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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 19, 2009

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

A. PAVLYUCHENKOVA/A. Radwanska
7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So you're learning how to win consistently, it seems like, against the good players?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah. I don't know. I'm very excited now, and more and more every day because I keep winning. And it's really big achievement for me this week. I beat some really good players.
I'm very happy, especially today. First time in semis, of course I'm very happy, of course, but I beat Agnieszka. We played like, I don't know, five or six times already. She's a very tough player for me, especially her -- I don't know, the way she plays it was really tough, all the matches.
Well, just today I thought, Well, I don't care about the result, because no point to care, actually. Just I knew it was going to be tough, so I'm very happy I went through.

Q. What worked for you today against her versus other times when things haven't gone as well?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, as I said, I think I'm getting more confident, which helped me a lot this match, too. And also, I think five times or few times is enough already to learn how to play against her. Well, if you're not very stupid, I think should be enough.
So I try to think about previous matches against her, and I just try to avoid my old mistakes I've done in the previous matches against her before.
I think my game has improved a lot, because the last time I played this girl was in Wimbledon. And as I said, I'm more confident now. The game is better. All these things, all these elements came together now. Maybe this is just the time to beat her today.

Q. So how did it feel to be back on the big stadium? You were on the big stadium, then Court 4, then Court 6, then you were back on the big one.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah. Well, it felt great, for sure. But I didn't really -- I don't know. Didn't really think about it. It's big court and it's more people, and it's like -- I don't know, it was quite normal for me. I was focused on my match.
But of course it's always better to play on big courts against good players and when everyone is watching, and I think it's more exciting. You feel like something big is going on around.
Also, yesterday was day off for me. Well, half a day off. So I went shopping and I relaxed, and it was like a new tournament today. Because all last week I was just practice, match, hotel, and every time the same routine.
So I got really tired from that, and now it's something new again.

Q. You had a lot of success in the juniors. What do you see are some of the key things that have been important to improve as you become a pro, or the key differences between the juniors and the pros?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, I think mentally the pros are stronger, for sure. Also, I changed a bit of my game, because I think I was less aggressive before. In juniors, I was just -- I don't know, sometimes I could win the match because I was No. 1 in the world in juniors.
Some of the junior players, they would come, and already they know they're going to lose. So they knew it was going to be tough match. Maybe that's why it was easier for me. I was above a little bit.
Definitely, the level was good there, as well. That's why when I was transferred to the pros I thought it's going to be much easier for me, and it's going to go quick.
So then after I started to put a lot of pressure on myself, I was like 15, 16, and I -- every time I was losing it was a nightmare for me, in the pros I mean.
And when I couldn't win -- I started with 25, then I played Kremilin Cup and I was losing a lot of matches and it was nightmare. It was wearing me down all the time.
Maybe I was just there because of myself, too. So it was tough to get this confidence.

Q. In the second set at 5-3, you served for the match. After that, you called your coach. Can you tell us what you talked about?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, at 5-3, I think -- at 4-3, was good game. After at 5-3, first point was good serve, and then after I think, for me, I just relaxed a little bit. I think I thought it's going to be over now. So I know it's wrong, and I really punished myself for that after the game.
I mean, mentally, because I was -- because I didn't have to play like this. You have to fight every point. Doesn't matter what the score.
So I thought, Well, it's 5-3, 15-Love, and my serve now it's going to be always, so and it's not like this. And, well, I just called my coach to calm down and just -- because I had some troubles on the return of her serve, and a lot of -- I had mistakes or something.
So also this, and I wanted just to hear his opinion and just calm down.

Q. So as you've gone through these rounds in the tournament, I mean, are you not feeling a lot of nerves going into these matches, getting bigger and bigger? Are you feeling calm going into the matches?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah, quite calm. Though I'm a little bit surprised, as well. Just one match I think against Knapp, I was a little bit not feeling very well in terms of nerves. I was a little bit nervous before the match.
Because after the big victory against Jankovic I went to play the same game or just continue to keep winning, you know. Because I think -- I didn't want people to think that, Well, you know, she just beat excellent player. I don't know, Jankovic wasn't playing good. She beat her, and then now it's -- I mean, I just wanted to continue in the same. I didn't want to relax.
So I just -- I wasn't sure about my reaction on the court, so that's why I was -- but then when I started to play against Knapp, during the match I was calm back again, because it was a good match. I was focused, and it was good.
But I feel okay about this, going on court. Well, I experienced a lot, because I was nervous a lot in the past. I was putting pressure a lot before and during the matches, so I just -- I experienced this a lot, so I think maybe it was good point that it was happening before.

Q. What about Ivanovic? Going to be an even bigger match. Have you played her before?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: No, never. I haven't played, actually, those big players before. Just this year at the Australian Open in Paris, Dubai, and here I start playing. Before, I didn't have a chance to play against them.
But of course I've seen a lot of her on TV and playing like this, so just I just know a little bit about her. So, I mean, I've just seen her. She's definitely a good player. Well, what I need to do is just continue to do my job and just be confident and play every point.

Q. So what did you buy when you were shopping?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, it was just the shoes shopping, because I stopped with the clothes. I think I have too much clothes. It's really I think I've got so much clothes it's a joke. In Paris, I can't close my wardrobe already.
I have to find another room to put my stuff or something, to create something new, or just get rid of the stuff I bought in the past. It's really -- it's really bad.
I said to my mom and every one of my friends, I've stopped with the clothes. So this time yesterday I just bought shoes.

Q. Speaking of big players, does it seem strange to come to a big tournament and Serena and Venus are not here?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Is it strange for me that they are not here? This is the question?

Q. Yes.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, yes, I think, because I think something is missing, really. I feel so. And also, this tournament, I can compare it to Grand Slam in a way, in terms of players and prize money. It's really, really big tournament. After the Grand Slam, I think it's this one and Miami.
Also, the atmosphere and everything, you feel like it's really something big. So it's strange that they are not here. Of course, I think with them it's more show and more interest and a lot of big fights and good matches. But I can't do anything (laughter.)

Q. You played Agnieszka a few times. At Wimbledon she beat you. It was a different Agnieszka? A different Anastasia today? Also, you play other Polish girls, Marta Domachowska. How can you compare their styles and their potential?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yes. Yes, as I said, I think I'm changing, so I'm a little bit different now. I'm more confident, as I said, and I experienced a lot the way I was playing against her. My game is improved, so everything is improved. I'm stronger now, and I'm -- I grew up a little bit, as well. So everything together helped me a lot today.
Today, I just thought, really, why I can't beat her? I mean, so many times we played, and I know she's a very good player, but she's -- I mean, I still have a chance to beat her. I have everything to beat her, and I just went on court with that state of mind.
I thought, I just need to do my job, and I have to push and be aggressive. I think I was just believing a lot. I can do it, really. I'm really happy that I beat her, because so many times we've played and I just couldn't do it. It just was quite stupid mistakes and not good game.
And about Marta, it was quite tough match, too, for me, because it was first match of this tournament. After Dubai, I had like two weeks or even more, you know. And when it's new tournament, first match, it's always tough to get the rhythm.
Yeah, but I was just...

Q. What about Urszula? You played her, too, right? Not at this one, but in your career.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yes, we played a few times, but it was a little bit easier against her than against Agnieszka. I beat her maybe three out of four, I think, something like this. And we played a really long time ago in juniors, so it was a long time. Just tough to remember all the details.
But Marta Domachowska is more aggressive. She is more -- she hits very hard. But Agnieszka is very smart player. It's tough, because she always plays in different rhythm.
I didn't know what she was going to do, because you never know. It seems like the shots are not so strong and powerful, so you can just come in and do what you want with this. But it's not like this.
I mean, so she makes dropshot and she makes lob, long, short, and she makes you move all the time. I think she's very strong mentally, as well. It's very tough.

Q. So you've repainted your fingernails again?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah, I did.

Q. It's black now? Is that black?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: It's like...
THE MODERATOR: Olive green.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Black/green. It's like the lake color, you know? I don't know how you call it.

Q. Moss?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Looks like black and yellow or something.

Q. Are you superstitious about any colors, or are there some colors you won't paint because you think they bring bad luck?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: No, no. I just -- this tournament -- normally I don't care -- but this tournament, I try to put as close as possible to my matches' clothes. I don't know why. So it was a lot yellow before, and black. So now it's black with yellow, so close. So I put yellow here.

Q. Papillion, have you grown some in the last year?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: What?

Q. Have you grown taller in the last year?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: I thought so, yes. Also compared to my coach and my mom, every time I walk, I'm like, No, look, I grew up. (laughter.)
And we go to measure and it's the same height. I'm like, No? How come? I feel I grew up.
And at the medical checkup here, they measured my length of the legs. They grew up two centimeters more than from last year in April. So surprised, and I don't know why.

Q. So only your legs grew longer?
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: The legs are growing, but not me. And it doesn't show on the -- when I measure, it's the same. It's a miracle. (laughter.)

Q. That's very strange.
ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah.

End of FastScripts

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