	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 8, 2008

Elena Dementieva

DOHA, QATAR

V. ZVONAREVA/E. Dementieva
7-6, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Elena.

Q. It seems she was hitting the ball maybe harder than you were?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, actually, I think it was not about how hard she was hitting the ball. I think it was all about me losing the opportunity, you know, to win the first set. You know, 5-2 leading, serving for the set, had a set point after such a big fight in the tiebreak. Such a great chance, you know, to finish the set. Maybe then I could finish in two sets.
But after losing the first set, it was really difficult to come back, stay focused and try to fight, because she started to play with a lot of confidence. Just a tough match.

Q. But you won the second set, so you came back well, and then what happened in the third?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think with Vera, you know, against someone like her who defends very well, who moves very well, you have to put a lot of pressure. You have to hit, you know, as hard as you can. You have to make sure that you stand inside the court and put the pressure all the time, because she is very good, and then she can go very quickly from defense to defense.
So I think it was all about me not playing tactically right, you know, against her today. But all respect to her game. I mean, she's playing really well this week.

Q. It just seems that you were in a good mood, because we saw you smiling on the court?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I didn't want to lose, you know. I mean, for the first time in my career I just feel sad that the season is over.
Usually I feel so tired coming to the Championships. But this time I just wanted to play and play. I just didn't want it to be the last match of the season. So it's very disappointing about it.

Q. On another topic, what do you think of on-court coaching, which we're going to be seeing next year, introduced permanently?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think it's quite entertainment for the crowd. I think it's going to be very helpful for the young players because I think during the match, you know, sometimes to have good advice from your coach or from someone who is with you on the tournament, it's very important.
But, well, myself, I don't think I'm going to call someone on the court. I think we have plenty of time to talk about everything just before the match. I mean, I can keep it in my head. I don't need a reminder.

Q. Do you think the players generally support the idea?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't think many Top 10 players will be using it. But I'm sure a lot of the young generation will, for sure, will ask their coach to come on the court and help them in a difficult moment of the match.

Q. You lost lot of easy balls. Do you think you were not ready mentally for the game against Vera?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I think I was ready, you know. We played couple of times this year, and I had some positive results against her. I think it was a tight match, you know. Semifinals of the Championship, and I really wanted to make it.
So I think she mixed it up a lot. After hitting hard, she was trying to do some slice and change direction a lot of times. So, yeah, I feel like I did some mistakes, but I mean, there is no excuse for me losing the first set still.

Q. So now, unfortunately, you're on holidays. So what are you going to do?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I don't want to -- I just want to play tomorrow. No, players' party tonight (laughing). And then just go home. Going to visit my grandparents and stay with my family, and then get ready for the new season.

Q. Generally, when do you start working again for next season?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I think I'm going to start in two weeks.

Q. Is Andrei Olhovsky permanently your coach, or is this sort of a test to see how things went?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, actually, he's the coach for the Fed Cup and Davis Cup teams. Well, I've known him for a while, so I've asked him to come with me here and help me out this week and the week before in Luxembourg. We'll see how it goes. If he has some time in the new season, he may come with me again.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297