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WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2011

Victoria Azarenka

LONDON, ENGLAND

P. KVITOVA/V. Azarenka
6-1, 3-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. As the highest seeded player left in the draw, did you feel a bit of added pressure to get through to the final and win?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, not really. There was not really pressure when you are facing a very tough opponent who is capable to show their best tennis, you know, what she showed today.
So, no, not really.

Q. You seem to have turned the match around in the second set. What happened in the third?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think she started, you know, serving, and she really played very well on her service game. Was a little bit of a bad luck, I think. In the end of the second, there was few miss-hit - not miss-hit, I miss just couple, and she really took great advantage of it.
She was just going for every single shot today. When my balls were going a little bit out like this, her balls were going into the line.
But as I said, she played brilliant match today, and I have to give all the credit to her.

Q. You lost at the French Open to the winner of the tournament. Do you feel like you're having bad luck running into women who are playing particularly well at this time?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I actually haven't lost to anybody who didn't win the tournament since March. So if you can say it's a bad luck, I don't know. Maybe I'm just the one who gives so much confidence or whatever (laughter).
But, yeah, I think I'm playing always somebody who is in a great form, but I have to take it.

Q. Is that hard to deal with psychologically for you?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, no, it's a good challenge. You know, to be out there in the finals winning tournaments, you have be to beat the best players in the best forms. You really have to perform.
Today I didn't win, but I'm going to have another chance. I have to work hard because I've been showing some consistent results, you know, good results, so I just have to keep working the same way.

Q. Do you think you've lost to the winner this time as well?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I have no idea. We'll see what happens.

Q. Do you think she can beat whoever?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: I think she can beat anybody any day, because right now she has really good game. You know, she's really going for it. She's going to play like this, like she played today, I'm sure she has all the chances to win the next match.

Q. Did any of her game surprise you?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, not really. Not surprise, but she was just playing really well. I cannot be surprised. I was just facing, you know, somebody who was at the top of their game today.
I had to take it. I had to fight. I fought for every point. I tried my best. But there is always room to improve.

Q. Serving while behind for a place in a Wimbledon final, is it a difficult assignment? Were you nervous in that last game?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, I wasn't nervous because I knew I had to fight for every point, you know, just keep consistent. I had a little bit of few breakpoints in the third set, but, you know, I didn't do anything wrong; she just played too good.
But, uhm, what can you say? You know, it's behind me already. I have to look forward. I cannot complain about the tournament. The tournament is pretty good.

Q. Did the noise of the alarm going off in the first set, did that have an effect on you?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No. I can't look for these silly excuses.

Q. Having gotten so close to the final, you don't seem particularly disappointed. What are you feeling right now?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, I may not show you that I'm disappointed right now. Well, I'm not going to sit and cry here that I lost the match.
But I am disappointed with the loss. It was just I have a lot of demanding on myself. But I have to, you know, keep working hard. I cannot sit here and cry, Oh, my God, I lost today. What do I have to do now?
I'm just going to go rest a little bit, regroup, and get ready for hard court season. There is no other way.

Q. What would your grandmother say to you after a match like this?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: She will not say anything about the match. She'll just say she loves me no matter what.

Q. You won your first WTA title after several finals. Maybe it's just your way to go to the majors, step by step. What do you think about that?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Maybe. I don't know. I always take it step by step, you know. I think I'm getting more and more mature in every way in the game, physically and mentally. So I have to take it step by step.
I did a little bit closer, you know, to the title, to the finals, whatever. But, as I said, I just have to keep working hard. I have nothing to doubt. I have nothing to regret today. I just have to look forward.

Q. Does it make it a bit more agonizing, the fact that you got into your first slam semifinal and you were so close to getting into your first final? Does this make it a bit harder to take than any of the defeats before?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: No, not really. You know, as I said, today I have no regrets. I really fought hard. If I could say if I could have played better, yeah, I probably could have played better.
But when I had chances, she really came up with the good stuff. So, as I said, all the credit to her. For me, I have to take my next chance.

Q. What in your mind was the difference in the match? And what's missing in your game from taking it all the way at a big tournament like this?
VICTORIA AZARENKA: Well, as I said, I'm going to be so demanding. I always demanding and picky with myself, and I always want to improve every aspect every day. That's how I am in life, not only on tennis court.
But I definitely want to improve my serve more, you know, which has actually been improved a lot since even beginning of the year. So I'm really looking forward to working on that.
And physically always, because the game is really becoming harder and harder physically, you have to be very strong and fit. So that's always an aspect.
And mentally, as well. Just have to keep believing in myself and keep playing with the same attitude, you know, to fight for every ball.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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