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U.S. OPEN

September 4, 2011

Flavia Pennetta

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

F. PENNETTA/S. Peng
6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you pull that match out?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: How I? Well, I starting -- I just believe all the time and I just try to play every point. Was working pretty good.

Q. Were you getting physically ill behind the baseline?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Yeah.

Q. The second set?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Yeah, I was feeling really bad. I think was because it's really humid today. It's hot. And also, when you are there you have a lot of emotion in the court. My body just need to breathe, and I starting maybe to have the sensation to throwing up.
But doesn't -- without nothing inside so it didn't come out.

Q. Can you talk about that fourth set point where you hit the forehand and leaped into the air? Could you have played a third set physically? Do you think you could have held out?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Well, we never know, you know. I think yes, I will play the third set and I will fight the third set, also. But of course it was supposed to not be easy for me to just stay there all the time.
Was two hours and 30 minutes I think and just two sets, so was really long. Long rally, everything was really long today.

Q. This is the only Grand Slam you have reached the quarterfinals at, and you've done it now three years out of the last four.
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Yeah.

Q. What is it about this slam out of the others that maybe you feel more comfortable here or play your best?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Yeah, of course I feel more comfortable here. I like to be here. I just enjoy I think all the time when I am in New York.
The center court is amazing for me, so... The other courts are really nice and the people are really nice with me all the time. They cheering for me from the beginning, and it's nice to have the support of the crowd.

Q. When you were down the fourth set point in the match against Zvonareva two years ago...
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I didn't think about that, but now I think about that. (Smiling.)

Q. Do you feel like you're doing too much running in these matches? Would you like to try to close the points quicker?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Um, of course I ran too much today, because I was trying to -- sometimes I play too flat, and she was playing unbelievable. She was in the middle of the court and just moving from one side to the other one.
You know, it know was really tough match for me today. I know she was in good shape. She play really hard all the balls, so I was ready to run, of course.

Q. You served for first set the second time at 5-4, and I think you hit two aces.
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Yeah.

Q. What was going through your mind? Her second-serve return is so good.
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Her second serve? Yeah, I was thinking to play with the first serve, but was not easy at all, because like you say, she give me lot of pressure with the second serve.
But I just taking my time and I starting to just think what I have to do, and everything was working really good. I think she had three points for 5-All and two was two ace and one was a rally. I just try to play more with the first serve.

Q. I don't know if you mentioned this, but outside of an injury have you ever felt worse physically on the court?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: No. This one is one of the worst I never feel in the court.

Q. What was the second worst?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I have one I think in Roland Garros with Patty Schnyder. I don't remember the year, but was really tough. I won the first set, lost the second set, and I'm just dying thirst.
So I think that one was another one. I don't have a lot, I have to say, but today was really tough.

Q. In your last two quarterfinals you played Safina, then you played Serena, and now you're going to be playing Kerber, who you're supposed to be a better player than, so...
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Of course it is. Of course it is.

Q. What's the situation for you?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: It is a bit like -- it's much better. Serena was No. 2, 3; Safina was No. 1 in the moment when I play her.
So she's a good player. She's in the quarterfinals, so supposed to play really well, because you are not there for because you want to be there. You are there because you beat a lot of good players.
So I think is gonna be tough for me, for her. We have a good chance, and we just I think have to try to be focused in your game, focused on what you have to do, try to relax a little bit, don't think too much about what expecting the people from you, and just try to enjoy.

Q. I think there is only one woman left who is still in the singles and doubles. Is it difficult for you to put in the same focus in both tournaments?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Yeah, I'm able to do that. I love to play doubles. They asked me yesterday if I would like to play doubles also today because we have few days more to play, and actually I prefer to play tomorrow because today I know was really tough for me to play two matches.
Tomorrow I will be ready to play doubles and the day after to play singles. We are used to play singles, doubles and don't have any day between one and the other one. So I think I'm fit. (Smiling).

Q. What would it mean to you to reach a semifinals after all these years in Grand Slams?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Well, for the moment I'm in the quarterfinal. If I won next day, so we can think about that.

Q. You're one of the three oldest women left in the singles draw. Do you know this?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I didn't know that.

Q. How does it make you feel?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I didn't know that, but I know I'm a little bit old, like for tennis; for life I'm young.
But, well, actually we have a good experience, like Francesca last year, she won Roland Garros and she was 30, and this year final with 31. Na Li, she won Roland Garros and she's 29, also.
There is some player can growing up early and some player they need time, and I'm one of them.

Q. How motivating is it to have somebody like Francesca around who is in the same ranking place as you, 10 to 20, and then wins the tournament and you think, Hey, I play with her; I can beat her; she wins a Grand Slam; why can't I?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Well, of course it's good to have her in front of me. I think in Italy, we help us a lot like with these things; because Francesca No. 1, Roberta No. 2, I'm No. 3, and we try to just moving a little bit.
We like to fight each other, you know, just to say, Hi, you're No. 1, you're No. 2. But actually it's like really funny moment for us, because we really don't care about the Italian ranking, but we care about our career. We just try to do our best.

Q. How did you prepare before this game? It's the 6th time you beat Peng Shuai.
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I was talking with my coach, because like you say, I played her already four time before this one. I know before the match what was the situation and what I have to do for take the match.
But was not easy, because I think she's a better player of two years ago. She improve a lot. She's in good shape. It was not easy at all.
But I try to be aggressive, to move her a lot from one side to the other one. Sometime was working; sometimes not.
But I was really focused on my game from the beginning.

Q. Is it the same strategy as you used before?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Yeah, it's the same. If you give her a lot of angle it's better for her. So if you start maybe a little more in the middle and then you try to move her, she's starting to have some problems. I was trying to do that.

Q. You said when Maria double-faulted the first two points of the other match that you were happy. So when Peng missed the forehand volley at match point into the net, were you happy?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I was happy.

Q. How happy?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Too much, I think. I cannot explain. I was really happy.

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