Q. You've played her before. Has she surprised you by the quality of her game?
AMELIE MAURESMO: No, not at all. I know what sort of a player she is. I know
that she likes to play very short rallies, to take control of the rally as
soon as possible on her return or immediately after her serve. So I knew
that that would be her tactic. That is what she does best. That's her game.
I had always said this would be a tough opponent. She has improved a lot in
the past months, and it's true that I played her three times since the
beginning of the year with a month's interval each time, and I could see
the evolution in her game. I knew that she was making fast progress, so I
wasn't surprised by her game.
Q. How do you feel? You made a lot of double-faults?
AMELIE MAURESMO: The beginning was very difficult. I had a lot of pressure.
As I said, she was playing very deep. She had a lot of power. She put a lot
of power into her shots. That's, of course, her strong point. So it's true
that I didn't start very well. I started a bit slow. But I stayed in that
first set throughout.
After that, in the middle of the second set, I tried to come back into the
match bit by bit to try to counter her game, her shots, to try to take the
initiative and dominate the game. It was difficult for me to go forward
because she was playing very deep, and my first serve wasn't working too
well, so I couldn't really take an opportunity immediately after my serve.
Q. Did she start playing shorter or did you start moving forward?
AMELIE MAURESMO: I started serving better. I started to counter her on my
return. That is what balanced out the match at some point and changed the
way the match was going.
Q. In spite of the crowd, in spite of your game, she stayed in the match.
Were you surprised at that?
AMELIE MAURESMO: I think she's been very strong on that point today. At the
end of the match, my last game was very bad. On her own serve, she never
gave in. She kept her level up. Of course, it's very disappointing. But
that's the game.
There was a fight, there was a match, and she's the one who made it through.
Q. You just lost the match, so obviously you're disappointed. But this isn't
your most frustrating defeat in the French Open?
AMELIE MAURESMO: No, not at all. Of course, after a time I'll be able to
analyze it. There's a number of details that need to be looked into that
I can improve. But I think that I'm doing quite well. I'm doing things at
my own pace. This defeat, compared to previous defeats, previous defeats
have been much more frustrating.
Q. There's been a lot of discussion about your preparation with Yannick.
Is this something you intend to continue or is it too soon to say?
AMELIE MAURESMO: We haven't discussed it. We've just taken two minutes after
the match. But I think in any case it's very interesting to work with Yannick
or with other people who have a lot of experience in how you manage this type
of event and who have a different vision of tennis from a tactical point of
view.
So, yes. Why not? I'm completely ready to continue. It was a wonderful time
of preparation. We went through a lot of very good moments together. It's not
something that I regret. It's something I'm ready to do again.
35;1cQ. In the middle of the second set, we got the feeling that something was
really changing, your game was improving, you were finding the keys to
counter her game. We also got the impression the crowd was getting more
into it. We saw you really having more energy, really getting into the
match.
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, it's not exactly that there was a moment where it
changed. As far as I'm concerned, it was progressive. After a few points,
three or four points, I improved my game and that's where things started to
change.
It's true, the crowd started to get into it. There was a wave all around the
court. I think that something really happened then. I started to really get
into rhythm.
Q. Did you think at any moment in the third set she could perhaps weaken?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, you always hope. You always look for moments when the
level of your opponent's game is going to fluctuate slightly. But it didn't
happen much in her game today, unfortunately, particularly in the third set.
That's unfortunate. That's what's disappointing.
But in spite of that, maybe I could have improved my game at some point. Take
a few chances, use the opportunities, make a difference. In particular, I'm
thinking of that game that I lost at 2-1. I had a few game points, and I lost
my serve. I think that was very unfortunate because that would have been a
very important moment to stay in that third set.
Q. Your last game.
AMELIE MAURESMO: As I said, it was very bad. My two previous serves were
good. I'd been serving quite well on my first serve. That last game I didn't
serve well. My first serve wasn't going in. It was a bit disastrous. There
were a few moments like that in the match, and unfortunately that was one of
them.
Q. Is the level of game of Ivanovic a game of the Top 10?
AMELIE MAURESMO: When she's playing such as she played today, when she has
that level of tennis, yes, absolutely. But the way you get into the Top 10
is to be consistent match after match throughout a season. She can play at
that level. She's proven it by beating excellent players in the previous
weeks. So obviously she can do it at times.
Now, is she consistent? Maybe she's not so consistent in some matches.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be today.
THE MODERATOR: Question in English.
Q. Why do you think you find it so difficult to make progress here?c
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I think actually I made some progress compared to
the last couple years I've played here at the French Open. You know, I
finally got to get something on the court, you know, and find a real
good level of tennis.
You know, after that, the first reason today was Ivanovic that gave me a
lot of trouble, and that played some great tennis, I think. You know, I'll
have another try next year.
Q. How much pressure do you feel you're under playing here in Paris?
AMELIE MAURESMO: It was okay actually this year. I really thought I did well
by, you know, hanging around and going out on the court. So, unfortunately,
it wasn't still the good year.
Q. You wouldn't rate this as a bad result?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I want to go ?? of course, I wanted to go further in
that tournament, you know. What can I say? It's a big disappointment, of
course. But, you know, I'm sure in a couple days I will find some positive
things about this match and make sure I keep working and make sure I go back
to work for, you know, Wimbledon.
Q. So you wouldn't say you had a problem playing at the French Open in front
of your home crowd?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I had in the past, you know. I did some ?? I had some
bad matches. But I don't think was the case today.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in French again, please.
Q. What are you going to do next? What tournaments are you going to play?
When are you going to start training?
AMELIE MAURESMO: I'm going to play Eastbourne. I'll probably start playing
again next week on fast court.
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