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MERCURY INSURANCE OPEN

August 6, 2011

Vera Zvonareva

CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA

V. ZVONAREVA/A. Ivanovic
5-7, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. (No microphone.)
VERA ZVONAREVA: I can't really remember what's the score when I double-faulted. I wasn't thinking about it. I tried to play one point at a time. If I lose it, I try to think about what I've done wrong, what I have to do better next time. I'm always looking forward.
Sometimes I can't even remember what's in the past game. I'm trying to think about what I need to do in the next point, next game.

Q. What did you do better in the second set after the first?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I think I started playing a little bit more aggressive overall. We've been working on few things with my coach. I tried to implement them into the match today. I felt like sometimes I was going for some crazy shots and making some wrong decisions.
But I knew I had to push myself to keep trying them. I think they didn't work in the first set, but then they started slowly working. It helped me to win the match, I think.

Q. Talk about dealing with her forehand, her big strength.
VERA ZVONAREVA: Yeah, her forehand is a very good shot. But, you know, nothing really to be afraid of if I can play my game. That's why I had to play my game. I had to take a risk when I had chances.
I didn't want to let her dominate. I was trying to dominate myself. But I felt like sometimes I was playing a little bit too passive and sometimes overaggressive, just a little bit wrong shot selection at times.
But I tried to hang in there. I was trying to think about, Okay, this was wrong one, next time I will try to make it right. Sometimes I was making the mistake over and over again. But I think in the end I came up with the good shots when I needed them.

Q. What's more satisfying, the long three-set victories or a quick victory?
VERA ZVONAREVA: You know, any victory is satisfying. Not really thinking about how long, how much time you spend on the court.
But, you know, overall, if you play for two hours, three hours, it is quite disappointing if you lose the match. So, of course, when you win those tough matches, it is great. But it is also good to win matches when you can win them fast because you challenge yourself in two different ways.
When you go on the court and you know that you dominate the opponent, you want to keep doing the same thing and don't change the match around, you know, don't let the opponent change the match around. When you have those tough matches like this one, you want to make sure that you stay maybe aggressive and you go for your shots in the tough moments.

Q. You've been on the tour for a long time, just as Ana. Can you compare her level of game three years ago and now?
VERA ZVONAREVA: You know, it's something that's very tough for me. I never look back. Every single match is a different match. Sometimes it's very difficult to compare.
I'm more mature, experienced player. She's more experienced player, as well. So it is very difficult. Some shots that I came up with today, maybe I wasn't able to make them four years ago. So it is very difficult to compare.
I'm not really thinking much about it. No matter what, she's a good player. Even if she can lose few matches there and there, but she can still play some great tennis and she can still challenge top players even if she's not inside of the top 10. If she keeps working hard and keeps playing like this, I'm sure we will see her back in the top 10.

Q. There was one point in the second set that you seemed very upset with yourself, talking to yourself. Do you recall what was bothering you at that moment?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I don't know. Probably wrong shot selection. I don't know. There are a couple of times that I wasn't happy about my shots and I was probably not happy that I make those choices.
You know, I don't mind if I miss the shot, as long as I go for the shot, if I'm going for the right shot. A lot of the times I was going for the wrong shots and still making the mistake. That's something that I was not happy.
But that's something sometimes it's good to let your frustration out. I kept my focus really well. I kept the concentration that I needed. That's why I think I was able to win the match.

Q. You've now won nine straight matches. Do you feel like you're playing the best tennis of your career?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I don't know. Statistics is something that I don't pay attention to. It's not my job. My job is to go out there and play tennis, to compete, to give my best every single day. Statistics and all those results, it's your job.
You know, I don't know. I think I'm playing some good tennis, but there are a lot of things that I want to improve and I need to go back on the court and I need to work harder so I can, yeah, play better tennis because I believe that I can play much better tennis than I even played today.

Q. On that note, you lose the first set. You've won so many matches. You dig down deep and not panic in the second and third set?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Yeah, I think that's something that comes with experience. I've been on the tour for so many years. I played so many matches. There is nothing wrong with, I don't know, winning or losing first or second set. You're still in the match. And while you're still in the match, you have chances to turn it around.
As soon as you shake the hand of your opponent, yeah, then the match is over. You cannot turn it around. But while you're still there on the court, you have to stay focused and you have to keep fighting.

Q. Do you feel this is one of your better starts to a hard court season this year?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, if you look at the results, yeah, it is a pretty good start. But every season is different. I don't know. I have a lot of tournaments ahead of myself. We will see how it goes. But so far I think I'm playing pretty good. I'm enjoying my time on the court. I'm enjoying working hard every day. Hopefully I can play even better and better.

Q. (Question regarding Ana's toss.)
VERA ZVONAREVA: Yeah, sometimes it can be frustrating, a couple tosses. But it is part of the game. I'm a professional tennis player. It's something I have to deal with. It happens. It happens to everybody when there is a lot of wind. You have to stop.
It is tough because you try to keep your focus, and then 10 seconds, 15 seconds, you sort of need to start over again. But it happens.

Q. You think there should be a rule that you can only catch four tosses a set or twice maybe?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, I don't know about the rule. Maybe it's something to look into. But you don't see it that much. If you see it a lot on the tour happening, yeah, maybe. You don't really see it that much. Maybe if you do it three times in a row on one serve, maybe there should be a rule. I haven't given it a thought.

Q. Did you ask the chair umpire to tell her to stop catching the toss?
VERA ZVONAREVA: No. I haven't mentioned it. But I think sometimes when players do it, like it happened to me couple of times when we played in very, very windy conditions. Chair umpire went to both players and asked players to, you know, watch the tosses because there could be like sort of a time violation for that.

Q. Do you want to talk about Radwanska. Obviously a different type of player than Ana.
VERA ZVONAREVA: Definitely. Agnieszka is a fighter. There's always long rallies with her. We played two tough matches. It's going to be different. I'll have to readjust my game, especially playing against hard-hitters like Sabine and Ana last two matches.
But it's something that I'll look into tomorrow and it's something that I've been through so many times in my career. Nothing new. I will just have to go out there and give my best.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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