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WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS - DOHA 2010

October 25, 2010

Samantha Stosur

DOHA, QATAR

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you rate getting to the year-end Championships for the first time along with reaching a Grand Slam final as the best things that you've ever done?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I think for sure it's definitely very high up on the list of achievements that I've been able to make. It shows that you've had a great year, so they're two kind of different things, but both very rewarding.

Q. What's the key to getting here? Is it physical fitness or planning your schedule or what?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think it's a mixture of things. Obviously you've got to stay healthy for a big period of the year to be able to play enough events and do well and obviously have enough wins.
I think scheduling plays a big part as well, and, yeah, I guess performing at the big events. This year I've had some really good results in big tournaments, and also missed a few and not done so well.
So I think to be able to make it still with not being able to play a couple of those big tournaments I think kind of shows that I've had a good year.
Yeah, it's exciting to be here.

Q. Coming into the tournament, what's your expectations for this? What's the key to winning it for you?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I would love to obviously get through the round robin stage. From there you never know. First things first. You've got to play three matches and see how you go there.
It's tough conditions outside. It's very hot and humid. So I think conditioning and really being able to get used to the heat before playing those matches is going to be key.
And then you've got to play well. You're playing the best players in the world, so you can't go out there and, I guess, play averagely and expect to get through. I think in a way that kind of takes pressure off, knowing that you have to play well to get through.
Yeah, you've got to give it your best and go for it. I think the players who can I guess do that day in, day out through this round robin period will be the ones to get through.

Q. Talk about the conditions and your physical fitness. This is something I know you've worked in and have to be proud of. Do you feel that will be a benefit to you this week? What do you think about the conditions out there? Even at 5:00 it's toasty.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I practiced at 8:00 the other night and it was probably some of the worst humidity I've ever played in. So it is definitely challenging. I've been here a few days now, and hopefully that will help me get through playing in the heat and everything else that comes with that. Every week is different.
I guess we all play through the same conditions throughout the year, so it's I guess whoever can handle it best on the day. I think that can be a big part of it.

Q. You've already played in this event a couple of times in doubles. You won it. What's the difference? Were you at times jealous about the other girls playing the singles tournament here?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Sure, I would have always loved to be here for singles and not just doubles. Yeah, it's a little bit different being in the singles when obviously you have all of this kind of stuff to do.
A lot more goes into the singles event than the doubles. I think maybe having a little taste in the previous years is gonna help me hopefully.
Yeah, I guess it's an extra a little bit special being in the singles event.

Q. We had a new No. 1 this month. How do you see Caroline's achievement this year?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think anyone who gets to No. 1 in the world is an unbelievable achievement. She's so young, and obviously has had a great year career so far and can only get better. It's great for her, Danish tennis, and the tour to have a new person there.
We're all trying to get to that spot, so it's great to see someone else achieve it. Yeah, definitely wish her the best while she's there.

Q. There's always a debate being he about being No. 1 without any slams. How do you see that? Is that fair?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I mean, that's a tough one. Obviously you want to be No. 1 I guess with winning the slams, but I guess it proves how good she is throughout the year. She hasn't won slam yet, but won a hell of a lot of other major tournaments that we play throughout the year.
I suppose being No. 1, if you can do that without first winning slam, you've played very good tennis throughout the rest of the tournaments to be able to get there. I'm sure it's something that she would love to achieve as well, not just everyone talking about it.

Q. With it being 40 years on since the original Virginia Slims event which Billie Jean King started, what respect do the current players have for the original nine that broke away 40 years ago?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Without them, who knows if we would be here now or whether it would be -- who knows when this could have or may have happened. I think we've really got to say thank you to those nine, especially Billie Jean, to stand up not just for women's tennis but women in general.
I think it's been a huge accomplishment for her, and now we're the ones that get to see the reward for that. I think we have a lot to owe Billie Jean and those original women who started all this.

Q. The Williams sisters aren't here. What impact does that have the tournament from a player's perspective, not having two of the best players here? How does that affect the way you approach the game?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think obviously they deserve to be here. They would have qualified if they were not injured to be here, but unfortunately that's the tennis world. You do get injured. Sometimes it can be at a not-so-good time of the year.
I think for us now, whoever has managed to be here has a great opportunity. It would have been exciting to have them here. Without them we have a great field. I think we're going to have some really good matches along the way.
It's for the top eight people who he can be here, and that's us. I think we're all going to try to make the most of this opportunity and give it our best shot.

Q. Does seeing Wozniacki get to No. 1 give you extra encouragement that even though you're older you still have it in you to get to the top?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I would like to think so. I'm where I am now and definitely striving to get higher. Yeah, I'm a little bit older than Caroline, but I still feel young enough to be able to play out here for another four or five years yet.
It's the best time of my career so far, so I think to be able to look forward and ahead is, yeah, it's bright, I think. If I can keep going the way I'm going, hopefully I can get up there or close to there as well.

Q. Why have we had to wait a quarter of the century for another Aussie to get in the top 5?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Don't know. Kind of with our history and the amount of great players that we've had from our country, it's a little bit surprising that it has been so long.
I think since that time, a lot more of the world plays tennis now. It's a lot more competitive and there's a lot more countries involved. I don't know. It's just one of those things. I think it all goes in cycles.
You never know, if five or ten years' time you might see a handful of us inside the top 50, and from there hopefully higher. I think this all goes round in circles. I'm at the top of that circle now, I suppose.

Q. The WTA hosted Internet voting about the best dressed player on and off court. What do you find of that voting?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I guess it involves the fans and gets everyone involved. Yeah, they can kind of feel part of something.
I don't know. I think it's an interesting thing to put in place. Yeah, it let's everyone kind of have a say I suppose.

Q. But what impact does it have that you look good outside on a court on you like as a tennis player?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I suppose you want to try and look good anyway, regardless if anyone's going to vote for you or not.
I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if you get a trophy for winning it if everyone votes for you, but I think it's a cool initiative.

Q. Some may call it sexist. Would you be one of those?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know. I think the tour is about playing tennis. You also obviously get looked at in the public eye outside of the tennis court as well. It all goes with be a professional tennis player.

Q. Talk a little bit about your best results on clay?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, well, I like to play powerfully and hit the ball hard, you know, be quite physical with the way I play. It's the way I've always played.
I didn't really grow up playing on clay. The last few years obviously have had very good results on there. I think as I've matured and got older and realized how well my game can matchup with that surface, I've been able to reach good results out there.
Hardcourt is still my favorite surface, and we play on that the majority of the year. I do enjoy playing on clay. Maybe with the way that I play, that helps me.

Q. But with tennis today as it has developed, do you see there's room to have players having a favorite surface?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I think everyone will always still have their favorite surface. I think I played four tournaments on clay this year. I would love to play more.
With the way that I do my schedule and where you can and can't play, it doesn't work out for me to play any more. I would like to, but that's the way it's designed. Hardcourt, we do play on those most of the year.
I don't know. It's one of those things. You can still have your favorite surface, but if you can't play on it that much, you've got to be able to play on other surfaces and enjoy those as well.

Q. How important a week do you think this is for women's tennis? It's a once-in-sort-of-a-year's opportunity to showcase the very best in the sport. Do you look upon it like that? Is this a good week for the women to show what they're made of and break away a little bit from under the shadow of the men?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: For sure. Absolutely. It's a huge event. It's a great event. Now just being a part of it, I really realize that. It's exciting to be here.
Again, it's a reward for us for what we've done throughout the year to be able to play this week and play against the best of our peers. It is a privilege to be playing against these best players in the world.
They're the ones you want to play against week in and week out. You get here in one week and have to do that day after day. I think it really brings out - or hopefully will bring out - the best tennis in all of us, and we can have some really good, competitive matches.

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