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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2010

Maria Kirilenko

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

J. ZHENG/M. Kirilenko
6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did your left leg hinder you at all at the match? You had the trainer out there.
MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, well, in the beginning, you know, I didn't feel it. Then after three games, like we had such long points. I start to feel it in my right leg.
Then the physio taped my right leg. Then after the break, you know, the five minutes' break, I start to feel it on the left again. I was kind of feeling pain everywhere.
But, I mean, I know that I lost today not because of my pain in my legs, just because she was playing much better than me today.

Q. What makes her a tough opponent?
MARIA KIRILENKO: I mean, she was running very well. I thought that I'm making winners, and she's there. Maybe I had to come more to the net today because on the baseline, I didn't have a chance. Plus for me was difficult to move. She was moving great, without any mistakes, yeah.

Q. Is there anything you can take out of this tournament for the future, for the rest of the year?
MARIA KIRILENKO: I mean, of course, you know, it's first time I reach the quarterfinal. I think it's the best what I did in the Grand Slam. I mean, I think, anyway, it was nice tournament for me.

Q. Do you think she's the fastest mover on the tour? How quick is she?
MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, I mean, there is some girls who is also fast as her, like Dementieva. I think they're kind of similar, you know, moving on court. Yeah, you need to do something different. You know, if you feel that you losing on the baseline, you need to change something, you know.
But, I mean, I tried. I tried to come to the net. But, yeah, she was just good today.

Q. You played doubles yesterday. Because of your injury now, was it a mistake?
MARIA KIRILENKO: Well, if I would feel bad, you know, I would not play doubles. Physio, they did really good tape. I said to my partner, So I'm not going to run too much in the doubles, just help me a lot. She was help me actually a lot. I could sit on the bench and you could play without me (laughter).
I didn't hurt myself at all in doubles yesterday.

Q. Was it a hip, hamstring or thigh? What was hurting?
MARIA KIRILENKO: It's, yeah, hamstrings, but it's inside, inside, between my legs, hamstring, yeah.

Q. Do you think her weakness is her serve? Coming to this match, was the main goal to attack her serve?
MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, I was trying to attack her serve. And she was serving not so fast today actually. Maybe it was her plan, you know, because maybe she thought if she gonna serve faster, I'm good return, I make a good returns. Yeah, she was kind of serving to the body a lot, kind of slice serve, soft.
It's difficult attack from this kind of serve, when it's coming like low. But from the second serve, was much better to attack because the ball was much higher over the net, and I had more opportunity to start the point with aggressive.

Q. You've had a good start to the year. What are your expectations ranking-wise for this year?
MARIA KIRILENKO: I'm just looking forward to get some rest time now, to recover my body. Next tournament going to be in Pattaya in Thailand, where I'm going to play. Just keep working hard. It's first tournament. There's some tournaments in the row this year. And, yeah, I'm just keep going.

End of FastScripts

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