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US OPEN

September 1, 2003

Anastasia Myskina

NEW YORK CITY

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So mentally, how do you deal with not knowing whether you have to get on and play or maybe not play?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: It's kind of hard, but we had the good company upstairs. We played cards and we laugh. So it helps a lot, not thinking a lot about what's happening today. It's still really hard to think if you gonna play so maybe you should go to warm up right now and not play cards. It's hard.

Q. What do you think of the improvements to the player lounge this year?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, it's much, much better than last year, for sure. It's more comfortable, you know. You feel more, like, I don't know, at home. Last year was more like food court or something. This year it's much better.

Q. The fact that you've consumed three doughnuts, I would think that would suggest you don't anticipate you're going to be playing?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: (Laughing). I just want a sweet right now, something sweet, because the weather not sweet. So you should get something sweet to yourself.

Q. Do they have doughnuts in Russia?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yes, yes. Not anymore upstairs because I ate all of them, so... That's last one (smiling).

MODERATOR: In Russia?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, but not that much. I'm not eating that much sweet. I don't even know why. But, yeah, we have in Russia for sure.

Q. Are you hoping maybe because the weather is so bad that you won't have to play today, or do you think this kind of weather plays to your advantage against a player like Pierce?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I was thinking, I don't know, I don't want to play today for sure. But whatever's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. If we gonna play, I'm gonna do my best today. I hope not, actually.

Q. Talking about your game, you've won three tough three-set matches here at the US Open. In some ways mentally it's probably very good for you, but it doesn't seem like you've hit your good level yet.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I wasn't playing that well in the past couple months. Was couple reasons for this. But it's getting better every match, and I was winning so I get some more confidence, like used to be. It was good that it was hard matches for me. I just happy that I won, and it was happy end for me.

Q. Just talk, even though you're going to be playing today, talk a little bit about playing Pierce. She's not the same player she was a couple years ago. She doesn't run as fast as she used to, but she's still very dangerous.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I think Mary getting better also. I mean, she -- even in beginning of this year, she wasn't play that well. But right now she's playing much better. She beat Dokic here, and it show how can she be play really well. I think it's gonna be tough match for both of us. I just gonna do my best. I have to play my best today, for sure - if we gonna play.

Q. Seems like Russian tennis is pretty strong these days. You had five players left going into fourth round. Why is it that it's so good right now?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I think we all have our dreams. It's all different. One of us wants to be, I don't know, one wants to win money. Another one wants, I don't know... something. It just helps to - I don't know how you say - helps to play better. One dreams need money. I don't know how to say it. We just want to do best on the court, yeah.

Q. Safina plays a lot more clay court events. Can you talk about her game, what you think of her game, whether she has Top 10 potential.

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Dinara, I don't think she like spend much time in US because it's far from her home. She's really, really good player. I think she can play everywhere, like clay, hard. I mean, not on grass that much because her game's more Spanish-style. But she's really, really good player. It's gonna be tough for Justine if they gonna play.

Q. You think she's mentally at a point where she can go and play a player like Justine now and be competitive?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, I think so. I mean, she won three matches here and her confidence really high right now. I think she's gonna fight for every point today.

Q. Last night James Blake spoke at length about his views he thinks umpires should be allowed to have access to video replays. Is that something you're in favor of, too?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: I don't know. Actually never thought about it.

MODERATOR: Do you think umpires should be able to look at TVs to see if the call is right or wrong?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, sometimes when they call against you, you always think, "You have to go and check TV monitor, you know, before..." But I don't think it's gonna happen. It takes a lot of time to go, check and then come back. I don't think it's gonna happen.

Q. Would you like it to happen?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, maybe. Maybe not. It depends. If it's against you, yes. But if it's me, no. I don't know really (smiling).

MODERATOR: What kind of card game were you playing? What was the name of the card game?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: It's stupid.

MODERATOR: What?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Stupid. Who lost, they call "stupid". So we actually been losing with Likhovtseva all the time. My coach and her husband.

MODERATOR: You're losing?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: (Shaking her head yes).

Q. Then they call you "stupid"?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Yeah, but they cheat for sure. I have to find out how (laughter).

MODERATOR: What time did you get here this morning?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: Not early. When I woke up, it was raining. It was around 11, 11:30. Still...

Q. Are you named after the Anastasia who was a daughter of the Czar?

ANASTASIA MYSKINA: No, no. Just my grandmother has this name. That's why I've been called. Maybe she was called because of that (smiling).

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

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