home jobs contact us
Our Clients:
Browse by Sport
Find us on ASAP sports on Facebook ASAP sports on Twitter
ASAP Sports RSS Subscribe to RSS
Click to go to
Asaptext.com
ASAPtext.com
ASAP Sports e-Brochure View our
e-Brochure

U.S. OPEN


September 4, 1993


Natalia Zvereva


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

Q. Did the long delay affect your slow start?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I don't think by the way I played you could say that, no, I didn't think so.

Q. Both sets she came out and broke your first serve, but you were able to break back just about right away.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: In the first set? No, she was up 3-Love.

Q. Right. You didn't break -- but you broke her on her next serve I think after that. Would you just talk about what you did differently. Did you change your game any or did you just -- were you not feeling comfortable out there at the beginning, or what happened?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No, she started very -- awfully quickly. She started to blast balls, and I guess it was way too fast for me. But I kept on going. I just told myself that no matter if I am going to lose or win this match, it doesn't matter, but I am just going to keep on going and try to get into the match if possible. If she would have continued just playing as good as she played the first three games, that is bad luck.

Q. Did it help - I know that you beat her at the French Open; I know that it is a different surface - but were you able to look to that match and take anything from that one?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: French Open?

Q. Isn't that right, that you beat her?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I think I beat her this year at Wimbledon.

Q. I am sorry?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Sooner than the French Open, so it was a different surface, and I was surprised the way she played, because she was coming this way -- I mean, much -- way much more than she was in Wimbledon, so there she was sort of like a little bit afraid to come in because I passed her a few times pretty successfully, so I guess she was a little bit afraid, but today she played the right way and I thought she played pretty good, but I was able to come up with some passing shots, you know, some pretty difficult passing shots and I just stayed focused throughout the match.

Q. Do you think you had her pretty much in control even though she got ahead of you?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No, not really. Especially, I felt like after the first set I got a little bit sluggish, like flatfooted a little bit and that worried me for the whole second set, you know. I didn't feel like I was sharp enough to come in and stuff like that, but it turned out good.

Q. Is that from the delays you think that you didn't feel sharp?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Maybe a little bit and maybe because of the humidity; that is tough to keep, you know, like sharp feeling all the time when it is such a humid weather.

Q. Is it harder here condition-wise than the other Slams or a lot of the other tournaments for you? A lot of the men players have talked about it being very difficult condition-wise here.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: For me it is the most humid Grand Slam ever, the U.S. Open. I mean, it can get hot at the French, or at Wimbledon, I mean, that is pretty unusual for Wimbledon, but it can be pretty hard, especially this year I thought it was very hot. Australian Open, it is sort of hot, but dry, so it is not really a problem for me.

Q. How about other conditions besides the weather, distraction, s noise?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Well, there are a few hamburger courts around here, so like court 23, I think, yeah, that didn't smell very nicely. And I guess transportation can be a pain in the rear because it has been so many delays and stuff like that --

Q. Has all the attention on your doubles this week, has that maybe taken pressure off you on singles and made you more relaxed out there?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I don't think I had pressure on my singles for at least in three years; yeah, I don't think I had pressure. I mean, it is always nice to come out and play your best, but there is no pressure. I mean, I don't say I can't like choke or anything. I can choke, I can get maybe a little bit nervous; maybe just tiny little bit, but there is no pressure.

Q. You sound almost surprised. Are you surprised by your success so far in this tournament?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No. No. Me and Gigi, we have a hitting partner that -- this guy in particular that sort of, I don't know, I have very good relationship, and it is very easy like if I want to practice, we will go practice. If I don't want to practice, we bag it. But I feel very comfortable and it gives me confidence in some sort of confidence.

Q. Were the rain delays disturbing to you? What did you do during that time?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Oh you got --

Q. I am sorry I walked in late.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No.

Q. Are you looking forward to feeling a little bit more pressure in singles for the first time in three years?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I am definitely not looking forward to it. I don't think it would bother me, no. I mean, I had my pressure days before and the way I go out and play a match, I just go out there and try to do my best, if I lose or win, so I think that pretty easy way of taking tennis match.

Q. Did she seem upset after the match she got out of there pretty quickly?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: She was upset because usually when I shake hands like from my side, if I shake hands, it usually doesn't matter if I lost or won. It is pretty solid handshake and just a good emotions, you know, whatever, but she didn't seemed like she was really there, so I guess she was upset.

Q. She seemed to exit very quickly?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Yeah, and she shook my hand very quickly and sort of -- it was quick.

Q. Pissed?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Who knows.

End of FastScripts....

About ASAP SportsFastScripts ArchiveRecent InterviewsCaptioningUpcoming EventsContact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297