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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN

February 17, 2011

Vera Zvonareva

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

A. KLEYBANOVA/V. Zvonareva
6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've been very busy. That one match too many?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I don't know. It's hard to say. But definitely it wasn't my day today. I think I didn't play too good. Too many unforced errors. Probably one of the worse matches in a while from my part.
But I think it's part of the game that you have sometimes these kind of days. She's a tough opponent, so if you're not playing at a high level, it's very difficult to beat her.
So I just have to think about it. I have to analyze a little bit why this, why that, so I can improve and do better next week.

Q. She's very strong.
VERA ZVONAREVA: Definitely she's a powerful player. But it's something that I expect from her, to be powerful on the court. Nothing -- she didn't do anything different. She didn't really surprise me with something. She just played a very good, consistent match. That's it.

Q. What aspects caused you problems today?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I think I found that my ball was a little bit flying today. I think yesterday's match against Roberta was absolutely different. She's a tricky player, plays different shots, and, you know, I had time it execute my shots and just play different shots as well.
Today I had absolutely different opponent with different style of game, very powerful. To handle that pace, I was trying to put the pace as well, and I felt my ball was flying a lot and I had a lot of unforced errors. I just could not readjust.
Just, I don't know, the difference between yesterday and today, two different opponents, I think that caused me a lot of trouble. I felt like I was a little bit late. I felt like I was seeing the ball well, but my feet weren't adjusting and my hands weren't adjusting. I didn't have control on the ball.
And, well, I couldn't make the rally very long. Well, that's caused me trouble. I think against her, you have to play more consistent than I did today.

Q. How frustrated are you finding your performance over the last year especially where you're regarded by many as "the nearly player." You just can't seem to win a title.
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, you know, it's part of the game. Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose. But I won a lot of good matches last year, and I look at that as a positive thing.
You know, I've been in many finals; that's a great thing. I'm trying to improve every day. Hopefully one day -- if I work hard, hopefully one day I will win a title.
But it's impossible to do it every single week. I try to improve. I try to think over, and I know that I will have some bad days. But even if I have the bad days, I still manage to win a lot of the matches. That is a great experience.
But today I needed a little bit more. Well, we will see. I'll try to do better next time.

Q. How much do you gear your year towards peaking at the Grand Slams?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I think that's one of the most important things for me right now. I'm not that young anymore. I've been on the tour for a long time, and I need make my priorities.
So I definitely need to play good and peak at the big events, especially in the Grand Slams. That's definitely my goal, and, yeah, trying to pace myself a little bit more. Because I learned my lesson last year where I played a lot, and, you know, it was very difficult for me physically to be like challenging, to challenge my opponent in the most important matches.
I learned from it. So, you know, this year I tried to maybe cut down on some tournaments. We will see. Try to definitely peak for the big events.

Q. What about mentally? Do you have to prepare differently mentally as well?
VERA ZVONAREVA: For sure. There are a lot of players that go out there and have nothing to lose against me and they're just going to try to play their game. Like for example Alisa did today. She's got so many great wins over the top players. She's just one of those players who love to play top players and can come up with a great match against top players.
That's something that I have to expect all the time from any other opponent that I'm going to face. This way I have to stay, you know, just mentally tough and accept that sometimes I will have bad days like today, and that I might lose matches. But it is part of the game, as long as I make right conclusions and as long as I work hard and do better next week.

Q. Is there a difference in conditions between center and an outside court for you today? Were you surprised to be on an outside court being ranked No. 2 in this tournament?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, there are so many great players out there, and I think everyone deserves to be on the center court today. If you look at all the matches, could probably put every single match on center court. There is not enough time in 24 hours to do that.
So, no, I was not surprised at all. But it's just a little bit different definitely. I think that court is a little bit faster and I think it suits her game a little bit more. I think the ball is flying a little bit more on outside courts just because the wind is picking up there and sort of swirling inside, and on the center court it's a bit more protected.
So definitely it was a little bit different conditions. But, you know, it's part of the game, so...

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