An Interview With Anna Kournikova

Q. What was the shoulder problem, Anna?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I just think that I served a lot, you know, last couple of weeks, you know. I was practicing, and it's just a little bit sore, and it was just really sore.

Q. No lasting damage there, you don't think?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, there's not any major damage. Like I say, I served a lot of balls in the last couple of weeks, and it was really sore. I played a lot of tennis here also, mixed and doubles, so - -

Q. What do you think about your performance tonight?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well I'll think, first of all, Mary played a great match. She started off really well, and I'm very happy with my performance, you know. I'm moving on. I'm going forward, and I'm progressing. I tried to do everything that, you know, my coach and I discussed, and basically everything that we were talking about worked. It was just that if she give me a little bit more opportunity to use it. But I think that, like I said, I'm happy with my performance here.

Q. Do you think the attention paid to your service has added extra pressure? Has that affected you?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Pressure when? Today on the match? No, I, you know - no, I felt completely no pressure. I was completely confident about my serve. Like I said, I worked a lot on it. I moved on and forward, and I feel great right now about my serve. I feel like I can put in hundred balls in a row, and that's the good thing about it.

Q. However you proceeded to the doubles, next round, and also however there are four months from now to Roland Garros. You are planning to prepare for that tournament, I'm sure. The enthusiastic fans of you in Japan really want to cheer up. Do you have some message to the Japanese TV watchers, to the clay court season, including the French Open, please?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, like you said, there's four months to go to the French Open, and I have a lot of tournaments before that, that I need to concentrate on - Indian Wells, Lipton, Tokyo I am playing the week after here.

Q. Yes, I know.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Then I'm playing a few more tournaments after that, Amelia Island and Berlin and Rome, and then only French Open. So I haven't looked that far yet. I have to get ready first for the hardcourt season that's going to start, and then I'll get ready for the clay court season.

Q. Yeah, yeah. I know. Just for TV in Japan of Roland Garros, I would like to ask you a question. According to the WTA Tour, your favourite city is Paris and you love the Roland Garros?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah. It's one of my favourite cities. I like a lot of cities. They are all different, and it's one of my favourite cities.

Q. Anna, how do you see the match between Martina and Mary?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, Martina is a my doubles partner, so of course I'm going to say she's going the win. No, but I think that it's going to be a good match; but like, I think that Martina, she will be, she will win, I think. I think that she will play smart against Mary and, you know, I think she will win.

Q. Your confidence doesn't seem to be too dented from this loss. Do you feel like you can absorb this pretty well and just move on?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Like I said, yes. I feel really confident. I felt like I moved on. I feel like I have no problems. I did everything that I tried, you know, that I discussed with my coach, and I'm very happy with my performance. I was serving very well. So I'll just - you know, my opponent, Mary, she played a great match. I'll just move on and get ready for the next tournament and for my doubles tomorrow.

Q. What do you think is the reason that you still cannot reach, you know, final, or win let's say a Grand Slam, a major tournament?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: What is the reason Venus Williams can't win a Grand Slam? No, it's just, I mean, some people win their Grand Slams like Martina, when she's 16; some people win when they are 22, like Lindsay Davenport. So everybody is different, likes I always been saying. Everyone is different. Everybody's preparation, mentality physical abilities, is different. So for every person it's their own time.