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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 17, 2010

Agnieszka Radwanska

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

A. RADWANSKA/E. Dementieva
6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You haven't lost a set the whole tournament. Do you think the level you're at right now is good enough to get to the final and maybe win the title?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Um, well, for sure I'm very happy that I am in this condition always playing two sets, especially I'm always first, you know, in the day.
But, you know, now it's also going to be very tough. I'm playing Caroline or Zheng, both very good players.
Of course, it's always better to win in two sets, but it's always hard, especially here. You know, it's tough, especially against Dementieva, who is also very tough to play against her. I'm just happy about my performance this week.

Q. Why do you think you've had so much success against Dementieva? You seem to give her some real problems.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I don't know the statistics.

Q. You're 4-2 now.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: 4-2? Well, we've played a couple of times on different surface, but Elena is always very tough. If I winning the match, I'm just couple points better. It's not like 6-1 and 6-1.
So like I'm saying, if it's important moment, I think I'm just little bit better. I think that's why I'm winning in two sets.
But it's always very tough.

Q. She seems to get very frustrated against you. She was very frustrated at the end of the match.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah, for sure. You have to ask her, but I think, yeah, in the beginning it was a little bit more tough. I think in the end she was, yeah, really like upset and mad.
But anyway, it was a good long match.

Q. You're 3-1 now against her on hardcourt surfaces. Do you always feel more comfortable playing her on hardcourt?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I like all the surfaces, actually. I don't really care on what surface I'm playing against Dementieva. I think we just played once on clay, maybe two times. But it's not big different, I don't think.

Q. You had that great dropshot exchange the fourth game of the second set where you were both dropshotting each other.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I remember the point.

Q. Can you enjoy a point like that? And how much does your feel for the ball frustrate her? You really don't give her the pace she likes.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I mean, for sure, you playing the point it's so good, it's so good and for the good shot. But afterwards you just can't breathe for the next 10 minutes. It's always a good and bad side.
I remember that point, and I think it's one of the best in the tournament.

Q. You're right at your career-high ranking now at No. 8, and you've been in the top 10 now for about two years. Do you feel like your level is about to go up a little more? Maybe you can reach the top 5?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, for sure the goal is to play Masters, not like alternate. Because I was in Doha twice and twice as an alternate, so like for sure top 8 I want to be in the end of the year.
But now we have March, so it's still a couple of months and three Grand Slams, so it's just the beginning. So of course I want to be, you know, have this step forward and to be top 5 or even more.

Q. Game-wise, how much more do you think you can improve?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, this year is already my second semifinal, so I think I'm doing good. I will just keep going, you know, working hard. Here, especially in the big tournaments, you have good matches since the third round. It's already seeded players.
So it's good now that I'm playing good, you know, and beating the top players in two sets.

Q. When you say you can keep improving, anything specifically that you're referring to?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think at this level we have to work on everything, you know, not just one shot or something. Just everything, I think.

Q. Do you think the conditions here help your game a little bit more?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, it was very hot, and I didn't really feel that great today, especially that on this day I had two tough matches, singles and doubles afterwards also at 2:00. It was also hot.
So I wasn't that fresh today. But anyway, I think I just make myself fighting till the last point, and I did it.
Now it's good that I have one day off, so for sure it's going to be better for me.

Q. You've spoken about getting into the top 10. Have you set a goal for the end of this year? Top 5 or what? And also, what do you need to do to take that next step? You're saying you need to work harder or work more, but what is it specifically that you feel you need to do? What are those targets?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think first of all, the Grand Slam are the most important tournaments, so I think at least quarterfinals in the Grand Slam. They are the most important tournaments.
For sure that. Like I was saying, you know, to be top you have to play whole year very good. It's not just one or two tournaments. To be top 10 or top 5, you have to play a lot of tournaments like final, at least semifinals.
Now I'm doing good, but like I'm saying, I have to work with everything, not just one thing.

Q. What about targets, goals?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: For this year?

Q. Yes.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, like I think top 5, because I was like two years top 10. So, you know, even if I'll be 8 or 7, it's also great.

Q. You've been in what, three Grand Slams quarterfinals, no?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Uh-huh.

Q. Do you think maybe semifinals this year or final or something a little bit better than you've done in the past, or do you feel like maybe my game's not good enough to get there?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, exactly. I think the semifinal would be great, you know, just to have to step forward.
I played three quarterfinals and it was, you know, always a tight, good match, good matches in the quarterfinals. So I was very close to the semifinal all the time.
But for sure, you know, I'm looking forward.

Q. Which Major do you feel most comfortable at and is most conducive to your game, which Grand Slam tournament?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think I'm doing very good on the grass. I think every year I'm doing good there since the junior, two times qualifying at Wimbledon, once fourth round when I was starting to play WTA.
So I think I like grass, so I think that's why I'm doing well there.

Q. Are you a patient person, that you can see that quarterfinals and then maybe taking it the next step to semis and the next step to the finals, or do you just want to rush there?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think I'm patient. If it's the beginning of the tournament, I'm never -- I never, you know, take the draw, who's in the semifinal. I'm just watching in the first round.
Then if I win, I'm looking, you know, for the second round. It's not like, you know, just having the one match and then afterwards I can check the other one.

Q. So you had surgery on which finger in the offseason?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: The fourth one.

Q. Was it the finger hurt badly and what did the doctor do?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: It's called tricky finger, and it was since Olympics, so almost two years. Yeah, actually I couldn't even open the door, so I really had to do something about it.
So actually the offseason was the good time, because I did everything except, you know, to, you know, not to do the surgery. But I was keep doing, keep playing, and was actually no choice in the end.
But I'm very happy that, you know, the offseason, of course I didn't play a couple weeks, but I'm ready now. Still it's there, but it's much better.

Q. So it is 100% or it's not 100% healed?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, after the surgery I need to have like half year, you know, to be good. But I'm playing, so I'm not helping this hand anymore.

Q. Does it affect you gripping the racquet?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Actually, I changed the grip for the smaller one because it's still. I couldn't catch the grip 3, so now I'm using grip 2. I think it's not really think about it. And if I lose the match I'm not going to say that I'm injured anymore, but it's just sometimes if I'm playing a lot, you know, singles, doubles or really long match, then I can feel the hand.
But now is good, so I'm very happy about that.

Q. It's been a couple of years now since you made the breakthrough and started getting a bit known and getting more and more attention. Are you comfortable with the attention you get now, and do you like it?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, going to the court I don't really think about it. I'm playing like a player was top 100, even more, you know. Doesn't matter who's on the other side, you know.
But of course it's a little bit more difficult to play like a seeded player, and always think that I have to win this match, of course, especially in the beginning of the tournament.
But, you know, just want to focus on my game. You know, to be in the top is I think dream for everyone, so I'm very happy that I'm staying on the top already third year.

Q. So if Caroline wins tonight - and she's your very good friend - do you go out to dinner beforehand? Do you say you can't go out to dinner tonight because we have to play each other?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: No, it's not like that. We went to dinner already couple times this tournament. For sure if she wins, doesn't make any changes, you know, with our relationship.
Of course, we'll see how she's going to be in the evening. I check the match, but I did not play against her I think last two years, so it's going to be interesting.

Q. So whoever wins your match gets to buy the next dinner?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Sorry?

Q. So if you guys play each other --
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah.

Q. -- does the winner get to buy dinner the next time?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think so, yeah. I'm going to say that. It's always like that. If somebody wins something, it's buy the other one dinner, yes.

Q. Do you speak in English or in Polish?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Polish.

End of FastScripts

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