Interview with Samantha Stosur

Written by: Staff on 8th September 2010

Interview with Samantha Stosur |

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does that feel?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Uhm, great. Yeah, that’s definitely one of the most exciting matches I’ve ever played. I mean, the atmosphere out there was just awesome. I think we both played a great match. Just came down to playing good tennis. We gave it our best shot.

Q. When you’re facing the four match points, did you think back to New Haven last week?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: It did enter my mind for a second. Thought, I don’t want to make a habit of doing this all the time (laughter).

To draw on that experience I think can always help. I just, yeah, dug deep and never gave up, made her work for it. Yeah, managed to save those and then pull it out.

Yeah, it’s amazing what experiences a week ago, a month ago, whatever, can really help you through the next one.

Q. With such a late finish, what are you going to do tomorrow, or today?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I have no idea. I don’t even know if I’ll practice. But, yeah, come in here, just relax, maybe go to the physio. Yeah, just make sure I’m as physically good as I can be for the next one.

Q. Do you feel you played your best tennis in the first set? What turned it around for you?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Between the first and second?

Q. Yes.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I think I started out playing great. Really had that plan in my head, did it perfectly. Then I missed a big opportunity right at the start. I had 15‑30 in the first game of the second. Lost that. Then I think I was 30‑Love up on serve. Lost that.

Yeah, made too many errors and started going for the wrong shots at the wrong time. I think she kept her level pretty good the whole way through.

So, yeah, that second set really got away from me. Yeah, just had to try to pull back in the third. I just wanted to try to keep it as close as possible and you never know what can happen.

Q. I was listening to the commentary. They were saying you were playing more with your top half rather than your feet.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I think whenever you make more errors, it’s usually a lot of the time because of bad footwork. Yeah, if you can keep your feet moving and really get in position for the ball, I think you’ve got a much better chance of making it.

When you’re not doing that, that’s when you start going for bad shots. The shot selection kind of goes out to the window and you start doing silly things you shouldn’t.

Q. Anything particular goes through your mind when you’re facing match point? You faced so many this year.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I think the main thing is you want to play a tough point. If you get the opportunity to step in and go for a winner, of course do it. But you just want to make them earn it. That’s basically it. Do whatever you can at all cost to keep the ball in the court.

Q. What are your thoughts on the late night match? No one trains at 1:30 in the morning.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Uhm, yeah, it’s hard. I think I understand why it happens, obviously. I think it’s a lot easier for women to finish. We played a really long match. I think it was still only two and a half hours. Where the guys, that could be four or five hours. I think when we’re starting at quarter to 12, where they’re starting at quarter to 10, that’s probably a little bit easier.

That’s unfortunately the way it is. Someone is going to come off second best getting that short straw with the second night match.

It was great atmosphere out there. You can’t fault that either. So I guess there’s good and bad things to it.

Q. It’s 2:00 now. You’re answering questions from us. I imagine Kim is tucked up. How much of a disadvantage is that going to be for you?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, who knows. She’s got, what, a good 14 hours head start recovery on me from today. She played first. I played last. There’s not much bigger difference than that.

But I guess you got to do what you can do and recover as best as I can, yeah, be back tomorrow and play again. It’s just one of those things.

Q. You didn’t challenge many calls. Is that because you like to focus on your play?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Maybe I could have challenged that one to go into the tiebreak. I haven’t got a good track record against challenging the lady in the chair. I think she’s a pretty good umpire. Yeah, she says it’s out, I think more than likely it is out.

I don’t know. Maybe I could do it more often. But it’s not something I really think about.

Q. What do you do against Clijsters now?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don’t know. Haven’t thought about that. I’m going to have to play well. She hits the ball hard, plays aggressive, stays up in the court. Yeah, she moves obviously excellent ‑ one of the best on tour. I’m going to have to play well, play some of my best tennis probably and really fight hard and go for it.

If I can play like I did tonight, then I think I’ve got a good chance.

Q. Are you happy you’re the first Aussie woman in 10 years to get this far?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, yeah, of course I am. That’s great. It’s a nice change to do at the US Open.

Q. 25 years.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, that’s cool.

Topics: Atmosphere, First Game, Habit, Interview Questions, Laughter, Love, Match Points, New Haven, Physio, Samantha Stosur, Second Thought, Tennis, Wrong Time