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U.S. OPEN

September 5, 2010

Francesca Schiavone

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

F. SCHIAVONE/A. Pavlyuchenkova
6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Seems like you're playing very freely at the moment, mentally and physically. Do you feel that way or not?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah. I think today was not easy, and with wind how you can see every shots are different. For me, it's better because I have spin, and Pavlyuchenkova couldn't play so good her backhand.
So I tried to play at the best with my rotation than other things. It was just focus on my play.

Q. In France, you said that you tasted the court. It was better than spaghetti carbonara, I believe.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: You say this, but it's okay. (Smiling.)

Q. What do our American courts taste like, or have you tried that yet?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I didn't test with my lips, but I can -- I think I will do something, but the ways is long. So it will be a secret.

Q. What are you starting to feel now? This is the second time you have been in the quarterfinals here.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I feel better than when I was in French Open, but just because I know how to do it and how to win a match like this.
So I'm very curious, I'm interesting to see and to write a new history. But for me, not for tennis, because tennis have so many big champions that can win big match or bad match, is the same.
So for me, it's fantastic, really, to be here.

Q. But it's not enough yet?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No. When you win one, you can say, I want another one, or when you -- yeah, as many as you can. You are hungry, of course, but you have to respect, because to win a Grand Slam is something so big, so long, so tough that it's absolutely so far away from the moment.

Q. You've just met with one of the Russian rising stars. What do you think about Russian tennis future?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Is great, because you keep going to find way to grow up with the young players. I think you are doing a very good job. Is a mix because often the player, Russian player go to Spain or in another country to USA.
But the blood is blood. You can't change it.

Q. I don't mean to put you on the spot, but you said you don't want to write history, but was there ever a better moment...
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I didn't say that. Maybe I explain bad. I say that everybody can write history, but now I want to enjoy to write mine. So if I have chance -- I'm enjoying to write mine.
So if I have a chance to write history in the world, it's okay. Is better. I'm interesting to do it. But I didn't say that.

Q. Well, I will say that again. Thank you for clarifying that.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, no, it's okay.

Q. But just if I could follow up, do you think that your chapter in Paris was one of the greatest in the history of Italian tennis?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: In Italy, yes, I think so. Of course is different step than 30 years ago when Panatta, when they won.
It's Francesca. I am different, and everybody have different personality, different tennis.
But I think Roland Garros was fantastic, not just experience, but also example, everything together, emotions. Is good.

Q. New York has a very big Italian-American population.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah, I know.

Q. Have you been treated as a great hero here?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Oh, no, no.

Q. How do they...
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, but I feel that there are some -- a lot of Italian. I went to Little Italy. I went to some Italian restaurant. Is great, but I know that I have to fight against -- I don't know, maybe a U.S. player, so I can understand if they cheer for her.
I hope a piece can cheer for me.

Q. I assume you grew up on a clay courts at home. How did you get so good on a hardcourt?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think I have physically the possibility because I am fast. And also to keep going, to mix this kind of shot, that is my quality.
Is not easy to play on hardcourt, so I think I put some problems to the players to play so different.

Q. With your spin?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: For sure on the clay I have more time, so I can take you and go 10 shots, 20 shots, 30 shots.
Here is not like this. But in the same way, I can do serve and volley, I can play faster, I can play slow and back. Is a mix.
It's like Capricciosa pizza. I don't give you margherita, I give you Capricciosa, different kind of ingredient.

Q. Do you think right now you're finding a better spot to deal with the pressure or the expectation from the whole country compared with Wimbledon? You lost in the first round. I think at that time the pressure was on, right?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I think I was not ready. That is different. The pressure, there is always, so when you play first round, when you play final.
Sometimes I think that every matches are final. So in Wimbledon I was not so with big energy, but I never thought that I couldn't do again or I'm finished now. No, I don't think of this.
So now is time to enjoy this quarterfinal and look forward to see against who I play. I'm watching some points (Smiling.) I have attention.

Q. There is the Wimbledon of the opera world, La Scalla. Have you ever gone there?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Si. I went when I was young, 17 years old, something like this. I couldn't enter, but I enter. Like this was too expensive for me, so I remember that moment. I went inside with friends.

Q. How does it compare to the special feeling you get at Centre Court in Wimbledon?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Ah, no. I think are two different kind stadium, of competition. But anyway, are two arts. You know art?
So something for sure is similar. When you are inside and ballet or a concert or tennis, you are so inside of you that the show is to be, to do the best that you are. So this is similar things. I don't know if I arrive to you, but...

Q. There's a special feeling for the performer there?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Si.

Q. Did you know who Louis Armstrong was?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Si, si, si. They explain me some days ago who was I think Italian person. But you can tell me much more, I think.

Q. Did you ever hear it, like it, his music?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Si, si, si. Fantastic. Fantastic. I have some CD.

Q. What was the opera?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I don't remember. I don't remember.

End of FastScripts

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