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Thursday, September 8, 2011
Sam Stosur’s got Vera Zvonareva’s number.
The hard-hitting Aussie, seeded No. 9, rolled over the second seed Zvonareva for the eighth consecutive time, 6-3, 6-3, in just 67 minutes. The match was really an upset only on paper; the last time Stosur lost to the Russian was in 2004.
“Obviously I've got a great record against Vera and then not‑so‑good records against other players,” said the Australian. “I think it's just the way your game can match up against certain people.”
In sharp contrast to her last two extended contests, which saw Stosur setting records for longest women’s match at the Open and longest women’s tiebreak in a major, this match was a breeze. Returning to the Grandstand, under shockingly blue skies, Stosur used her muscular, attacking game to overpower her Russian opponent.
“It's always nicer to finish them off in less than three hours,” said Stosur. “To come out and play the way I did today obviously after the long waiting around that we have had to do is really, really pleasing.”
Notching a speedy win is especially important in this rain-hampered Open. The women are facing play on three consecutive days if they are to make the final.
Stosur repeatedly feasted on Zvonareva’s enervated serve and frequently ran around her backhand to bang inside-out forehand winners. Most important for Stosur, she never experienced even a momentary lapse.
The Australian confidently took the first set on a smacked backhand at Zvonareva’s feet. Stosur then broke immediately in the first game of the second, with a great get and a lunging forehand pass.
Stosur played an impressively clean match. She won 84 percent of her first-serve points, smacked 25 winners, won nine of 13 points at net, and converted on three of four break-point opportunities.
“When you're playing well, like I say, it just kind of flows," she said.
With the athletic Stosur, the state of her game is a matter of confidence. She is one of the fittest players in the women’s game, with a blistering forehand and masterful serve that’s perhaps bettered only by Serena Williams. Though often streaky, Stosur is now streaking and seeking to advance to her second Grand Slam final (her first was the 2010 French Open).
“I think we'll be okay to play three days in a row. We do that throughout the year, normal tour events,” the popular Aussie said. “You've got to be able to back up.”
Stosur now looks like the clear favorite in a depleted bottom half of the women’s draw; she plays the surprise seminfinalist Angelique Kerber of Germany, ranked 92 in the world. The two have never met.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, for sure. It's always nicer to finish them off in less than three hours. So, I mean, to come out and play the way I did today obviously after the long waiting around that we have had to do is really, really pleasing. To do it against a player like Vera who is obviously a quality opponent is, yeah, definitely a good feeling.
Q. Vera has been playing some great tennis. Obviously it shows in her ranking. You have dominated her the last eight times that you've played her. What is it about the way you two match up that enables you to get the best of her consistently?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know. Like I said, it's part of tennis. Obviously I've got a great record against Vera and then not so good records against other players. I think it's just the way your game can match up against certain people. Obviously having this record makes me feel pretty confident going into each match. Obviously I'm pretty clear with what I want to do each time. The last couple of matches we have played have definitely been very close: they were 6 in the third, and then I was a set and a break down in Eastbourne against her. So I have definitely been in trouble sometimes, but for whatever reason been able to get out of it. To come today to a quarterfinal in the slam and produce tennis the way I did is obviously very pleasing once again against Vera.
Q. She said that she felt that you felt comfortable against her because of the way she plays her game. Is that so?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, well, it's something that obviously feels good out there. You know, I think maybe it's my spin. I can get it jumping away from her, and puts her under a lot of pressure to obviously have good footwork and be able to hit the ball clean against me. Maybe I just read what's going on out there well. Like I said, I think when you really feel comfortable, obviously things start to flow a little bit more than usual.
Q. Obviously the job is not done yet. What does it mean to you? What does it feel like to be in the semis of the Open for the first time and the first Australian Queenslander since Wendy in '84?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: That's the year I was born, so that's good. Might be a good omen. But, no, it's great. Any time you can get a result like this in a slam is obviously very pleasing. To have not had good Grand Slam results this year up until this tournament, obviously I wanted to try to do a lot better here. Now I've really started to play well and feeling very good and obviously it's very exciting. Hopefully I can keep it going for a couple more days. But, you know, I just really want to enjoy it.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about the rain delay and what you did and what mentally you had to do to stay focused.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, to be honest, the first day I didn't think there was really chance we were gonna play, and we got canceled pretty early, which was nice. Then we could get back and have a hit indoors knowing that there wasn't going to be any pressure to get out on the court if it suddenly did stop. And yesterday was a very long day. I think both Vera and I got here about 9:30, 9:45 in the morning, and didn't leave until 8:00 when we got canceled. So it's definitely testing. But, you know, I wasn't sitting in my match clothes prepared to play that whole day at least. But then the courts are going be dried, and all of a sudden there is this mad panic after you've relaxing all day and trying not to do too much. It's definitely not easy for any of us to go out there, and I think it was obviously a good decision to cancel us when they did and come out here today. It's been good so far.
Q. Rafa came in earlier today and said that he felt that the players are not considered more in the decision making here at the US Open. Do you have any thoughts on that?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think that can be a problem in tournaments in general. I mean, obviously we need the TV. We need everything that goes along with these kinds of events. But at the end of the day, without any players there is no event either. I think sometimes, you know, a little more consideration could be done for what we've got to go through to get prepared to get on the court, as well. We don't want to go on the court if it's not prepared properly or it's not dry or, you know, there's not a good amount of time that's realistic to finish matches. I think there's certainly, you know, things that need to be considered a little bit more. But in general, obviously it's not a problem.
Q. Do you think it's also a situation with the way the scheduling is done with this tournament, in that you've got first round across three days rather than two at most slams -- French starts on a Sunday, anyway.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Uh huh.
Q. And then it's more evenly spread, so you probably would have had the quarters done by now.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah.
Q. What are your thoughts on that?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think the women's matches are always here, anyway, played over Monday, Tuesday. For us it's not a problem. But if I was one of the guys playing on a Wednesday start I certainly wouldn't be too happy about it because you're already losing half the week. Then you've got to cram seven matches in. I don't necessarily agree with playing semis and finals days after each other, because if it does rain here, you're stuffed. There is no chance of having a final on time if you lose that semifinal day. Obviously they have the scheduling the way they want it. Yeah, I think a lot of players would probably disagree with it. No other Grand Slam does it that way. But that's the way it's been for many, many years.
Q. How intense is that playing day after day after day? Usually just semis and finals, but now you have quarters, semis, finals. I guess it's less of an adjustment for the women because you probably do this during the year. Is very intense to do it at a slam?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, well, never had to do it before, so I guess we'll find out. I think for us, sure, playing best of three sets is definitely not as hard as it is for the guys. If the guys now have to play, some of them four days in a row depending if those matches go really long, it's going to be a huge test for whoever has to do that. But, you know, I think we'll be okay to play three days in a row. We do that throughout the year, normal tour events. You've got to be able to back up. So I'm not too concerned about that at the moment. And obviously having well, me three pretty easy days, I'm feeling pretty good and ready to go.
Q. Can you look ahead to first playing Kerber and then separately to playing Pennetta?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I don't actually know much about Kerber except that she's a lefty. That's about it. We've never played and never practiced together or anything like that. Might be interesting to watch a little bit of that match. Against Flavia, we've played a few times, but not for about a year, actually. I've never beaten her. So, you know, either way I'm gonna have to go out there and play way. If I can keep playing the way I am I have a good chance, I think. It's the semis of a slam, and we all want to get through to that final. So no matter who I play, I'm going to have to play well. It's definitely going to be a good challenge.
Q. You said after beating Kirilenko that you felt more pumped than ever in your life. How did you feel today?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Great. Yeah, I think I wasn't probably as animated, but definitely kept it all under control and felt pretty solid out there. When you're playing well, like I say, it just kind of flows. You step up to the line and you play the next point and the next one and the next one. Happy to close it out in straight sets.
Q. I think you played Flavia in Fed Cup. Is that the last time you played?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it could have been, actually.
Q. Can you talk about how you're feeling about your game now compared to then?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: To be honest, I didn't feel good during that Fed Cup tie. I think it was 5 in the third or something. So maybe that's a good thing. I didn't feel too comfortable and I still lost 5 in the third. I mean, Fed Cup matches are huge, and obviously playing in Australia for us was a big moment. But I think this is probably a little bit bigger, and it's totally different. You don't have the coaches on the side of the court and a team barracking for you from the sidelines. Probably, you know, not worried too much about that match. But there are definitely things that we'll have to, Dave and I, talk about and go through if I end up playing Flavia.
Q. Is this some of the best tennis you've played since your run at the French?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, maybe so. I think this year up until the last probably month haven't been as good as what I wanted it to be. But, yeah, it's nice. Leading into this event I was able to get some good results and start feeling good again. To carry it through now into the main event is definitely a nice feeling. Yeah, I think I'm playing well, but you always hope there is still that little bit extra there.
Q. That run you went on at the end of the first set and then the first two games in the second, was that almost as close as it gets to perfect, 12 straight points in a row?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah, I think so. Hitting winners from wherever you want to be in the court and serving well, it's -- yeah, to win 12 straight points against the No. 2 player in the world is always a good thing.
Q. With the anniversary of 9/11 coming up, can you talk a little bit about your memories that you have and where you were and what that experience was like for you?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I was playing 10,000s in Japan. Kind of have to remember what city I was in. But, yeah, I woke up to the TV or one of the other Aussie girls there calling the room and saying, Turn on the TV and look what's going on. Obviously it was unbelievable. I was only 17 at the time. There were four or five of us traveling around in a group together and had no idea what was going to happen. We all thought planes aren't going fly ever again and didn't know. Obviously watching those images, going out to play your matches at a 10,000 event all of a sudden became pretty irrelevant. And obviously watching the TV recently you see all the shows and documentaries about it again, it certainly brings it back. Yeah, it's kind of strange to be back here in New York on the 10th anniversary. It's great to see how people have moved on. Obviously it was a really sad time, but obviously everyone's getting through it.
The hard-hitting Aussie, seeded No. 9, rolled over the second seed Zvonareva for the eighth consecutive time, 6-3, 6-3, in just 67 minutes. The match was really an upset only on paper; the last time Stosur lost to the Russian was in 2004.
“Obviously I've got a great record against Vera and then not‑so‑good records against other players,” said the Australian. “I think it's just the way your game can match up against certain people.”
In sharp contrast to her last two extended contests, which saw Stosur setting records for longest women’s match at the Open and longest women’s tiebreak in a major, this match was a breeze. Returning to the Grandstand, under shockingly blue skies, Stosur used her muscular, attacking game to overpower her Russian opponent.
“It's always nicer to finish them off in less than three hours,” said Stosur. “To come out and play the way I did today obviously after the long waiting around that we have had to do is really, really pleasing.”
Notching a speedy win is especially important in this rain-hampered Open. The women are facing play on three consecutive days if they are to make the final.
Stosur repeatedly feasted on Zvonareva’s enervated serve and frequently ran around her backhand to bang inside-out forehand winners. Most important for Stosur, she never experienced even a momentary lapse.
The Australian confidently took the first set on a smacked backhand at Zvonareva’s feet. Stosur then broke immediately in the first game of the second, with a great get and a lunging forehand pass.
Stosur played an impressively clean match. She won 84 percent of her first-serve points, smacked 25 winners, won nine of 13 points at net, and converted on three of four break-point opportunities.
“When you're playing well, like I say, it just kind of flows," she said.
With the athletic Stosur, the state of her game is a matter of confidence. She is one of the fittest players in the women’s game, with a blistering forehand and masterful serve that’s perhaps bettered only by Serena Williams. Though often streaky, Stosur is now streaking and seeking to advance to her second Grand Slam final (her first was the 2010 French Open).
“I think we'll be okay to play three days in a row. We do that throughout the year, normal tour events,” the popular Aussie said. “You've got to be able to back up.”
Stosur now looks like the clear favorite in a depleted bottom half of the women’s draw; she plays the surprise seminfinalist Angelique Kerber of Germany, ranked 92 in the world. The two have never met.
An Interview With Samantha Stosur
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Q. There were some who were wondering if you were being paid by the hour in the third and fourth, round but today it must have been a relief just to get that match over.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, for sure. It's always nicer to finish them off in less than three hours. So, I mean, to come out and play the way I did today obviously after the long waiting around that we have had to do is really, really pleasing. To do it against a player like Vera who is obviously a quality opponent is, yeah, definitely a good feeling.
Q. Vera has been playing some great tennis. Obviously it shows in her ranking. You have dominated her the last eight times that you've played her. What is it about the way you two match up that enables you to get the best of her consistently?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know. Like I said, it's part of tennis. Obviously I've got a great record against Vera and then not so good records against other players. I think it's just the way your game can match up against certain people. Obviously having this record makes me feel pretty confident going into each match. Obviously I'm pretty clear with what I want to do each time. The last couple of matches we have played have definitely been very close: they were 6 in the third, and then I was a set and a break down in Eastbourne against her. So I have definitely been in trouble sometimes, but for whatever reason been able to get out of it. To come today to a quarterfinal in the slam and produce tennis the way I did is obviously very pleasing once again against Vera.
Q. She said that she felt that you felt comfortable against her because of the way she plays her game. Is that so?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, well, it's something that obviously feels good out there. You know, I think maybe it's my spin. I can get it jumping away from her, and puts her under a lot of pressure to obviously have good footwork and be able to hit the ball clean against me. Maybe I just read what's going on out there well. Like I said, I think when you really feel comfortable, obviously things start to flow a little bit more than usual.
Q. Obviously the job is not done yet. What does it mean to you? What does it feel like to be in the semis of the Open for the first time and the first Australian Queenslander since Wendy in '84?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: That's the year I was born, so that's good. Might be a good omen. But, no, it's great. Any time you can get a result like this in a slam is obviously very pleasing. To have not had good Grand Slam results this year up until this tournament, obviously I wanted to try to do a lot better here. Now I've really started to play well and feeling very good and obviously it's very exciting. Hopefully I can keep it going for a couple more days. But, you know, I just really want to enjoy it.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about the rain delay and what you did and what mentally you had to do to stay focused.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, to be honest, the first day I didn't think there was really chance we were gonna play, and we got canceled pretty early, which was nice. Then we could get back and have a hit indoors knowing that there wasn't going to be any pressure to get out on the court if it suddenly did stop. And yesterday was a very long day. I think both Vera and I got here about 9:30, 9:45 in the morning, and didn't leave until 8:00 when we got canceled. So it's definitely testing. But, you know, I wasn't sitting in my match clothes prepared to play that whole day at least. But then the courts are going be dried, and all of a sudden there is this mad panic after you've relaxing all day and trying not to do too much. It's definitely not easy for any of us to go out there, and I think it was obviously a good decision to cancel us when they did and come out here today. It's been good so far.
Q. Rafa came in earlier today and said that he felt that the players are not considered more in the decision making here at the US Open. Do you have any thoughts on that?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think that can be a problem in tournaments in general. I mean, obviously we need the TV. We need everything that goes along with these kinds of events. But at the end of the day, without any players there is no event either. I think sometimes, you know, a little more consideration could be done for what we've got to go through to get prepared to get on the court, as well. We don't want to go on the court if it's not prepared properly or it's not dry or, you know, there's not a good amount of time that's realistic to finish matches. I think there's certainly, you know, things that need to be considered a little bit more. But in general, obviously it's not a problem.
Q. Do you think it's also a situation with the way the scheduling is done with this tournament, in that you've got first round across three days rather than two at most slams -- French starts on a Sunday, anyway.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Uh huh.
Q. And then it's more evenly spread, so you probably would have had the quarters done by now.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah.
Q. What are your thoughts on that?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think the women's matches are always here, anyway, played over Monday, Tuesday. For us it's not a problem. But if I was one of the guys playing on a Wednesday start I certainly wouldn't be too happy about it because you're already losing half the week. Then you've got to cram seven matches in. I don't necessarily agree with playing semis and finals days after each other, because if it does rain here, you're stuffed. There is no chance of having a final on time if you lose that semifinal day. Obviously they have the scheduling the way they want it. Yeah, I think a lot of players would probably disagree with it. No other Grand Slam does it that way. But that's the way it's been for many, many years.
Q. How intense is that playing day after day after day? Usually just semis and finals, but now you have quarters, semis, finals. I guess it's less of an adjustment for the women because you probably do this during the year. Is very intense to do it at a slam?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, well, never had to do it before, so I guess we'll find out. I think for us, sure, playing best of three sets is definitely not as hard as it is for the guys. If the guys now have to play, some of them four days in a row depending if those matches go really long, it's going to be a huge test for whoever has to do that. But, you know, I think we'll be okay to play three days in a row. We do that throughout the year, normal tour events. You've got to be able to back up. So I'm not too concerned about that at the moment. And obviously having well, me three pretty easy days, I'm feeling pretty good and ready to go.
Q. Can you look ahead to first playing Kerber and then separately to playing Pennetta?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I don't actually know much about Kerber except that she's a lefty. That's about it. We've never played and never practiced together or anything like that. Might be interesting to watch a little bit of that match. Against Flavia, we've played a few times, but not for about a year, actually. I've never beaten her. So, you know, either way I'm gonna have to go out there and play way. If I can keep playing the way I am I have a good chance, I think. It's the semis of a slam, and we all want to get through to that final. So no matter who I play, I'm going to have to play well. It's definitely going to be a good challenge.
Q. You said after beating Kirilenko that you felt more pumped than ever in your life. How did you feel today?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Great. Yeah, I think I wasn't probably as animated, but definitely kept it all under control and felt pretty solid out there. When you're playing well, like I say, it just kind of flows. You step up to the line and you play the next point and the next one and the next one. Happy to close it out in straight sets.
Q. I think you played Flavia in Fed Cup. Is that the last time you played?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it could have been, actually.
Q. Can you talk about how you're feeling about your game now compared to then?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: To be honest, I didn't feel good during that Fed Cup tie. I think it was 5 in the third or something. So maybe that's a good thing. I didn't feel too comfortable and I still lost 5 in the third. I mean, Fed Cup matches are huge, and obviously playing in Australia for us was a big moment. But I think this is probably a little bit bigger, and it's totally different. You don't have the coaches on the side of the court and a team barracking for you from the sidelines. Probably, you know, not worried too much about that match. But there are definitely things that we'll have to, Dave and I, talk about and go through if I end up playing Flavia.
Q. Is this some of the best tennis you've played since your run at the French?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, maybe so. I think this year up until the last probably month haven't been as good as what I wanted it to be. But, yeah, it's nice. Leading into this event I was able to get some good results and start feeling good again. To carry it through now into the main event is definitely a nice feeling. Yeah, I think I'm playing well, but you always hope there is still that little bit extra there.
Q. That run you went on at the end of the first set and then the first two games in the second, was that almost as close as it gets to perfect, 12 straight points in a row?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah, I think so. Hitting winners from wherever you want to be in the court and serving well, it's -- yeah, to win 12 straight points against the No. 2 player in the world is always a good thing.
Q. With the anniversary of 9/11 coming up, can you talk a little bit about your memories that you have and where you were and what that experience was like for you?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I was playing 10,000s in Japan. Kind of have to remember what city I was in. But, yeah, I woke up to the TV or one of the other Aussie girls there calling the room and saying, Turn on the TV and look what's going on. Obviously it was unbelievable. I was only 17 at the time. There were four or five of us traveling around in a group together and had no idea what was going to happen. We all thought planes aren't going fly ever again and didn't know. Obviously watching those images, going out to play your matches at a 10,000 event all of a sudden became pretty irrelevant. And obviously watching the TV recently you see all the shows and documentaries about it again, it certainly brings it back. Yeah, it's kind of strange to be back here in New York on the 10th anniversary. It's great to see how people have moved on. Obviously it was a really sad time, but obviously everyone's getting through it.
Match Facts
- Stosur struck 25 winners, compared to just nine for Zvonareva.- Stosur advances to her third career Slam semifinal.
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| Samantha Stosur AUS (9) |  | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vera Zvonareva RUS (2) | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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