24/01/2011 12:15 CEST - AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Vera Zvonareva (24 Gennaio)

Q. What was your assessment of your game today?
VERA ZVONAREVA: The assessment? Well, I think I did pretty good overall. You know, I started off okay, but then she was able to go 4 2 up in the first set. I thought I was a little bit slow, a little bit passive. But then I was able to find the right momentum, stay a little bit more aggressive. I kept that till the end of the match and I'm really happy about that.

Q. Do you play better in the majors than the non majors?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I hope. I don't know.
You know, I try to give my best all the time. You know, been pretty good in the majors last year and, you know, this year started off well. But you can never, you know, expect. You never know what's going to happen. I try to give my best all the time.

Q. Do you get nervous in the majors? What is your mentality in the majors different from the rest of the year?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I'm not sure. It's just the atmosphere, the tournament around, you know, it is your Grand Slam, and that's what you work hard, very hard, over the many, many years. That's where you want to play your best tennis.
I think this kind of, you know, thought, it brings maybe even the best out of myself in a way that I'm really enjoying the challenge and I'm really excited about it. Want to really do well here in Australia and any other Grand Slam.

Q. You're No. 2 in the world. You've been to the final of the last two Grand Slams. Do you like being kind of under the radar or do you think you deserve more respect?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, I hope players respect me as a player, and I respect all other players, as well. I really don't think about that much. You know, I'm here to do my job. I'm a tennis player. I'm trying to do my best. That's it.
If I perform well and I win matches, you know, I think people will respect me. But it's not something I really think about. You know, there are a lot of people that always underestimated me and there are a lot of people that never believed in me and there are a lot of people that thought I never will make it to even like Grand Slam semifinals or something.
But it doesn't really matter to me. The most important thing is that people around me, my team, they believe in me. And the most important thing is that I believe in myself, and that's it.

Q. Was that incentive that the people didn't believe in you?
VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, I don't know. You know, it's just sometimes you feel something like this. But I've had great people around me throughout my career that have been able to help me out. I think, like I said, the most important thing, that I always believed in myself. It was just the matter of learning how to bring the best out of yourself in the matches when you need it.

Q. After what you said about playing in a Grand Slam, liking playing in a Grand Slam, your experiences last year when you made it to the final, does that help you this week in terms of getting your perspective and keeping yourself fresh?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I hope it does. You know, I learned a lot over the past two Grand Slams. I think I tried to use it to my advantage. I tried to prepare myself for my matches the best I can. I think I know myself a little bit better now. I know myself as a player better, and as a person as well. Hopefully that experience will help me, you know, to play my best tennis when I need it.

Q. Is it an opportunity for other players that Serena were not here, or do you wish that she were here?
VERA ZVONAREVA: I always wish for Serena to play all the events because I think she's great for women's tennis. She's a great player, she's a great athlete. We all respect her a lot. But I think there is a very tough draw. Women's side is very strong at the moment. There are so many players that can go very far in the tournaments, and you can never predict it.
I think this kind of challenge makes women's tennis very interesting. You know, even if Serena is not here, I really think there are so many great players out there. It is still a great competition.
 

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