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U.S. OPEN

September 5, 2010

Shahar Peer

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

V. WILLIAMS/S. Peer
7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you feel out there today? How were the conditions? Did you feel the crowd was for you or for Venus or split?
SHAHAR PEER: Um, the conditions were very difficult. It's not easy to play with this wind. You know, it's not an easy game and a lot of errors.
But I think I was feeling okay. I mean, I think I played better the round before, but obviously both of us didn't play our best, because it's tough to play very, very well in this wind. You try to make as less error as possible. But, you know, I was getting very close to the match, and, um, I think I was fighting very good.
And about the crowd, I think obviously they probably were more for Venus because she's American, but I got a lot of also support.

Q. What sort of encouragement the way you played in the first set did that give you for your future?
SHAHAR PEER: Um, you know, I think I always -- you know, it's not new that I'm trying to win and fighting every ball and hanging there every point.
But I do think it can give me more for the future, because every time I played Venus I had tough time and she was always kind of killing me every match (Smiling.)
So today was much closer match, and I think I'm playing better. I just need to take it to the end of the year also, because I don't think I played very well the last couple of weeks.
So I think it's good for me, this performance of this week.

Q. How hard have you worked on your serve to make progress? How much more do you think you need to do to upgrade it further?
SHAHAR PEER: Um, you know, I'm working on my serve as a normal shot. But I think today is not really a day that you can look at the serve, because it's very difficult to serve.
I think the other rounds, like the second round and third round I served much better. I was able to win much more free points.
But of course I'm gonna try to improve it more and more, like every other shot.

Q. What are your thoughts on Venus' level at this time compared with other times you've played her?
SHAHAR PEER: Um, you know, she's always a good player. Like I say, it was very difficult to play today; we both had a lot of errors.
She's always there. She has a big serve. I think she serve very well in the important points, especially in the tiebreak she was playing very well.
So, you know, she knows what she's doing. I'm sure she's gonna have like every match probably better and better. I mean, I think today was a good match, but I'm sure she's gonna be better next round, also.

Q. Could you talk about your relationship with Venus over the last couple of years, how it's evolved because of the events in Dubai.
SHAHAR PEER: Yeah, I mean, she was really supportive for me, and she was also always on my side and really, um, always stood up. Doesn't matter if it was this year or the year before when I got -- I didn't get the visa, she stood up in that final and spoke for me.
And also this year she was very kind. When we did play over there and we play on an outside-court, she was very humble. So I think she's a very - I don't know, it's hard for me to say it in English - but she's always very support. She always feel for me also, you know. She understands what I feel.

Q. Do you have any feelings about whether players should have not played in that tournament because you weren't allowed in the country?
SHAHAR PEER: You know, it's past already, but I know that this year the WTA said that if I would not get a visa there will not be a tournament, which I think is fair enough.
Because if I'm qualified to play the tournament, why is it supposed to be like that I cannot go and the rest of the girls can?
So I'm really happy that they had this decision. I hope also for next year it will be the same, because I think we need to be equal for all of us.
I mean, obviously I was playing this tournament, it's a big tournament, and I play semifinal there. So I don't see why I cannot play this tournament.
I'm hoping also to go next year, and I think it's a good decision.

Q. You talked about how difficult the conditions were here. How about in Dubai playing on that strange court, that makeshift court? How difficult was that situation?
SHAHAR PEER: It was not difficult, because I'm not a person that used to play always in center court. The only thing that was difficult was, you know, I haven't seen anything. I didn't see the -- actually, I didn't see even the center court. I don't know how it looks. I know only one court how it looks like.
But the people there were really nice to me and taking care of me really nice. I had very good hospitality, so I really enjoyed my time there.

Q. How did Venus' support for you compare to the support of other players? Was what she did unusual in your mind?
SHAHAR PEER: I don't know if unusual, but she was the only one kind of step up and spoke for me and show that she cares about these things. I did get like two or three e-mails from other players that felt like the year I didn't get the visa.
But she was the only one -- and obviously Andy Roddick -- that didn't play the same year, last year. So these two were the only ones that spoke up.

Q. You and Dudi Sela were the only Israelis in the main draw. A question about the future of Israeli tennis. Any up-and-comers? What's Israel doing to invest in the next generation of Israeli tennis players?
SHAHAR PEER: Unfortunately, not too much coming up. I just know one girl that she's 14 or 15 that they are talking about her, that she's pretty good. But not that I know about really anything coming up, unfortunately.
But, you know, we are a very small country that we're trying to invest also in sport, but we have other things to take care of. I hope in the future we will have some good players.
I think every ten years come a new player, so it looks like nobody in the near future.

End of FastScripts

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