Anna articles and interviews

Q. Not so good early on, but then it all changed very quickly. Anything you can put your finger on that turned it around for you?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes, I started very slow today. But you have to get used to Patty's game because she play with so much spin. Ball is bouncing so high here. Vodafone is a little bit different court because I played outside courts all my matches.
I just had to get used to it, then I found my rhythm and played better.


Q. Did you step more inside the court? Is that what you did?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, I just started play more aggressive.


Q. So you were pretty composed out there the whole time. How does it feel to be in the quarterfinals?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, I'm happy to be in quarterfinals, for sure. I didn't expect that when I came here because usually I play very bad in Australia (smiling). I'm happy to be in quarterfinals.


Q. Mentally were you nervous at all going into the match knowing you were playing a veteran player?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, I just try go to the court, just to win. I'm not thinking about who is my opponent.
Before the match, of course, I'm thinking. But during the match, I just thinking about how to beat her, and which level.


Q. You might have Sharapova in the next round. You played her twice. Didn't get the chance to play her in Moscow. You almost beat her in 2005.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, almost. But I lost. She have to beat Zvonareva first. I think it will be very difficult match today. Zvonareva is playing pretty good here. I mean, they both are tough, so we'll see how it goes.


Q. Can you talk about if you have to play either one, what you have to do against each other.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: They both play pretty similar. They hit very flat, good serve. Better backhand, I think. Well, I played against Vera on grass and I lost very close match. I don't know. They both very tough opponents. I have to be ready.


Q. Do you feel you're a much better player now than you were when you lost to Maria the last time you played her?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes, I think so because now I have more confidence and I know how should I play. I mean, if I will play ‑‑ if I use my game plan, you know, right, then I can win I think.


Q. Your anticipation seems to be a strength. Is this a natural gift, something you're conscious of that you work on?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, I'm trying to work than it. Sometimes it really happen, but sometimes I have bad days and I just can't play.


Q. Bad days, you mean you guess the wrong way to go?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: What?


Q. You guess the wrong way. You seemed today to guess the right way every time.
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: I'm just trying to watch her racquet, where she want to hit.


Q. I think there are 27 Russian women and girls here competing. It's easy for the media to think of them as a group. Do you look upon the other Russian girls as friends or rivals?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Of course friends because we spend so much time on the tour. You can't be friends with everyone because it's different personalities, all the players. But most of them are very nice. I'm friends with them.


Q. Is it important for you to beat them as rivals and to sort of work your way up, get a profile for yourself?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: I'm not thinking to beat them. I just want to, you know, play one more match and get one more match. I'm not thinking about that she's from my home country.
Of course, it's mentally a little bit different because we know each other better. But I'm not thinking like, Okay, she's Russian, I have to beat her.


Q. Patty didn't fight very much today. Have you been surprised by her behavior?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes, I actually was surprised. But I was trying to play concentrate second set because I knew that she's a fighter.
If she win like two easy points, she can start to fight. I think I served pretty well. That helped me a lot, especially in the second set.


Q. You're on a real winning streak at the moment. Can you ever remember being as confident going into matches as you are now?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: No.


Q. That's a real noticeable thing to you, very important?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Uh‑huh. I won like 20 matches I think, 19 or something. So, yes, I get more confidence of course. But it's also depends against who are you playing. I mean, I think here I have pretty good draw, especially first two rounds. It can be tricky when you play like first round.
Maybe she's like Mirza or Chinese, maybe she's not seeded, but she's good player. And here I think draw was good for me.


Q. So you're not giving yourself a lot of credit?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: No, not really (smiling).


Q. Are you pretty hard on yourself?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes, I am.


Q. Is that good or is that bad?
ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, I don't know. You tell me if it's good or bad. I don't know. I mean, that's how I'm thinking. I don't know.
I don't want to talk, like some of the players, they like to say, I will win a Grand Slam. I mean, all the players want to win a Grand Slam. All the players, they want to win their match.
I don't know. I just play. We will see what's happen.

she looks hot... I hope to see more pics later. There is a lot Vee's pics and about 3/4 for Anna. And Anna is hotter

THE MODERATOR: Question.

Q. Was it a matter of survival of the fittest at the end, who was the stronger at the end?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, definitely Maria was today. She is stronger. I guess she played very well. She's a great fighter. I think she deserve this win. I can just wish her good luck in semis.


Q. Was she a little more aggressive than you?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes. I think I need to improve to be more aggressive on important points especially because, yes, she was a little bit more aggressive than me.


Q. You seemed quite nervous at the start. Did it take you a while to settle down?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: No, I wasn't nervous at all, not at all. Maybe on the tiebreak because I was up like 5‑3 and I had so many opportunities. I just didn't use it. That's, you know, a little bit strange because on the tiebreak, so many points are lost so easy balls.

I don't think it's because nerves. I just need to be more aggressive on the important points. That's what I think.


Q. What do you do about that? Will that be something you'll pick up on the next tournament, being more aggressive?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yeah, definitely I will work on it. But, you know, it's tough to be aggressive because Maria, she's hitting the ball so hard. Especially in the warmup, I thought she will kill me (laughter). I couldn't put one ball on court because she played one ball on me, and the other ball like somewhere. I couldn't, you know, get where is the ball going, she was hitting so hard.

It's also tough to play aggressive against these kind of players because they play aggressive and you should mix your game a little bit more. But important balls, of course, you should be more aggressive.


Q. On speed and placement, you were staying with her.

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Yes, but I think she won all the important balls. I didn't use my opportunities in the first as well as second set because it was like two or three games Love‑30 on her serve. I just didn't use them. That's why I lost.

It was close match, but Maria won. I think she played better today than me and she deserve it, definitely.


Q. Your shoulder, what happened?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: It was tight in the morning. I had some treatment on it. During the match I felt pain, strain from the backside. I definitely should call the trainer earlier, not after first set. I think I should call it before I'm serve on that game at 5‑4. Maybe it would help me.

I got some antiinflammatories and pain gone in second set after few games.


Q. What is the problem?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Strain, right shoulder strain.


Q. You hurt it before the match?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: No, it was really tight before. As I said, I had a treatment on it. I felt it okay. But maybe Maria's hitting so hard, my shoulder was getting tighter.


Q. Was it bothering you in previous matches or only this one?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, you know, that's amazing because something is happen when I'm playing important matches. Like against Hingis in Montréal I had injury, again, my right hand. Here, as well. I should do something to myself. Should stay healthy, you know, to beat these kind of players.

I mean, it was my tenth match in a row. I felt tired. I just need to stay healthy and maybe not play tournament before a Grand Slam.


Q. You seemed to be having her running more than you were running a lot of that match. You had her moving a lot. Is that a good sign for your future?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Well, that was my game plan, you know, to move her. If I would play all balls to her, it will be very difficult. Yes, you know, I was running I think well today. But my hands and my arms was little bit sore and stiff. You know, especially those easy shots, I couldn't put it where I wanted. That was the problem, especially important points.


Q. You're the same age as Maria. When did you first know her or meet her?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Good question actually. I think I saw her on TV when I played juniors and she played main draw of US Open or something. It was on TV. I think she beat someone the first round. I just remember her dress, that's it (smiling).


Q. Why is that?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: It was pink dress. I just remember the color actually. Sorry.


Q. Do you remember what year that was?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: Year?


Q. 2002?

ANNA CHAKVETADZE: I don't really remember. Sorry

I still can't find pics from today, but I'm sure other people will find them for us all, (team effort!).

This pic is of Anna under an umbrella in the rain in Rome.