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Tennis Masters Series Roma - Rome (ITA)
3rd Round
Anna Kournikova beaten by Virginia Ruano-Pascual
3:6, 2:6
May 16, 2002

 

 

QUESTION: Did you have a physical problem? I'm asking since you took a medical time-out.

ANNA: Yes, i had already felt this pain some days before, but it was only a small annoyance, i trained today again and didn't feel it. I began to feel the pain again by the end of the first set, i felt a pain kind of a groin. The problem is that that i haven't played on clay much lately and here, i've already played 2 matches in a row this week, I was probably a bit tired and Ruano Pascual is the kind of player that makes you run a lot after every ball. It got very difficult for me in the second set, i even considered retiring but then i was hoping i'd still had a chance to win.


QUESTION: What do you think about your injury, what could have caused it? Playing on clay? (Note: this is what i take the reporter might have asked judging from Anna's answer)

ANNA: I hope it's nothing serious. I haven't played two matches in a row for quite some time and the 2 matches i've played here were very tough, i had to fight a lot. It's hard to stay in top level for long time. I must gain my form back and i hope to be ready for my next tournament.

QUESTION: Are you satisfied with your progresses here?

ANNA: Yes, i've won 2 matches here and i think that's important. I'm playing better and i'm getting more comfortable with my game.
I have suceeded in implementing things from my latest practices, and this really pleases me. The 2 matches i've played were perfect. Today i had a good start but then the pain frustrated me, i lost concentration, kept thinking about my thigh and it was hard getting back in the game under such conditions.
However i think i had a fair performance here, sure it's not as if i'm back to the level i had before but it's really difficult to get back after so much time off court. Nevertheless, i try to concentrate and make as many improvements as possible, step by step.

QUESTION: Do you feel that you've lost a big opportunity considering Venus' withdrawal?

ANNA: It's hard to say, cause i lost today. The next round would not have been easy since i've never won against Henin. The opponnent is not very important, you just have to stay focused, which is the only thing you can control.

QUESTION: Are you happy about how things are going with Solomon?

ANNA: Yes.

QUESTION: What's the nature of your injury? Did it affect your game during the match? You said you feared a stretching but you didn't retire.

ANNA: I've already answered this question. It's more than likely that it's only a strain, it must be this cause i couldn't move comfortably when the ball was far. I cannot say exactly how serious it is, i must ask the doctor first. It was certainly difficult to run and play in these conditions, and then i feared it could get worse, having in mind how close the next tournament is. Right now I have a groin problem but I know it's going to go away in a week or so many days, so it's not like a bone or a joint or something major. That kind of thing is totally different.
Whenever there is a serious injury it can be really difficult.

QUESTION: Have you talked to Martina about her injury?

ANNA: Yes i have, But i don't think I want to talk about that.

QUESTION: You've had a serious injury for a long time, do you feel close to her at this moment?

ANNA: Sure, an injury like the one today is important, it can become a serious injury that would lead to a later surgery. I guess in Martina's case we don't know what exactly the problem is yet and how serious so we keep our fingers crossed to see the results.

QUESTION: When you arrived here you said, you said you didn't come here to play the tourist part. Now that you are out of the singles and had withdrawn from doubles, will you behave as a tourist here?

ANNA: I've never said that. I don't know what i'll do now, i've taken a shower, put some ice on my leg, now i'll talk to my coach in order to see what i'll do. Perhaps, i'll stay here a couple of days, we'll see.

QUESTION: What's next? Will you go directly to Roland Garros or enter another tournament before?

ANNA: I will surely play Roland Garros; i might enter another tournament before, but i don't know yet, i must speak with my coach about this.

End of interview translation.

thanx to Saff76ar who translated it from italian into english

 

 

 


Find out more at Anna's offical website:
www.kournikova.com