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PILOT PEN TENNIS AT YALE

August 28, 2010

Nadia Petrova

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

C. WOZNIACKI/N. Petrova
6-3, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had to fight from behind all day long. Almost got there, but not quite.
NADIA PETROVA: Yes, that's true. All day long. It's been a good match.
I'm happy by reaching the final here. If my back would have been okay in the beginning of the third set, maybe the set would have been closer and I'd have maybe chance to really challenge her, maybe win the title. Unfortunately didn't happen.
I'm very happy I got my practice matches. Now my focus is on the US Open.

Q. What happened to your back? Tweak it a little bit?
NADIA PETROVA: Yeah, I tweaked it a little bit. I think one of the spinal segments just got stuck and I just couldn't rotate.

Q. You had 12 aces in the match. She was still able to break you. Neither of you seemed to be able to hold a serve in the second set.
NADIA PETROVA: She's returning really well, even though I'm throwing aces in each single game. You know, when it gets to the rallies, she's tough to beat.

Q. How do you feel heading into the Open after a long week of challenging matches?
NADIA PETROVA: Very happy. I feel like I got my matches. I've done a four-week preparation in July. I'm just ready. I'm just looking forward to that.

Q. Can you talk about the confidence in your hard court game. You said because you played so few matches, that's kind of what you were looking for.
NADIA PETROVA: Exactly. Exactly. You know, I think I'm ready. I don't see anything for holding me back.

Q. Can you talk about what makes her so challenging to play, what about her game gives you trouble?
NADIA PETROVA: She has this incredible depth in her shots and very good placement of the ball. You know, even though she's on the run, she scoops the ball, throws a very high lob, then the ball just bounces like a foot off the baseline. It's really tough to step in and take this shot out of the air. Then you have to kind of start the rally again.
She's very good on defensive. Even though my game was trying to step in and try to go to the net, but she didn't give me so many opportunities to do so.

Q. What do you think about this tournament, organization, compared with other tournaments? What can you say about it?
NADIA PETROVA: Well, it's a smaller tournament compared to any others. But I think we have everything we need here. Especially, you know, before a big slam coming up, we have plenty of courts to practice. We have a great stadium. The crowd is coming to cheer for us.
I mean, you've got all the facilities here from the Yale University. It's a great place to be, just an hour and a half drive from New York.

Q. What will you take away from this tournament that you didn't bring with you? What skills do you think you gained here?
NADIA PETROVA: Gained? If I gained anything, I wish (laughter).
Hmm, I think what I've gained is definitely the confidence because I've really had a tough hard court season. My confidence was a little bit on the floor when I came to play this tournament. But now I'm back in my shoes. I'm happy. I'm excited to play the Open. I feel like, you know, I'm ready for it.

Q. So this was good preparation?
NADIA PETROVA: It was a very good preparation for me.

Q. Can you tell us what changed in the match between the first and second set that nobody could hold serve.
NADIA PETROVA: Maybe we both fatigued a little bit. She played a lot of matches. I had five matches also in this week. When you get a little tired, the first thing which goes is your concentration. You know, it's really hard to keep on focusing and doing the same motion over and over again.
I think it's just the fatigue factor kicked in.

Q. Caroline mentioned the sun was tricky out there. Did you have trouble with that?
NADIA PETROVA: With the sun, yes, especially when she would throw those defensive lobs. So many times bounced right in the sun spot. I was losing the balls completely. I've been miss-hitting a lot of shots today because of that.

Q. The back injury slow you down a step, half a step? Did it make a difference in the third?
NADIA PETROVA: It made a big difference. It made me lose my service game and gave her a 2-Love lead. I mean, if I would just hold my serve until the end of the third set, anything could have happened.

Q. Was it in this match that the back was bothering you?
NADIA PETROVA: It just happened sudden. I started feeling something in the first game of the third set. When I went to serve, I felt like I could not rotate at all. I got stuck completely.

Q. You expect to be fine for the Open?
NADIA PETROVA: I'm absolutely fine. The physio helped me a lot. She came and she manipulate my back and I was absolutely free to play afterwards.

Q. You were serving at 1-4 in the third.
NADIA PETROVA: How you like my service game (laughter)?

Q. Ever happen before?
NADIA PETROVA: No, that never happen to me. Wish I could do that more often. Save me a little bit of energy (smiling).

End of FastScripts

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