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CHINA OPEN

October 8, 2010

Vera Zvonareva

BEIJING, CHINA

V. ZVONAREVA/F. Schiavone
6-0, 6-2

THE INTERPRETER: Questions, please.

Q. Were you surprised to win this well against the French Open champion?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Definitely it's not the match that you expect against a Grand Slam winner, but I think I played a very good match overall. I started really well, and I was able to keep up with the level of my game from the first ball to the last ball and never really gave her a chance to get into the match.
Going in the match, of course I expected a very, very tough match. It was difficult. It was very tough for me on the court, because I had to keep that concentration even though from the side it may look like it was an easy match, but there are no easy matches in an event like this.
So I'm very happy the way I was able to play today and really didn't give her a chance to find her rhythm.

Q. Did you feel that you have been building for that kind of performance? Is that a performance that's been sort of coming from you?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, I think I was improving match by match, you know, maybe not the perfect match in the first round. I was able to improve a bit in the second round and third round, and, you know, this stage of the tournament I think I really raised the level of my game.
I know that, you know, the next match is going to be a very tough one. You have to play some of your best, you know, tennis to be able to win in the next match.

Q. Have you had a look at your possible opponent? Obviously there is the local or Sevastova?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I think it's Li or Sevastova. That's what my coach told me. Yeah, it's -- you know, it is going to be tough match either against Na or against Sevastova. I played them both before. We had difficult ones, so we will see, you know.
I hope they will have a good match, and whoever wins, I will just have to go back on the court tomorrow and try my best, and then we will see where it's going to take me.

Q. I have a question about what happened toward the end of the second set, because you won all games, and then it looked like you would win the next one. However, Schiavone managed to break your serve. What happened during that moment?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, she's too good of a player to lose, you know, 12 games in a row. Nothing really happened. I think she stepped up a little bit. She took a little bit more risk trying to go a little bit more for her shots, and, you know, it went well.
So I was just trying to fight for every point. I knew it's not -- you know, in tennis, the match is not over until you shake the hands. So, you know, I was just trying to keep my concentration, and, you know, keep playing the same way, the way I was playing before. I think she took a little bit more risk and used it well.

Q. You played very well. Are you in the mood to take on the new No. 1 and win?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, I think I have my match tomorrow against Li or Sevastova. That's all I'm thinking about. I'm not thinking about anything else. I have to go there on the court tomorrow and try my best.
You know, if I play good tennis, I play really well, I play great tennis, everything else will come, but if I don't go out there, if go there on the court and don't perform my best, don't beat my opponent tomorrow, nothing is gonna happen.
I think, for me, I don't really think about any statistics or anything that's going around. I'm just trying to focus on my match tomorrow.

Q. When we look at your record against Li Na, it's interesting because all the matches you have happen on hard court, and the record is 3 to 3. Just share some thoughts on Li Na, this player.
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, Li Na is a good player, you know. She established herself as one of the top players for the past few years, and we always had tough matches, like you mentioned.
You know, she's a difficult opponent. She makes you play a lot of shots. She's taking her chances, staying aggressive when she needs to.
You know, it's a difficult one, but it's going to be -- if she wins, it's going to be a new day, a new match for me, and I will try to think about what happened in the past matches, try to think what worked well for me.
When I will go on the court I will try to do my best. We also have to see what's happening with that match.

Q. My first question I can ask you about Kremlin Cup. We have so many withdrawals this year, so we don't have Dinara, we don't have Sveta. Could you please confirm that you will come to Moscow?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I cannot confirm at the moment. We will see what's happening, you know, after the tournament. You know, so far I'm in the tournament. So far I'm planning to play, and then we will see what's going to happen.
I think it is very difficult week for players to play. A lot of the players that are qualified for the championships is just too close and it's indoors, different balls, different surface. It's very difficult to play both events. Those players, at the end of the season, sometimes they maybe choose to take a longer break, especially if they had injuries and maybe, you know, prepare themselves better for the next season if they believe they need to take that time off.
So it's tough to say, but, you know, so far I'm in the tournament. We'll see.

Q. Could you please tell us about your job with UNICEF? Do you have any problem for the next year? What are you going to do?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, it's not with UNICEF exactly; it's more with UNESCO. I'm involved a little bit with gender equality issues. There are maybe some projects next year and some conferences that I will attend.
I don't know exactly what's happening on that side yet. I will have to -- at the end of the season, during the offseason when I will have more time, we might work on some projects and maybe try to raise some awareness regarding those issues, and maybe I can participate in some things next year.

Q. Many years ago you have been seen, many times on the court, you have some mentally collapse; I mean, you cried on the court. Recently it's getting more rare. How do you manage to manage your mental part?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, I don't think I have any mental collapses or anything like this. It's whatever you see from the side. I'm an emotional player, and if I need to let my emotions go, I will do it. It's just a matter of using it to your advantage.
I don't -- if I'm upset about the mistake, I will be upset about the mistakes. There is no reasons to hide it. You know, I am not happy, because I play with passion, I push myself to the limit, and I try my best every time I go on the court.
It's just a matter of using it to your advantage. It's about knowing yourself. It comes with experience. When you know yourself better, you can use it to your advantage. You know, if I need to pump myself up, if I need to break the racquet, you know, to be able to produce better tennis, I will do it. I don't care.
If I need to, you know, calm myself down, and say, Hey, it's okay, don't worry about it, I will do that, as well. It's about learning yourself and knowing what you want to do.

Q. We know that Caroline become the new world No. 1 yesterday, and there's a heated debate that a No. 1 without Grand Slam is not the real No. 1. What's your view of that comment? My second question is between Grand Slam and the world No. 1, which one is more important to you?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, first of all, I want to congratulate Caroline on getting to No. 1. I think it's a great achievement, and she really played great tennis throughout the year. She was obviously the most consistent player on the tour.
It's great for her. I'm happy she was able to get there, and I think as a tennis player we play throughout the year -- we play on four different surfaces throughout the year. The best one who manages to get the best results on all the surfaces and adjust their games and play consistent will get to No. 1.
You know, even though she didn't win a Grand Slam, she was the most consistent one. She beat a lot of players, and I think she deserves to be there. If she keeps showing the great results, she will, you know, she will probably win a Grand Slam and be No. 1 longer. If she doesn't play as consistent and show these great results, she will not stay in the No. 1.
You know, choosing, you know, it's two different things. You cannot choose one or the other one. I think it's the dream of every tennis player to become No. 1 or to win a Grand Slam, and you cannot make the choices, but either achievement is a great one.

End of FastScripts

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