China Open 2011 Interviews – Defeated Wozniacki and Ivanovic

Written by: Resendiz on 7th October 2011

China Open 2011 Interviews - Defeated Wozniacki and Ivanovic

Serbian Ana Ivanovic returns to Poland's Agnieszka Radwandska at the China Open Tennis tournament in Beijing, China 07 October 2011. Ivanovic ceded the match to Radwandska after retiring due to injury. EPA/ADRIAN BRADSHAW |

F. PENNETTA/C. Wozniacki

3‑6, 6‑0, 7‑6

An interview with:

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you want to say about the match you just had?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, it was a tough match and we had a lot of good rallies. Of course it’s disappointing to lose, especially when you have your chances like I had.

But, you know, Flavia is a good player. She played very well today. So, yeah, I mean, I’ll try to do better next time.

Q. (Through translation.) Will you participate in another tournament or simply wait for the year‑end Championships?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, now, I mean, I have the year‑end Championships to look forward to, so I’m going to go back and practice a little bit and then play in Istanbul.

Q. Despite you lose the match, I find out you have changed your skills, such as you have many winners. That seems to be the progress in your skills. So is that kind of idea from your coach?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Um, no. I just played the same way I always played. You know, I’m just doing everything I can to try to win the match.

If it’s to get a lot balls back or to make winners, yeah, I mean, I play the way I have to to try to win.

Q. (Through translation.) Last year in Tokyo as well as in Beijing you won the championship. This year, you stopped in the quarterfinals. Comment on your season.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: My season has been good: I won 6 tournaments and I’m still No. 1 in the world. No, it’s still a good season.

Q. As we all know, this is first time you lost to Flavia Pennetta. That’s wonderful match. But you are the defending champion at China Open last year, and this year you lost the game. The rest of your match is in Istanbul, right? So what’s your preparation for Istanbul and defending your world No. 1 ranking at the end of the year?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I’m just going to go home and practice and prepare for Istanbul and go out there and do my best.

Q. (Through translation.) In this match, in the third set you broke Flavia when she was trying to serve out the match, but you did not hold your own service game. How would you comment on your performance for the day?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Again, I did my best today. It just wasn’t good enough. I had my chances and didn’t take them. Of course it’s disappointing right now.

Q. (Through translation.) You have been playing in Grand Slams for years, and what do you think is the major difference between the four Grand Slams and the China Open?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, the four Grand Slams have all the tradition has there for so many years. It’s just different.

Of course China Open is a big tournament, and it’s as mandatory tournament for us, but Grand Slams are always Grand Slams.

Q. You appeared to be staging quite a comeback there and then you just sort of faded off. Was it just fatigue or were you just outplayed? Were you feeling tired at all?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No. Um, you know, I had 6‑5, 30‑Love and I should have closed the match off. But, you know, yeah, I don’t know. Flavia played some good points at that time, and I just made a few wrong decisions and the match can change.

So, you know, it’s unlucky. One time it goes one way and another time it goes the other way. I’ve won against Flavia also I think it was ‑‑ I can’t remember. I think either it was 7‑6 in the third or 6‑7, 7‑6, 6‑4 or something where it was also a very tough match.

So, you know, yeah, I knew that it was going to be tough out there today. Just didn’t manage to pull the win all the way through.

———————————————————————————————-

A. RADWANSKA/A. Ivanovic

6‑3, 3‑2 (ret.)

An interview with:

ANA IVANOVIC

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. (Through translation.) I would like to know about your injury, and will that affect your participation in the year‑end Bali?

ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I’ve been struggling with my back since actually beginning of last week in Tokyo. Been doing lots of treatments on it, but it hasn’t been really getting much better.

So I was fighting with it basically throughout the whole week. I went yesterday to do MRI here, so still the doctors are looking at the results. I’m talking to physios and just making sure about the next steps to see what’s wrong and what’s going on.

Yeah, it’s too early to say anything.

Q. (Through translation.) When you’re in China you have a lot of fans. Today on court, there were some fans coming from far, from the southern part of China. What would you like to say to them?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it’s very nice to see them and to get such big support here every time. I felt huge support, even today. It’s very disappointing loss for me. I really hope I can recover fast and come back strong next year and see them again and stay probably longer.

Q. Unfortunately you quit the match. Do you think you have already got enough confidence since the China Open? And second question is quite similar to other journalist. I just met a family from your country, and they have a message they want me to give to you. It’s in Serbian so I can’t translate. Can you please translate to all the press tell something to this family?

ANA IVANOVIC: You want me to translate this?

Q. Yes.

ANA IVANOVIC: Just a family that obviously lives here, and they are watching me all the tournament and they wish me all the best. They would like to meet me. (Smiling.)

Q. And do you have anything you want to say to the people that come from your country?

ANA IVANOVIC: No, it’s great support here always. We have lots of Serbians, and they been coming all week. It’s nice to see our flag in the stadium here and on center court. I could hear them yell out things, which is always nice. It’s always inspiration.

Q. You retired from Beijing Olympics three years ago, same court. It’s not your first time to quit a match in this city. Do you think the city has some magic on you?

ANA IVANOVIC: I would like to think not. (Smiling.) I love coming here and competing. I think it’s a little bit different story, you know. It was very tough to pull out of Olympics, and it’s very tough today.

But, you know, this is something that’s been going on for the whole week. Actually, I kind of surprised myself that I got to this stage at all. But because I been playing some really good tennis, it is very disappointing way to finish.

Q. Apart from the injury, actually you played pretty well at the tournament, very good shape and form. According to right now, your status, when do you think you can go back to a Grand Slam final even grab a major title?

ANA IVANOVIC: It’s been inspirational to see the things I’ve been working on coming together in matches. I did play some great tennis this week, probably the best I played in years. It’s very inspiring.

I really want to focus now, you know, if I’m going to play the next few tournaments I have this year, and then try to have a really good off‑season.

Next year I think it’s going to be a big year for me, and I really feel it’s my opportunity to try and aim for the top again and maybe win a Grand Slam.

Q. Can you talk about what you think about your overall performance this year.

ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I’m very happy with my performance. Like I said, I really felt I was playing some best tennis I been playing in years, and it’s very exciting, you know.

I was striking the ball really well, and that’s why it’s very disappointing to finish this way, because I really felt I was on a roll and things were starting to fall into place.

But it’s good incentive. It’s important to see results in the matches, too.

Q. (Through translation.) We’re very disappointed that you retired from the tournament. Will you go to the Bali year‑end tournament? Also, during the match you have a shot that you made between the legs. In your daily practice do you have such an experience?

ANA IVANOVIC: I think it’s the first time ever in my life I made that shot. But, yeah, I mean, it was very hard. Obviously I had troubles moving a lot, and especially jumping on my serve because I have no feeling in my leg. But, yeah, it’s something that I’m discussing with the physios what’s the best way to move forward.

Like I said, I’m still waiting on results from MRI to see how to approach it, but I really hope I can play in Linz and then also Bali ‑‑ in Luxembourg, sorry, and then Bali.