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SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 3, 2008

Elena Dementieva

DOHA, QATAR

THE MODERATOR: Please welcome Elena Dementieva, our world No. 5 from Russia. Elena has won three Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles finals this year. She won Luxembourg just last week. Elena's highlights of 2008 was the Olympic gold medal, beating Dinara Safina in the final. Elena is the only singles player who has been at our Sony Ericsson Championships for the eighth time in a row now.
So English questions only, please.

Q. When you see that you're playing the best tennis of your career right now?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think the best tennis that I've played this season was during the Olympic games I'm, you know, that was the right moment, because that was the biggest goal for me. But I think this has been a very successful season so far. I just hope to play well here. I hope to play my best.
So I'm just very proud for myself to reach another championships, Sony Ericsson Championship. I have this challenge against the best of the best players in the world. This is a great experience for me.

Q. To play in this event eight times is astonishing achievement. How, first of all, what do you feel the reasons for your consistency? And, secondly, for someone who really doesn't get as much attention as some of the other top players, why do you feel that is for someone who has achieved so much?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I don't think about it, actually. I'm just thinking about my game, about what I want to do in the sport of tennis. So I think it's really a big achievement, you know. Every single time I was able to be in the Championship at the end of the year, and I was very consistent with that, so.
The only year I couldn't play was last year, but I was injured half of the year. So, I think it's all about being healthy, and playing very consistent during the season. So it's a very proud moment being in the end of the year against eight of the best players. You know, to have this challenge, to have this competition.

Q. Can I ask you a question in two parts. First of which, do you see the Olympic gold as the equivalent of a Grand Slam title? And secondly, one of your early peeks of the year was in this region to win in Dubai. Do you think it would be appropriate if you did the second half of the so-called desert swing?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, you know, it all started in Dubai for me this year, when I came there for the first time when I won this title beat some good players, Top 10. I think this win gives me a lot of the confidence for the rest of the season.
I really improved my game a lot after this tournament. So for me, coming here, you know, to Doha for the first time, it's a great experience. I'm very excited about it.
But the biggest goal was to play the Olympic games and win the gold medal. There is nothing like it. I cannot compare the Olympic games with a grand slam, because it's a completely different way. The way you represent your country in those events. So for me there is nothing bigger, but that's the way I feel.

Q. We are used to seeing you year after year after year here at the Championship, and last year it was sad to see you just as an alternate. So did it miss something important last year not playing in this tournament? And was it one of your goals to be part of this tournament this year?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, it's always a goal for me, you know, to be in the championship at the end of the year and play here. Well, unfortunately, last year because I was injured I couldn't play lots of tournaments.
It was really difficult for me to get enough points to be, in the Sony Ericsson Championship at the end of the year. But I think being there in Madrid and watch all those matches was a good experience as well. And you know, I'm just very happy that this time I could make it.

Q. Svetlana was saying about how much she misses Russia, and how she sometimes gets home sick, and was going to stay more time there. Do you similarly miss Russia and get home sick? If so, what sort of things do you miss?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, do I miss Russia? I mean, I was born there and I was living all my life there, so Svetlana she has a different story. She moved to Spain when she was young and she was practicing and living there. So for me, Moscow was always a home place for me. And, of course, I miss my hometown. Of course, I miss my family, but I enjoy my life on the tour.
I think I have a great opportunity of traveling and seeing around the world, meeting nice and very interesting people. So I realize how lucky I am by being a professional tennis player, and this is a part of the job, you know. We can't stay in one place longer than two weeks.
But I'm just trying to think about all the positive things, you know. All the excitement that I've gotten from playing tennis, and I really enjoy my life.

Q. Kuznetsova said that it isn't clear No. 1 now in the women's circuit. Do you feel that you have the real chance to be No. 1 next season? And why do you think it was so difficult to Ivanovic and Serena and Sharapova to keep themselves as No. 1 this season?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think it's been quite open for half of the season for a lot of the -- for five of the Top 10 to become number one. But I think at the end of the year no matter what, Jelena Jankovic will be number one. I think she deserves this position.
But I think right now it's very interesting situation, very unique situation in the women's game, because five or six from the Top 10 has still has a chance to become No. 1 maybe in the beginning of the next season. And this is quite interesting for the crowd. It's quite interesting for the players, because the competition is very tight.
I think it's just an extra motivation for all of us to work harder and to get to the biggest goal of every athlete, you know, every tennis player, to become number one.

Q. You've been here eight times and we said that's a great accomplishment. With you your best result -- but your best result was actually the first time in the semifinals. So this tournament hasn't been the best for you. Can you comment about that? Do you come here, do you think more tired than some of the other players? What is your thinking?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, this is true. I'm thinking about it, because the only time I was able to be in the semifinals was in my first time when we were playing in New York at Madison Square Garden.
I mean, for a long time I was trying to take the last spot to get to the Championship, and some of the years I was too tired to play here, so, but it was a time when I was feeling like I'm playing my best, but I couldn't do much.
I think it's a very different event, you know. You play against the best players in the world, and it's a real competition, real challenge for you. So sometimes, you know, you really have to be ready from the beginning from your first match. So, yeah, what can I say? I'm trying to improve my results in the Championship, I'm trying.

Q. How hard of a mental adjustment is that normally when you come into the tournament that you might have a match or two where you can where you can find your form and play your best in a situation like that? You have to prepare from the beginning, but you can also still lose. It's sort of a strange feeling as well?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Right. It's a completely different feeling. There is no wake-up matches. There is no warm-up. If you look at my group, I'm playing against such big champions. I really have to be ready from the first point.
But on the other hand, you know, if you lose a match, you still have a chance. It's a different mentality, because after losing, you know, we usually feel so upset. We just want to go home, and you know, not playing tennis for a day or two.
Here, you have to be mentally very strong, you need to realize you still have a chance, and you have to fight for every match, and every match will be tough, so it's a different mentality.

Q. Do you speak French? Is it possible?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: It depends what you want to ask.

Q. Do you speak French?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I do speak a little bit, yes.

Q. A French question possible?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Possible.
(Question in French).

Q. Your serve is the most talked about part of your game. Where do you feel it's at right now? What are you working on in that regard?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I'm still working. I'm still trying to improve my serve. I feel it's been some improvement made. Especially this year. I feel like it's getting better.
But I realize that, you know, I have to do so much work and I'm still working on it.

Q. Where has it improved?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Where? I have just come to my matches, and we'll see.

End of FastScripts

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