Q. What have you been up to since Paris?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: You know, party every day until 6:00 in the
morning and then sleep during the day, and now I play these two days
(laughter).
...
Q. One thing that sort of surprised us was you had been out on some
of the outer courts and you were the French Open champion. Was that a
surprise to you? You haven’t really been out on the show courts even
though you’re the French Open champion.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I’m fine to put me wherever they want to me
put. They don’t have to put me Centre Court. But with the schedule,
this is little bit weird thing. If you look the schedule, it’s not
about only me. It’s about Dinara plays on court No. 2, Venus plays on
court No. 1, and girls who’s not very high seeded they play Centre.
I respect them. They’re great players, for sure. But this is what’s
weird for me what’s their strategy was of the plan of making the
schedule. This is what surprised me a little bit.
But, you know, in Wimbledon you have to expect anything (laughter).
So this is Wimbledon. That’s why it’s special for everybody. It’s
special for me, as well. That’s why I like it, because it’s
unpredictable.
...
Q. Besides partying until 6:00 a.m. in the morning, what have you been doing?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I haven’t been partying (laughter). Now I know
you guys. You’re gonna put 6:00, and everybody thinks, and how she can
play that well? I’m not that good.
Q. I’m just wondering what you do with your days off or your days when you’re not playing in London.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Like today I was very excited they put me first
actually, because I wanted to try to finish quick and I want to go
shopping. Because staying in the Village, it’s great. Close to the
court, but there’s not much to do.
So I’m getting very bored in the afternoons after my matches and
practices. I want to go shopping and see London. Not tourism though,
because you get tired. I need just two, three hours to spend some cash.
Q. So you’re going to buy some clothes so you look better at those parties that go until 6:00 in the morning?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I’m not prepared for those parties. I’m always
good for those. But I just like to buy clothes, to buy things. Also
this year I was so terrible. I was maybe too focused on my tennis work
then I didn’t buy any presents for nobody.
I mean, if I want to buy present, I buy present. It’s not problem
for me. Like for my hitting partner I say, I won this, so you get the
present.
But my mom had a birthday, I didn’t buy anything; my good friend had
a birthday, I didn’t buy. I’m like, yeah, yeah, I’m giving you a
present soon. I am working on it. I look embarrassed, so I need to go
and get some presents.
Q. So Sharapova’s coach was upset years ago that he didn’t get a Mercedes. Is that the kind of gifts you get?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No (laughter). I don’t earn as much as Maria to
get Mercedes. I gave my first car to my coach, which I had. I just
said, Okay, you have it. It’s not a problem, because I did not want to
sell it anyway.
For me it’s not a problem if I have.
Q. Where do you go shopping? Where will you go, what kind of places?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, I went shopping once to Harrod’s already
once, and they send me to another street here. I still need to get to
know London better because I spend too much time probably on the
courts. I have to sneak out of here.
...
Q. You were very satisfied obviously after winning Roland Garros. What do you want to do now?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Keep enjoying my game. I keep it simple. In the
French Open they say, Oh, what’s your goal? I don’t want to set goals.
I just want to enjoy. When I enjoy it, I play at my best, and this is what I want to do.
Q. Do you think you can make it two Grand Slams in a row?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Why not? If I wouldn’t believe, why should I be
here sitting in front of you? I definitely can be, but it’s going to be
much more difficult for me to do it here than Paris. I realize that.
...
Q. Obviously the French Open win was great for you, but as you said
yourself, pretty devastating for Dinara. Have you seen her around here,
and how do you think she’s rebounded from that?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I just had a long chat with her in the locker
room. That’s not why I was late, though. But straight after the match I
had a chat with her. It was fine.
We talked about our private stuff, as well. We are good friends, you know, and she’s fine.
Q. She seems pretty happy.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Why shouldn’t be? You know, you should enjoy. It’s past and she’s No. 1 and she should enjoy.
Q. So it’s sort of obvious that Maria and Ivanovic and some of the
others get a lot of the publicity and the contracts and so forth, and
yet you’ve had tremendous results and not quite that kind of buzz and
contracts. Do you have any thoughts about that, on that gap between
you?
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: Well, you know, it’s not my problem to think
about it. My problem is to get my best results I can, and this is it.
I’m happy who I am and I’m happy the way I am.
I am enjoying myself on the court, and for me it’s most important
thing. What they get, I never look at another basket, you know, I look
at my basket. I don’t know what they get, so….
Q. You sound very comfortable with that.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: I’m all right. Maybe I used to care more, but
that’s when I was younger. But why should I? Why should I look at
somebody’s house or somebody else’s garden? I’m happy with what I have.
If I want to have more, I just have to play better. This is for me the
key.
