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PILOT PEN TENNIS AT YALE

August 26, 2010

Samantha Stosur

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

N. PETROVA/S. Stosur
6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. She obviously knows you pretty well. Doubles partners. Did that have something to do with how she was able to figure out what to do out there?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: No. I think it goes both ways. Regardless of whether we played together or not, we know each other's game I'm sure from previous matches, just being out on tour.
I think we both kind of obviously had our game plans, except she executed hers a lot better than me.

Q. Seems like your backhand slice was letting you down a little bit. Is that a shot you've been working on for the Open?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, not just for next week. I think it's a shot that I can try and incorporate into my game all the time, all year round. Yeah, unfortunately when it doesn't cut through the air, it kind of floats a bit, gives your opponent a bit of extra time.
I think I was kind of on the back foot too much. Yeah, it's hard to do that effectively when you're kind of being pushed back all the time.

Q. How is your arm feeling?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, good. It's one positive to come out of today, I guess (smiling).

Q. Was it more how well she was playing or did some things let you down today?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think I broke first game, got off to a good start. Next game hit two double-faults and really didn't make her work for anything.
I think she really can ride on confidence really well. Once she kind of feels she's in front, can control what's going on, she's very hard to stop.
I think she played quite well, and I definitely played not very well. So probably a mixture of those two things is, yeah, why I only won three games.

Q. How much of what you do out on the court, your style of play, is with an eye towards the Open?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, it's funny, I don't think you should drastically change things going into a Grand Slam. You're going to play the way you play no matter what.
I think given that I hadn't been playing the two weeks before this, it was important just to get out on court and play and try and feel comfortable again. Today, you know, I didn't really get that feeling. But it's not the end of the world. I've still got a few days to prepare for New York.
But I think coming here was great. It was really a good opportunity to play as many matches as possible. To get through that first round I think can really help me.
Got to work on things. But at the end of the day, same tennis this week as what it was a month ago probably. You still have your game style, but it's more just about feeling comfortable with that.

Q. Going into the Open in terms of confidence, your hard court season, having to take the break, how are you feeling?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Good. I mean, it's hard to I guess sit here and say that after today's match. But, you know, like I said, I've still got a few days to prepare and really feel comfortable and good about things.
Two weeks out wasn't ideal, but I think I can still have a good Open if I keep working hard and, you know, go out on the court with the right mentality. It's just day to day, match by match. If you string a few together, you might see yourself later in the week there.

Q. There are three Russians in the semifinals. You've been on tour long enough. What is it about the Russians that you've noticed and the way they develop tennis players?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know, because I think if you asked all of them, I'm not sure how many of them actually grew up playing in Russia. I don't know if it's the Russian Federation that's necessarily doing a great job more so than the girls wanting it and being determined, seeing their future, making it happen, more so than growing up in Russia.
They've obviously got tons and tons of players at the moment. It makes sense that a few of them are going to be pretty high in the rankings, I think.

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