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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN

February 20, 2011

Svetlana Kuznetsova

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

C. WOZNIACKI/S. Kuznetsova
6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Hard luck. You seemed to keep blowing your nose and everything. Did the virus come back?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No, no, not at all. I just didn't play well. I did too many unforced errors. She played basic game and didn't have to do much. I was just making so many unforced errors.

Q. How can you explain having played so well to get to the final that you just didn't show up tonight?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I'm not sure. I mean, it's not easy to play her, but I've done -- in the start of the match, I had few easy sitters and I miss it, I get frustrated, and it all got very complicated because she got advantage and I was behind.
Then in second set I also did few unforced errors, then and I let her go again, you know, because she wouldn't do unforced errors. I think in the end I found kind of the key to play her, but it was already too late.

Q. She takes a lot of stick for being No. 1 and never winning a slam, blah, blah, blah. But what does she do well? What is she very good at?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: She defends well; she doesn't give you many free points.

Q. What did your coach told you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I don't remember.

Q. You somehow changed your game towards the end. Was it what your coach that told you to change it?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, he was trying to tell me something to do, but I didn't -- didn't work for me either way. I was trying to do myself, and then I think I found something.

Q. Because Caroline defends so well, does that make you try to go for your shots more?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: It's hard to say. I think I force too much. This is because she defends well I force too much. I mean, for me it's very frustrating because I don't play my good game.
If I would play my good game and I lose, okay. You know, it's like she played better than me. She does well. She plays a stable game and she wins. But I cannot tell you that she overpower me or she overrun me.
I just keep changing I think strategy all the match instead of just choosing one thing and playing it. She's just smart player. That's it.

Q. Nevertheless, it's been a very good week when you look back.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah, I mean, I'm winning matches which I had to win, whatever number it is now. But, still, I have to improve. I want to be where she is more or less at the moment, so I know the things I have to work. I going to work on it and do my best and keep it positive.
Definitely I'm very disappointed because I just didn't do top of my game.

Q. What's the difference between getting a really high ranking - you've been to No. 2 - and actually winning those slams? What do you have to have?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: What do you mean? What's the difference between winning a slams and being...

Q. You've won two slams.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Yeah. I think I get it. I think it's different to play one week, two weeks, seven games. It's very difficult to play seven games well. And I can play. When I play good, I can beat anyone. But to play tennis consistently, this is what it takes.
Maybe I was a little bit young and I had my chances, and when I had possibility to be No. 1 I just didn't did it because I was too crazy. I'm maybe not that stable as for example Caroline at her age, but I have different advantages and I have to use them? I think now I am a little more grown, I have a little bit more experience, and I can try it one more time.

Q. But you wouldn't swap two Grand Slam titles for a No. 1 ranking, would you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I don't know. I have what I have and I am who I am. I don't want to be Caroline. I love to be who I am. I really appreciate my life, my tennis game. I love my game. For example, I wouldn't change my game for hers for sure, because I'm actually enjoying playing how I play.
But today I didn't do anything, so this is what disappoints me a lot.

End of FastScripts

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