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U.S. OPENAugust 24, 2013Samantha StosurNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. It's the 40th anniversary, equal prize money for men and women, and also WTA 40th anniversary. Just want to know some of your thoughts being a woman's player in this generation and how you put yourself in that history. SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I guess it's a really exciting time for women's sport, women's tennis in particular, obviously with all these, you know, milestones that have happened over the last 40 years, from where everything started to where we are now. I guess a player like myself now, playing this generation, is certainly seeing rewards for everything that happened all that time ago. I guess the progress has happened over the years. So I think to be a female tennis player at this point in time we are very privileged to obviously do what we do, but also now get, you know, rewarded for doing it, as well. Q. What would you like to see in the future, if anything, if anything were to change? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know. I think as long as things stay equal, which I think in this day and age everything deserves to be, you know, I don't think we can really go past that. I think that's the biggest thing, is equality. Q. Do you think there is more or less depth in the women's game now than when you broke into the game? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I mean, I probably would think now. I mean, I guess with having quite a few different Grand Slam winners over recent years and, you know, the way things have gone, I think it shows, that things are‑‑ okay, you have Serena at the top, which no doubt she's above everyone else at the moment, and that shows with the rankings now. But, you know, I think it's fair to say that then there is a bunch of players that are capable of winning Grand Slams and capable of doing great things out here. I think, you know, that hasn't always been the case. I think it's something you can argue with one way is better than the other, but I think it always goes around in cycles; this is the one we're in now. Q. You were the only person to beat Azarenka on a hard court this year when you beat her in the Carlsbad final, and you had a pretty bad record against her before that. What made you able to break through that day, and how do you assess her general form on hard courts right now? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah, I guess that was a really good breakthrough for me. I hadn't obviously beaten her before, and then to do it in the final and maybe on a surface where I actually hadn't realized that was the case. I think she's obviously playing quite well at the moment. Maybe, you know, last week in Cincy where she won with a massive tournament. To beat Serena in the finals is always a great. You have to say she's playing quite well at the moment, and I guess she's always quite consistent. So she always kind of keeps that baseline there, and whether or not it goes higher in the big moments is probably how you judge whether or not she's playing better or the best or however you want to say it. Q. Back to prize money again for a second. Within the tour itself, women's tour, are you happy and satisfied with the distribution of prize money and how that's allocated within the WTA or not compared to the men? SAMANTHA STOSUR: What do you mean, with the tour events as far as... Q. As far as the pay structure, prize money structure, the different rounds. Do you think that's equally distributed among all the women? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah. I mean, I guess so. To be honest, it's not a lot of time I spend thinking about the distribution. But I think the tournaments put up their prize money, they want to have the biggest women's check. So that's always going to be ‑‑ at the end of the day, the ones that are in the finals, semis, whatever, they are the biggest rounds. They're probably the ones selling the most tickets at that time. I think you have to reward those players for doing better. Of course everyone has to start somewhere. I have been in that boat starting on tour, and you need that first‑round money to almost make it to the next event. I can fully understand that point of view, as well. I think where things are at the moment I think it's quite all right. Q. How special is this place for you given it was the scene of your great moment? SAMANTHA STOSUR: It's fantastic coming back here. I guess it's the second year coming back to the site of where I have had my best tennis moment. So I think no matter, you know, what leadup you've had, however you feel, you can walk in here and think this is pretty cool and relive all those great memories and hopefully make them all happen again. Q. How are you feeling? Carlsbad must have been a good moment for you as well. Bit of a drought? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, did take a while to win another title. That was a great week. I thought I played some of the best tennis I played in a long time, which is always a nice feeling. I like playing on these courts and these conditions throughout the summer here. I'm glad I got rewarded for ‑‑ I guess for sticking with things and doing the hard work and all that. So I think now coming into the US Open I'm feeling quite good. Of course it's a new week and you've got to make sure you keep doing everything you need to do to continue on with that success. Q. Can you talk about the timing of splitting with your coach? Seems surprising. Comes fairly soon after Carlsbad and right before a Grand Slam. What were your reasons and why now? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think Dave and I, we had been together for a long time. It was almost six years. We had some great moments in that period of time. Yeah, you know, as these little periods have gone on, I think we both were kind of feeling that we'd almost come to the end. Unfortunately, it happened to be last week. I don't think, neither of us, I'm sure, would have wanted it to happen right then, and obviously with winning that tournament almost makes it seem a little bit strange. But I think we both felt that it was time, and, you know, if something's time is up, then you've kind of got to call it a day. Q. Are you working with Alicia Molik now? SAMANTHA STOSUR: She's obviously Fed Cup captain; she was coming here anyway, so I guess it's nice. So I guess now given my situation I can look to her for some support. So she will be out on the practice courts and watching my matches. Q. Anyone in a more permanent role, or just for the time being? SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, just for the time being. Obviously I didn't have anything in place. It just happened last week. So like I said, she will help me here, and after this tournament I will kind of assess what I want to do, who maybe it can be, and go from there. But there is no one in particular at the moment. Q. What are you thinking it's going to be like to play mixed doubles with (indiscernible)? SAMANTHA STOSUR: (Indiscernible.) It will be interesting. A bit of fun. He's a character and loves playing in front of a home crowd. So, yeah, I guess we'll try and enjoy it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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