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CHINA OPEN

October 5, 2010

Elena Dementieva

BEIJING, CHINA

E. DEMENTIEVA/K. Date Krumm
6-3, 1-6, 6-3

THE INTERPRETER: Questions, please.

Q. You played Kimiko Date in Stanford, almost three hours match. What's the difference between these two matches?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I think it was very important to play against her before. I think it was a good experience, because the way she's playing it's -- it's very different comparing to the other players. She plays very flat, very quick. So you really need to get used to this kind of game, and, you know, be ready for her.
I think she's an incredible athlete, and she's in very good shape. It's never easy to play against her.
So today I was trying to be very focused because no matter what the score is, she's fighting till the end. She can turn the game around very quickly. So I was trying to be very concentrate and just play till the end, until, you know, the last point.

Q. (Through translation.) First time you came to China to play the WTA Tour in Shanghai in 2003, and you had won the tournament. Several years gone, and so far what kind of memory do you still have about that tournament? What do you think is the difference of the tournament that China is holding now?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, first of all, it's a very special place for me because of the Olympic Games. Every time I come here, I feel very exciting and inspired with my result here in Beijing, in the Olympic Games.
So, well, I'm just glad to be here and play this tournament. I have so many great memories playing here in Beijing and also winning Shanghai couple years. It's just great to come here, and, you know, it's one of the biggest tournaments in the end of the year, so everyone is very exciting to play here.
This is probably the biggest challenge, you know, left in the end of this season, so I think it's very exciting for the crowd to watch this event, and, you know, lots of very interesting matches this week.

Q. You commanded the first set and again in the third but it seemed like you struggled in the second. What happened? How did you come back to recover?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I feel like I was playing very well in the first set, and, you know, had an opportunity in the second set to go with a break and the lead, but I did some, you know, unforced errors and I was not able to come back to the game.
So I think it was very important to have a good start in the third set, you know, and, you know, when I was able to break her and hold my serve, you know, I started to play more aggressively.
But even, you know, with losing second set I feel it was a good game. I was fighting, I was playing my game. I was very aggressive. I was not waiting for the mistakes.
So it's a good sign, because it was not easy to play this match today coming from Tokyo, not enough time to get used to the surface. I think it was a very good experience and hopefully play better next round.

Q. (Through translation.) These couple of days I have noticed that there are a lot of upsets on the women's matches. What do you think are the reasons for so many upsets?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think, you know, it's very competitive for the moment. You really have to play your best from the beginning of the tournament to be able to, you know, get through the first round.
So I think, you know, all the players who are here, you know, they are very good players, and you have to respect them.
So I think, you know, also, you know, it's coming to the end of the season, so some of the players may be a little bit tired, you know, in the end, but I think we still have some good matches, and it's been pretty exciting these few days in the beginning of the tournament, so hopefully we are going to see some more interesting matches during the week.

Q. (Through translation.) We understand that your opponent in this match, Kimiko Date Krumm, has been very active in the age when Monica and Steffi are dominating in the WTA Tour, and actually you, Elena, are of the same generation with the Williams sisters. Today Kimiko Date can play a very good game against you. What do you think is the advantage or disadvantage for the WTA Tour?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think it's a very unique story with Kimiko Date. I think she retired in the age of 25, 26, and now she's coming back and playing very well for, you know, these two years.
So it's just very exciting to see her back on the tour. She's a great player with great experience.
I'm sure all the Japanese fans and all the fans around the world are very happy to see her back. But I think it's a very unique story, and not many people can play in this age and be so active and be so fit like she is, so it was very impressive.
Today in the match I could feel like she was pushing me to play so well, you know, almost 100%, so it's, you know, great to see.

End of FastScripts

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