|
 Anna
beat Tamira Paszek 6-1 7-5
Q. You are not in good preparation for this tournament, but you
are in quarterfinal. Can you explain how you are playing.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, I think I could start better, you know,
because first two matches, I mean, I didn't have a tough
opponent, but I didn't actually play well. And than I just felt
better when I played against Mirza, and also today I think I
played good quality test, but a little bit I lost concentration
because she called the trainer, and I actually thought she was
retired because she didn't move that well in the first set. So I
was like 90% sure that she will stop the match, that's why I
lost my concentration totally. She started to play better. She
had nothing to lose. Good that I came through that.
Q. So you served for it at 5-4 in the second set and played a
little bit sloppy, and got right back and broke her.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: I was so confident today because I knew that
she is a junior, she will be nervous, you know, and I just have
more experience than her.
But anyway, I think she's a good player and she will improve a
lot.
Q. So now you're in the quarterfinals for the third time this
year in a Grand Slam. It's not Maria Sharapova this time, it's
Peer. You said on court she played you tough in practice, but an
opponent you should be able to do well against. You think you
will be able to play your game?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, I actually lost against her this year at
Indian Wells. I think she improved her game, and she's very
tough opponent.
Actually I was in the same quarter as Maria Sharapova but she
didn't get through. Shahar is very tough opponent, also, and I
think we both deserve to be in the quarterfinal.
Q. What do you have to do this final to breakthrough?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, I just have to stay focused during all
points because Shahar is a great fighter, she is running so
fast, screaming "come on" so loud. She's tough. So I have to
serve really well. I just to have stay aggressive.
Q. Do you know why young players are playing very well in
this tournament?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, you know, it's a lot of year, I don't
know why it was here in this tournament, but yeah that's
amazing. Like they all took their opportunities, you know. Well,
just new generation is a coming, like all the time. It happens.
Q. Some people described you as kind of a Martina Hingis-type
player with more power. Do you agree with that opinion?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: I think all players are different, and I
respect Martina a lot like a player, but I still think we're
different.
Q. You were fan of Milan football club. Are you still a fan
of Milan?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, sure I am. I will never change it. Until
Kaladze is playing there, another Georgian.
Q. You still play football?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes, a little bit. In front of my house I have
a small garden for soccer and my brother does play soccer a
little bit, my younger brother. I play together with him. I love
to play soccer. The little boy, like nine years old.
Q. What's more important to you, to be thinking while you're
playing or to play with instinct and play from your gut?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, you know, it's better when I'm thinking,
but sometimes, you know, when I'm too much, I can't think and
that's why I losing. That's why I lost, for example, this year
in Wimbledon match. I was so nervous that I couldn't control the
game. I couldn't think where should I put the ball. For me much
easier to play when I'm thinking and that's I think the way how
I should play?
Q. You still play pretty fast though. Some players like
Djokovic take ten minutes to serve. You get right up there,
right? A couple bounces and boom, right into it.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah. You know, I had problems when I was
playing under 14. I never bounce the ball. I serve straightaway.
Opponents were not really ready to take my serve so I won a
couple matches like that. Then the chair umpire said, You have
to take your time a little bit.
Q. Can you describe your team, your small team around you?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, here right now I'm just my dad and
because Robert Lansdorp, he left to L.A. because he has some
stuff to do there. But he probably will come if I will win the
quarterfinal. If, you know. But because he has some stuff to do
there.
So it's just my dad, and I have a lot of friends in here and my
hitting partner from adidas and coach, Sven Groeneveld also.
They help me a lot. That's it.
Q. Can you talk about what type of opportunity this is for
you with the bottom half of the draw being so open with Maria
losing, and then also what it was like for to you play at night
here.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, I never played a night match on the
court, so I was pretty excited. About the draw, yeah, I think,
you know, I think Shahar is a very tough opponent for me. I'm
not looking -- you know, I'm not looking farther away, like if I
will be in the semis, because it will believe really difficult
match for me.
Q. Can you talk about the kind of work you've been doing with
Lansdorp. Has he been telling you anything different?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, definitely. When he's not here he's
calling me all -- you know, every day like twice. He's asking me
how I'm practicing and telling me the game plan, what he thinks
about the opponent, and how he thinks she's playing.
So he helps me a lot. Even when he's not here he helps me with
some instruction.
Q. He's known for having more repetition, and you play with a
little more variety. You play a lot different than Maria or
Lindsay.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, he wants me to hit every ball like Maria
and I'm just different. I just take some little things what he
teach, you know, because I will never play like Maria. I will
never have such a powerful shots like Maria, you know, because
I'm just smaller and thinner -- or, I mean, I don't have like so
many power to hit so I have to play smart. And because I'm
shorter I'm moving better, so I have to use that.
Q. Do you work a lot physically and what about mentally?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah. I'm working physically and mentally
definitely, and I think I improve this year a lot compared to
last year.
Q. Just some details.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, physically I just got a new fitness
trainer back in Moscow, and my dad is helping me a lot because
he's an ex soccer player and he does know what's, you know,
about the fitness a lot of things.
And the mentally part I just, you know, trying to stay more calm
on court because -- but not all the time I can do that because
sometimes it's too much emotion. But I'm trying to be more calm.
Q. Alone? You are by yourself?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes.
Q. How did you come to be working with Robert Lansdorp?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: I was trying to find a coach and my agents
from SFX, they told me that he's free and if I want to try to
work with him. I said yes. I had some time before Indian Wells
this year, so I came one week earlier and we start. That's how
we started.
Q. Did you find an instant connection and that he was really
helping you?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, I think he helps me a lot. He's just a
great guy. We have fun on the court. I enjoy to practice with
him and enjoy to spend time with him and I like it.
Q. I heard that you used to be a kind of player that's really
emotional, but now you look very calm and you stay calm and
you're really concentrate on the game. How did you make the
transition?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, as I said, that's one of the thing which
I working on. You know, and I'm not staying so calm as I wanted
to be during all the matches or during all the points. Sometime
I go the emotion, you know.
So I just try to stay more calm, as I said, and I'm working on
it. And as I said, I improved on this part compared to last year
a lot. |
