Dinara Safina 06.06.09

Q. Svetlana says you played with too much pressure. Do you agree with her? Is that the reason you couldn't find your game, especially your serve?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, pressure I put on myself because I really wanted to win. I just didn't handle it.

Q. You were especially struggling with your serve?
DINARA SAFINA: As you can see.

Q. How did you feel on court? You looked desperately around like, where can I find my strokes, my rhythm?
DINARA SAFINA: Yeah, I didn't that's exactly. I was a little bit desperate on the court, and didn't do the things that I was I had to do. Didn't stay tough mentally.

Q. Is there any comfort to you that she played a very good match. It wasn't like she put you in a position to win but you didn't win. Does that make it any easier for you, or...
DINARA SAFINA: No, because she gave me chances and I had chances. She was not so aggressive as she usually be. I just didn't do anything.

Q. You basically beat yourself?
DINARA SAFINA: I lost myself.

Q. Must be the most painful match you played because you lost to yourself.
DINARA SAFINA: There are so many matches in life. Just a bad match.

Q. The pressure, because being the No. 1, the discussion that have been made if you are the real number 1, is that what you feel, as well?
DINARA SAFINA: I just wanted to win. I didn't win it, and now it's disappointing. But tomorrow is another day. I have in one week a tournament, so tomorrow I will be fine.

Q. After semis, you told us that you got cold, you got sick. Was it okay?
DINARA SAFINA: No, I'm feeling fine. This is not a problem.

Q. What did you learn from this match? Because it was not your first final.
DINARA SAFINA: Well, just that as from the previous finals that well, first not to put so much pressure on myself. It's just a tennis match.
Well, still, I still had to play my game.

Q. Is it more difficult playing a girl from Russia that you know so well?
DINARA SAFINA: No, didn't make me any difficult, because I played and I had to focus on myself.

Q. Can you just tell us a little bit about how you felt before the match? Did you feel a lot of pressure? Were you comfortable? Did you go out there and feel like you were going to play well? What was your...
DINARA SAFINA: No, I was feeling pretty good before the match. You know, once you step on the court, I just I had chances, and I just didn't do anything.

Q. Looked like you were freezing also for the last serve. I think everybody could feel that? Was that also what you felt on match point?
DINARA SAFINA: I just didn't felt any didn't not that I didn't feel, it's just a little bit lost the timing on the serve and was not was not serving aggressive, was not going up.

Q. At what point you felt this is not going to be my day?
DINARA SAFINA: I mean, once I play on the court, I always believe that I can win. Doesn't matter what's the score.

Q. You said you did not do the things you had to do. You couldn't stay mentally tough. So your mind is going on then, Ah, it's not going to be my final then?
DINARA SAFINA: But still I was always trying to keep on fighting and trying to turn the match around. Didn't do it this time.

Q. Do you have explanation why you could not stay mentally tough?
DINARA SAFINA: If I would know explanation, then of course I would do it on the court.

Q. After you looked so strong through most of this tournament, is it hard to believe that it turned out like this?
DINARA SAFINA: Yeah, because, I mean, I started really strong the tournament, and then in the quarters against Azarenka I started to slow down a little bit. I was not playing as much as aggressive like I started.
Slowly I became a little bit passive. Of course, against Sveta you have to be very aggressive. But it's not easy to from becoming passive to turning and being suddenly huge aggressive.
So this thing, I think I stepped back a little bit in the quarters already.

Q. Did the conditions affect you at all today? Because it was very cold and the last few days have been very hot and everything.
DINARA SAFINA: No, it has nothing to do with the conditions.

Q. I mean, obviously you're No. 1 and you've gotten to the final. Is it really just a mental block of understanding, Hey, I'm in the final, and I need to just relax and play my game and tennis? Just getting to the point where you can relax at this big moment?
DINARA SAFINA: Yeah, I think this, I have to still learn.