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WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS - DOHA 2010

October 30, 2010

Samantha Stosur

DOHA, QATAR

K. CLIJSTERS/S. Stosur
7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The first set came down to a matter of millimeters. I guess you just weren't able to sustain that sort of intensity in the second set; is that how you saw?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it was an incredibly close first set, and obviously had the set point and she hit a ball right on the line. So you have to say, you know, Too good on shots like that. I thought it was a really high-quality match.
Yeah, obviously a little bit disappointing not to get a reward for playing so well for that period of time.
Yeah, that second set she really played well, and, yeah, deserved to win it in the end.

Q. Overall, are you pleased that you finished the season on such a high to make the semifinals here?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, for sure. I'm very, very pleased with the way the week's gone here. I thought I played four good matches and gave my best and thought I played really well. So I've got to walk away somewhat happy, I guess.
Always a little bit disappointed, but you got to look at it as a whole. I'm pleased with the way that I've played here.

Q. How important was it to finish the season with a couple confidence-boosting wins over top 10ers?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I think it's always important to do well against those kind of players no matter what tournament is. The last one of the year, everyone wants to do well. You always want to finish on a good note rather than a bad one.
To be able to do that, it's pleasing.

Q. And to feel you belonged, too. It's your debut here, and yet you're 2-4, which is a good result.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it's not too shabby, I guess. (Smiling.) To get through the semis is obviously a lot better than losing in the round, so I did what I could. Unfortunately for me, I got a little bit outplayed today.
That's what happens when you play against the best in the world. You have to play absolutely at the peak. If you drop off just that little bit, then you get punished for it.

Q. What's the plan now? How many weeks off? What do you plan to do?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, couple weeks off. Won't do too much. Just go home and enjoy being home and see my friends and all that kind of thing.
Start doing some fitness work towards the end of November, and start hitting in December. Quite a big gap now to be able to relax and I guess really reflect on what the year's been.

Q. Is there something specific you're going to work on when you get back on the court in December?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I'm sure there will be. I haven't thought too much about it yet. I'm sure Dave and I will talk leading up to that and put a bit of a plan together.
Yeah, there are definitely things I want to work on and keep improving. So whatever they end up being, we'll go through that and really go hard the pre-season.

Q. Obviously your season is only just finished now, but it's been a bit of a dream season for you. I guess you would have taken it at the start of the year.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I'm very pleased with the way it's all gone. You know, last year I thought was the best year I had on tour, and now this year I've well and truly passed that.
So, yeah, it's really pleasing to know that I've been able to sustain it for another year and really be more consistent throughout the whole time and overall play much better tennis.
I think I'm always improving as a player, and I think that's showing in the results I'm get asking, and definitely confidence boosting. Hopefully next year can go the same way.

Q. And the Australian Open, is that the surface that suits you next best after the French, say?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I've always enjoyed playing there. I feel comfortable on the court. Yeah, again, I like the hot conditions, and maybe have a bit of an advantage doing the whole pre-season in Australia compared to some of the other player. I do like the surface. I think it suits me well. If I'm playing close to my best, then I think I should be able to do well.
You know, there's always -- you got to put everything together at that time, and the Australian Open a difficult, as any Grand Slams. So, you know, I look forward to it coming up.

Q. What was Kim's main weapon today?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Um, well, I think she started serving quite well as the match went on. She really hit her corners well and got me kind of out of the court and was able to open it up.
The end of that first set and the second set, she started using her backhand down the line more and hit some right on the line right when she needed to, and some close to.
Overall, I thought she just played very solid. There's not too many weaknesses in Kim's game. You've got to find them when they're there and really try and take advantage.

Q. Another question already leading up to 2011. Australian Open, we from Belgium, when we come in Australia we often hear Kim being called Aussie Kim. Is that true? Is she still considered like an Aussie?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think because of her history, that's probably happened from, you know, back all these years ago. She's a very likable person, and I think Australia has really taken to her. Yeah, I think the Australian public really like her. They like her game, they like her personality, and she's very nice person and good for the sport.
So I think no matter where she goes she's pretty well liked.

Q. But do Aussies use the nickname Aussie Kim?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know if we do. Sometimes the media might, but not in general.

Q. A follow up what you said before about every slam being tough. Does the degree of difficulty increase because it's your home slam, do you think, from experience now?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I guess there's always that extra element of spotlight on me. But, you know, at the end of day the tennis is the same. You still got to go out there and play the same people on the same size court and everything else.
So there are other elements that are a little bit different. But again, I really enjoy the atmosphere down there. You still got to think all those good things that way, anything that might put a bit more pressure or anything like that.
So I look forward to it. There's nothing I can really say that's really daunting or that I don't like about playing down there.

End of FastScripts

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