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          Rogers AT&T Cup - Press Conferences


            MATCH: NADIA PETROVA vs. JELENA DOKIC
            SCORE / RÉSULTAT: 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1

            MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2001 / LUNDI 13 AOÛT 2001


            AN INTERVIEW WITH: NADIA PETROVA


            TOUR OFFICIAL: Okay. Can we have the first question, please? 

            REPORTER: How much has your success at the French Open and Wimbledon, how much has that 
            given you the confidence today? 

            NADIA PETROVA: Of course it gave me some confidence playing against top players. I played 
            very close match last week against Lindsay. She just had a little luck and went with a winner. 
            And Dokic, for me, she's not a top player, because I played juniors with her. So when I'm 
            playing with her I feel very confident because I played her in juniors. And it wasn't really 
            stress for me. But the thing is, last couple of weeks, I played my best tennis, I was in great 
            shape. This is right now the level when my performance went a little bit down, as you can 
            see. Because I couldn't play all my best strokes. Because what I showed today wasn't my 
            game. All I just wanted to win. I had a very big will to win. And I was trying very hard 
            everything I could do today. But unfortunately it was not enough to win. 

            REPORTER: What happened with your foot? 

            NADIA PETROVA: I got some blisters, you know. The foot is always moving a little bit in the 
            shoe and it's rubbing it. 

            REPORTER: How much was that a factor? 

            NADIA PETROVA: No, no, no. Well, it's little bit painful, because when after points you stop and 
            you start thinking about it. This is a little bit uncomfortable. Otherwise, it's not a matter. 
            It's not a matter. 

            REPORTER: Nadia, it looked like you were going to win straight sets. You were ahead by a set at 
            4-2. Can you explain what happened, how that happened -- how that match got away from you a 
            little bit? 

            NADIA PETROVA: I think it was just that was luck a little bit on her side. And I don't know how 
            did it happen that I did two double faults on break of my serve. And I think it was just kind 
            of the luck, I would say. The gods didn't want me to win this much. And after the match I just 
            took my cross and just gave it to my coach and said I will never wear it again. I think that 
            was really unfair to me. 

            REPORTER: You took your cross? 

            NADIA PETROVA: Mm-hmm. 

            TOUR OFFICIAL: Any more questions? 

            REPORTER: Do you think Dokic was playing her best tennis tonight? 

            NADIA PETROVA: She played very well today. She made a lot of winners and she played very 
            consistent. And I think she played better than the last and previous week. 

            REPORTER: Did you get a little bit discouraged early in the third set and last few games just 
            got away from you, did you lose your focus a little bit or did you get discouraged? 

            NADIA PETROVA: Well, I think I got little bit tired, because I have another injury as well, as 
            you saw my leg was taped. And maybe, yeah. Maybe I lost also a little bit of the focus. Because 
            third set went really quickly and I started making a lot of unforced errors. 

            REPORTER: What is the injury on your right leg? 

            NADIA PETROVA: I'm not sure. It's right there, sprained the muscle last week. 

            REPORTER: Sorry, could you elaborate on the cross? I think I missed that whole thing. You 
            said you took off your cross and you gave it to your coach. You said you don't want to wear this 
            anymore, a necklace, a cross necklace? Why would you do that? 

            NADIA PETROVA: 'Cause I had all the game was in my hands. I mean, those two points, you know, 
            just went away. Because maybe it's also, you know, because I didn't want it or maybe someone 
            else didn't want to win this match as well. 

            TOUR OFFICIAL: Okay. Thank you.


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