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U.S. OPEN

September 7, 2010

Francesca Schiavone

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

V. WILLIAMS/F. Schiavone
7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you first just start off commenting on your thoughts on the match?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: It was a bad start for me because I lost the first game with the two balls to win the games.
Then I won two games in a row, so I could be 3-Love and not 2-1. Then she served good, and I couldn't win that game. Then was so close for the rest of the set.

Q. When you consider how well you were playing in the tournament, you've had four straight-set matches, pretty dominant performances, can you talk a little bit about your expectations coming in? Can you look back at this point and say, Hey, it was a good tournament? Do you feel you were playing good enough you could win today?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Of course is a good tournament. If I do second round and I give the best I can, it's good tournament.
Of course, if I see a match like this, I want to win. Everybody want to win, so is no need to be upset. But I think today she served good, and with more wind she has more chance than me.
Because when I was serving against the wind, I am 1 meter 66, and I try to push as much as I could. But is not like Venus -- she serve on second floor and with the big power.
So it's okay. It's not okay, but it's okay.

Q. You were down 4-0 in that first set tiebreaker, and then you came back with four straight points to tie it up. What happened from there? Kind of got away from you from there.
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think I lost the first point. The first point we fight and I miss a ball, so was my mistake. Then she serve good two points 3-love, or the opposite. I don't -- I don't remember really. But I think she play a little bit better in that moment, and I couldn't catch my opportunity.
Then I played very high level and I came back. When we were 5-all, I missed two balls. She didn't win the point. I just missed two balls. That's tennis.

Q. It's the end of the Grand Slam season. The Grand Slam season is over now, and you've had an incredible rebirth this summer or even breakthrough. I'm just wondering, what does it feel like now this summer? To do this so late, is this like a dream? Was it something you saw coming? Do you feel like you can step on it and use this foundation to go forward?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: No, I think -- I'm positive. I don't finish my career here, so I want to play Australian Open and again French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. So I have other opportunity to show and to do some more big results.
So I am happy to have this chance. Of course, if I save this match, I say (in Italian.) How you say it in English? I have always the chance to beat her, and that's the way that I want to keep going, and one day I win the most important points. I know that. Is just plans of me. That's a good possibility, good way.
But for sure, in the most important moments she's always there and play good. So I have to play better to beat her.

Q. You haven't beat her in seven meetings. Coming into this match and considering how well you were playing in the tournament, can you talk about your expectations in terms of facing Venus, and is it that much more disappointing to lose this one?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah. Is a lot of disappointed, because I have the chance and the quality real to beat her because she doesn't like to play with me. I play different ball; I push her in defense; I don't give her the chance to play how she want, so every time I think we have a big fight.
I don't know what she thinks, but I can say the true, and that often is the difference between me and other players. I can tell you the true. If I am injured, I tell you I am injured. If I am good, I say I am good and she play better.
So this time is for her, but I will find the way to beat her. Yeah, yeah.

Q. Is that the case then tonight, that she was just better? Is that what you're saying?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Si. I think I lost a little bit more this match than she won. But in the same times, I can say that she serve so good. Is big arm is big part of tennis.
And with wind, she has a little bit more chance than me. But for sure she play good in the most important moments. She serve when she had the possibility. She serve an ace. So we are two great athletes. One has to win; one has to lose.

Q. Was it different for you this tournament to be here as a champion, did that inspire you? Did that affect you?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: Yeah, yeah. I feel much more sure. I think I can win this kind of match, and I go out from this tournament and say, I have the chance again to win. And I want to work to do it again.
So I think to win a big Grand Slam like French Open is something that put a really good step inside of me that I couldn't have if I couldn't win that match.

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