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TEB BNP PARIBAS WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 24, 2011

Agnieszka Radwanska

ISTANBUL, TURKEY

THE MODERATOR: At 22 years old, she owns seven career singles titles, including Carlsbad, Tokyo, and Beijing, three big tournaments to qualify her into the main draw this year. She's here from Poland. Please welcome Agnieszka Radwanska.
If we could have our first question.

Q. Congratulations on qualifying for the tournament. You have done it with a fantastic late run. Can you explain how it is that you've had all this success quite late in the season?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, yes, actually I'm very, very happy, first of all, that I'm here. But to be honest, I didn't really expect before Asia that I have any chance to be here.
You know, I just went there, you know, with no pressure, you know. It's last two big tournaments, so you just, you know, you have no pressure. I was just playing, you know, very good tennis. Actually, I was feeling much better every match, and I would just keep going till the end.
Definitely that was my two of the best tournaments.

Q. Do you think it will give you momentum to do better in the year-end Championships than some of the other players?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, it's hard to say, you know. Different courts, different country, I think, you know, and different tournament. So I just hope I can play the same good tennis like in Asia.

Q. Some people have said in the past that they see some similarities between you and Martina Hingis and the way you have ball control and tactical ability. Do you feel that in any way or not?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah, actually, I heard about this a couple times, and actually, it's very nice to hear that. Martina, always the great champion, and it was very nice to play against her a couple times before she retired.
But I think maybe it's something that we have similar, you know, not as powerful like other players that are really hitting the ball very hard, so maybe that's why they're comparing us.

Q. Maybe you can explain to us why it's so much Polish blood in women tennis: yourself, Wozniacki, Wozniak, Lisicki, I don't know.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, it's good question. But, you know, I don't know. I just very -- I mean, for my country I just play myself, but it's very nice to talk, you know, in the Polish language in the locker room. And actually, with all those players, even when they're not living in Poland, you know, speak Polish very good. So it's, you know, this is a good thing.

Q. But you are something special, you think? You are stronger? You know, what do you think you are? Your will is better?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Um, I don't think so. You know, I just -- it's nice of course to have some Polish girls around, and, you know, the language is always I think the thing that, you know, that you're always closer to some players that, you know, they speak the same language.

Q. You played last week in Moscow and now you practicing here. Is there big difference between court surface?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, definitely. I think all the indoor courts are pretty much different, and especially that, you know, they just build the court few days or weeks ago. So it's always a little bit different.
I was practicing here for a few days, so I just, you know, hope I can play good tennis from the first match. But for sure, you know, the first match will be the most difficult like always. So we'll see.

Q. You played a lot of tournaments recently. How do you feel physically right now? Is it 100%, or you are tired?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I don't think I played that much this year, you know. I had foot surgery last of season, so in the beginning of the year I didn't play that much. Actually didn't play any small tournaments.
So actually I'm, you know, ready to go. Of course, you know, it's hard because season is 10 months, so I have been playing all the time, you know, or playing matches or practicing. But, you know, I'm ready to go and, you know, just push myself for the last week.

Q. How far do you think you may be a favorite here this week? Last week we had the opportunity to speak to Kim Clijsters, the previous winner. We asked her, Have you seen any tennis the last couple of weeks? She said, Yes, when I'm cooking I have my TV set on in the kitchen. Watch out for Radwanska. What do you think about that?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Oh, it's very nice to hear that, but, you know, top eight players, you know, top eight players playing the best tennis this year, so, you know, is very hard to say about even favorite players.
You know, I think all the players have, you know, pretty much the same chances. I'm the last one here. I'm just, first of all, happy that I'm here and just that I made this tournament pretty much in the last minute.

Q. Your year kind of turned around after you changed your coach. What's the difference between what you were doing before off court and what you're doing now?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, first of all, I didn't really change my coach. I'm still practicing with my dad. But the second coach is traveling with me, so after Beijing or before Asia tournaments I was practicing with my dad, and we just took some break, you know, not spend that much time together. So I'm just traveling with the second coach.
But I think it works, you know. So is good sometimes to have a little break after 17 years practicing together, for sure.

Q. I said you were maybe one of the favorites, but the other girls are much more the favorite because they have more support. They have a fiancÃ© next to them. When do you bring a fiancÃ© next to the court?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Oh, I don't know about that, but it's hard to say. But I think my private life I will always keep for myself, so I never talk about it.

Q. Was it a surprise for you that Bartoli retired from her match in Moscow? Did you expect that she's not going to finish the tournament?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, not really. But, you know, if she retired, for sure, you know, she didn't feel, you know, good. And, you know, when you play those kind of tournaments very, very strong, and you really have to be 100% fit to win the match. So, you know, if she retires, for sure, something happened and she really felt bad. So it's just bad luck.

Q. I read in some place, I don't know if it's true or not, but the person you'd like to meet is Santa Claus. I read in some place about yourself that you would like to meet, the person you would like to meet is Santa Claus. I don't know if it's true or not. I read in some biography, a journalist who make a interview. Is true you'd like to meet Santa Claus?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Not really. But if I can meet -- yeah, that would be great, but --

Q. What would you like to ask to him?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Um, I don't know. Good question. For like no injuries, no cramps, something like that, for sure.

Q. Which was the player when you were very young, what player you look forward the most? I mean, was Steffi Graf? And why?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Actually, yes. Actually till now I very much like to watch tennis so it was couple players I was really loving to watch. Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf, of course, and also even the Williams sisters, you know. And especially it's very nice feeling that, you know, I was watching all those players when I was much younger, and now I can play against few of them. So, you know, it's great.

Q. I'm Italian, I ask about Italy. You have a new sponsor, Italian. How many words do you say in Italian?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Buongiorno. What else? I'm still working on my Italian.

Q. And for a polite player like you, I mean, you speak English very well. You do so many things all around the world, but you still think in Polish or think in another language?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: To be honest, everything in Polish. But, for example, when I'm in U.S., like for six weeks, sometimes it's like I really -- when I come back to Poland, then I start to speak English, just not thinking. For example, when I'm shopping, you know, and just saying to someone something, and I start to speak English. I'm like, Oh, my God. I'm in Poland already. Sometimes it's like that. Actually, of course, Polish is the first language.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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