand Slam I expect to do positive first two rounds, because you don't meet any seeded. But there is other good players who is coming up who will be seeded before, I mean, the next few months or whatever.
Every match you have to come and prepare yourself, but, yeah, I'm happy. I'm in the third round and I will have -- every round is tougher and tougher and I have to play better and better every round.

Q. Is it added pressure being the last Israeli left in the main draw now that Dudi is out?
SHAHAR PEER: Unfortunately, he's out. He was playing good. But it's no pressure because I guess I was doing it the last few Grand Slams.

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