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WIMBLEDON

June 29, 2009

Victoria Azarenka

LONDON, ENGLAND

V. AZARENKA/N. Petrova
7-6, 2-6, 6-3

Q. Congratulations. How is it to be in the quarterfinals?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, it feels very good. It's my second quarterfinals in a row, and I hope I can go a little bit further.

Q. Could you talk me through the match? How close was it?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, it was kind of weird, you know, because we had so many breaks, and I wasn't really serving very well today. But I'm glad I played very good on the return. So that kept me coming back, moving a little bit forward.
But the match was really close. Second set she stepped it up a lot with her game. I went a little bit back.
But third set I was fighting a lot, and from 3-2 I just played really good. I stepped up to a whole new level, and I think I played very good.

Q. What were your thoughts after the first set when she got a bit of medical treatment?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, you know, it was very hot today, and maybe she felt dizzy or something and needed some treatment. I don't know, I think she looked pretty bad, and I thought she was going to actually retire. But she kept playing, so I guess she felt better.

Q. So now it's Serena Williams.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah.

Q. How's that?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think it's going to be a good match. She's obviously playing great, and she likes the surface. She won here, played two finals in a row, and I think it'll be a great match.

Q. So what should you do in that match? Play your best tennis, of course?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, definitely. I have to talk to my coach for the tactics and everything, and I just have to keep fighting and play every point.

Q. What do you take out of the Miami match?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, it's tough to take something out because she was injured there, and here it's a completely different game. It's a completely different surface. I just have to try to maybe stick to the same plan as I played probably in Miami and just have to play every point.

Q. On grass a little different, though, maybe serve and return might be a little more important?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, I think it's just less of long rallies. It's pretty much three, four shots max, and you just have to be really focused from the first opportunity you have.

Q. So how big of a challenge do you think it is, because she's won here twice? She and Venus have been dominating-type players, and you've been playing very well, but it's a Grand Slam, so just talk about emotionally how it might be for you.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: You know, for me I take every match as a normal match. Of course it's the quarterfinals; it's a big match. It's going to be loud in the big stadium and everything. I just have to be the same focused as I was all of these days and just keep playing my game, not to worry about that I'm playing Serena in the quarterfinals.

Q. You seemed to get really quite wound up in the second set. Do you find it hard to control your emotions on court?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, you know, I'm an emotional player, and I've always been like that. Just sometimes I get a little bit upset with a few bad calls, which there clearly was today.
But I'm an emotional player. I cannot say anything else. I just have to keep trying to calm myself down sometimes, but you never know. It's not like sitting in the living room and watching TV. You're playing in 35 Celsius degrees, it's hot, you're playing a close match, so it's tough. It's very easy to talk about how people react or whatever, but the people, they don't often feel it.

Q. Have you played on Centre Court yet?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yes, I played my third match.

Q. So it's not a new occasion for you to be on that court?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No.

Q. In Paris you played in the big stadium there. Do you find yourself still getting used to being in the large stadiums in the latter stages of the Slams? Is that something that you're learning?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, I'm kind of getting used to it because I've been playing a lot of matches on the big courts. Like here I've always played on the big court, Court 2, Centre Court. I'm getting used to it. Of course sometimes there's a lot of people, but for me it's much easier now.

Q. Do you feel maybe that you're ready to win a tournament of this size?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I'm not thinking about it right now. You know, I'm thinking match by match, and we'll see what happens.

Q. Did you apologize to the umpire at all after you claimed that she was ruining the match or the line judge was ruining the match when you got upset about the call?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, actually I didn't. I actually felt bad because I reacted pretty bad for that. But as I said, sometimes it's really tough to control your emotions when the match is really tight, and some bad call comes up, it's really tough. I just really have to learn how to do it, and hopefully next time I'll do it.

Q. Do you play better when you're angry ever?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Sometimes, yeah.

Q. So you feel like if you try to contain yourself too much, it can be bad for you? Some players play better when they're emotional, and others not so much.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, as long as I don't really go crazy with my emotions. I've always been an emotional player, and I'm always going to be. I just need maybe not to go crazy on my emotions when I'm always pumped up.

Q. Is anyone here with you, family?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, my friends are here, my friends and my coach.

Q. Is Nikolai here?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, he's not.

Q. And your trainer went home? I heard he got sick.
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, he got sick and he's doing some tests, and hopefully he gets better soon and comes back to the United States series.

Q. Any reaction to the FHM shooting?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: My reactions?

Q. Any reactions?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think it was nice for the shoot, for me. I enjoyed doing it. I don't know if people liked it or not. I didn't really hear many critics. I should maybe read some.

Q. When you shook the linesperson's hand, did you say thank you?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah.

Q. What was the response?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Nothing.

Q. So to clarify, did you apologize later or not?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No. Well, I didn't go over and say, "I'm so sorry."

Q. How big is it in your country? How will this be received, maybe stepping up further into the tournament?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, if I step up more into the tournament I'll let you know (smiling).

End of FastScripts

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