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WIMBLEDON


June 24, 2005


Anastasia Myskina


WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Had you expected such a long match after the first set?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No, not really. I was up 5-3 in the second, had a lot of matchpoints, and I could have just finished the game. And she was serving well at matchpoint when she served. And I guess, you know, when sometimes you lose one, two, three matchpoints, then you kind of start thinking a lot, and it's not a good thing.

Q. What were you thinking at 5-3?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I was thinking that, "Why she serve ace on second serve?" I mean, this really was in my mind. I think that was really wrong to think about this serve for the rest of couple games.

Q. Then when you lost the second set, what was going through your mind?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, really nothing. I was just really upset and I was thinking why should I -- I did something wrong, definitely. That's why I lost. I was thinking, "What did I do wrong?" You know, the whole third set almost - whole third set - I was thinking what I did wrong. But then after 5-1 I realized that I'm playing third set so maybe it's something new I should do to win, you know, finally win.

Q. Can you believe you actually won?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, yeah, I do. Right now I do (smiling).

Q. It could be argued that's your biggest win of the year, even just the fight going through that at a Grand Slam now. Would you say that?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Especially she's a great player. I think that was a good match, even that was maybe I was up 6-Love, 5-3. But still it was a really good match. She holds rallies, she play really fast, you know, she serve pretty good. I think it was a good match.

Q. You've been battling confidence at the French Open. What does this do for your confidence?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: It really lot. Because, you know, I start believing in myself. Definitely I know what I can do right now even that maybe I'm not playing my best tennis, but at least I fight and I do my best on the court no matter what right now.

Q. You had so many breakpoints, too, in the last few games. Were you just telling yourself after you lost every one, "Go back and fight the deuce point, fight, fight, fight, don't get disappointed"?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, after 5-4, that's what I was telling myself all the time. Because you know that if you not gonna win this point it's okay, it's gonna be next one. Then I was just thinking about that.

Q. Did it come down in the end to mental toughness?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yes, but I think that's the game right now, it's all about the mental game. Because right now all the girls playing almost the same level, and if you're mentally stronger, then you win the match.

Q. At the French you said you weren't sure whether you would be here. Can you tell me what it was like for you after the French, your thought process after that.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Was pretty hard because, you know, I lost -- well, I lost my - how you say - Cup? I have to defend the title and I didn't defend. I was really upset. But then I was talking to all my family and coach and they said that just I have to play a lot of matches and through this matches I'm gonna get back my feelings confident. I think that was the right decision to play Eastbourne and be here right now.

Q. How far do you think you can go now?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: (Smiling). Well, I really play right now match by match. And I think next round are really tough for me, really mentally tough, because we play a lot of matches with Elena. I think she knows me really well, and I know her really good. So I think it's gonna be interesting match, and we will see.

Q. What's your status for Fed Cup? Do you know yet?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Uhm, the captain invite me for the team and I'm really happy with that. For sure I'm gonna be there even that I'm not gonna maybe not gonna play. But I'm gonna support my team for sure.

Q. Do you know who else will?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, I know Elena for sure and then I don't really know.

Q. You and Elena played so many times, as you said. Does all that go into the past, or do you think about the prior matches? You've been the better player over the last few years. Do you still have the mental edge, or is that gone now?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No. Well, you know, I know her weakness, I know what she can do her best, and she knows me as well the same thing. Right now, I'm just have to fight and I have to do the same what I did today I think. Because I know her serve not that great. Even she's improving her serve every day, but still, you know, maybe that's my advantage, that I have to take it.

Q. You're going to have two days of rest, a weekend. What are you going to do to change your mind?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: It's great. I have to play doubles right now, so I don't really think about the weekend. I just think about my doubles, to not die (smiling).

Q. When you came off the court today, did you really feel like you turned the corner, that this was the breakthrough you needed to get back again?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, my mom called me and said she almost died, so that was really not good news. I was just hoping not to play the same game like this, you know. I'm ready to finish when you up 6-Love, 5-3, than, you know, play the match like this of course, because you lost a lot of energy. But I'm really lucky that I'm not playing these two days and I have a lot of days to recover so...

Q. She was watching?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah.

Q. Mentally, it was just really hard on her?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: On her it's really hard, yes.

Q. Where was she watching from?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Home.

Q. Home in Moscow?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yes.

Q. How proud was she of you?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, she's really proud. Right now she's really happy. That's really good.

Q. I know you've been asked this before, but can you talk just a bit about the difference in prize money between the men and the women, your thoughts on that.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Ooh, that's not my subject. I don't care really. I'm not really paying attention to that. Mens play five-set doubles, five-set singles. I don't think womens can do that. I'm really don't care about this things. I think mens deserve it what they deserve it, and womens earn what they earn. I don't think in my age I can earn that much money if I will just be a normal kid, so...

Q. You sure?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Well, if I am going to work to McDonald's, I don't think I'm going to earn that much money. I'm happy, really, with everything (smiling).

End of FastScripts….

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