An interview with: DANIELA HANTUCHOVA
Monday, September 2, 2013

Q. Good comeback in the third set. At the end of the second, she played pretty well to even it, but then you got control again.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah, she did. She played extremely well at the end of the second set. Just really proud the way I fought back into it in the third, raised my level when I needed to. Obviously the serve was working really well today. I think that was the main difference.

Q. When was the last time you served so well?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Couldn't really remember. I guess 11 years ago (smiling).

Q. Do you know the ace count?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: I think 15.

Q. When you think of the US Open in general, you've had high moments and moments where you ended up out in the first round. What does it mean to you when you look at the US Open on the calendar every year? Is it something you look forward to?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Definitely, mainly because I love New York. I could live here in one second. I just love the city. It's got so much energy, atmosphere. It's the last Grand Slam of the year. Obviously you always want to finish on a high. I was really glad I was able to do that so far this year. This tournament is only starting now for me. It just means the world to me to be again in the quarterfinals.

Q. It's been a tough singles time for you after Birmingham. Did you expect to do so well coming in here?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Not really. But I guess the best things happen when you don't expect them.

Q. Talk really about why.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah, just fighting like crazy, really leaving everything I've got on the court. Really putting my heart into it because it means so much to me. I guess, you know, sometimes you keep trying, keep trying, and then you don't know why, but it just comes all together.

Q. How did you handle the rain delay?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's never easy, especially when I had those chances early in the second set to kind of forget it and get ready for whatever was coming. You know, we were ready to go couple of times. But was the same for both of us.

Q. Did you nap or eat?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: I did all of that.

Q. A lot of women you played against when you were in the quarterfinals here last time are no longer playing. What is it about you?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: No, actually they're still playing. I played I think a hundred times Serena and Venus. It's actually nice to see all of them still playing.

Q. Many of the lower ranked players have come and gone. What keeps you on the tour?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Just the love for the game. I love doing what I'm doing so much that I wouldn't change it for anything else in the world. That's the reason why I'm here.

Q. Do wins and losses matter less than they did, say, 10 years ago?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah, definitely.

Q. Because?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: I just appreciate everything a lot more. I appreciate just being able to be a tennis player, be healthy, doing what I'm doing, because it's a big privilege to be in this position, to be so lucky in my life.

Q. What has the process been like playing with Hingis?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: You know, we had so much fun. All the matches were really great here. Really unfortunate with the draw, but I still think it was a great match. We really enjoyed it. Had our chances. The biggest chance we had was in San Diego in the second round. I think if we would have won that, it would make a big difference. But we didn't. Still, you know, coming back after so many years off it's never easy. I think she handled everything really well, and I really enjoyed it.

Q. Even though you're veterans, you still need the confidence of a second round win in San Diego to build on things?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: No, because then we saw them winning the tournament. We were like really almost winning that match. That's what Martina felt like, that that could have made the difference. Doesn't matter what ranking you are. You always need to have the confidence and the momentum.

Q. Do you feel like that partnership with Martina has helped your singles game at all?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's always great to have someone like that around. She understands the game so much. Like I said, once you are a champion you will always be a champion. I think it's great that she's back. I think the fans enjoyed it.

Q. You are 30. Do you have the same motivation on the tour right now?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yes, I do. Even more. Like I said, I just enjoy every single moment being able to be out there and compete. Doesn't really matter which way it goes.

Q. What is it like on your nerves? You played Alison twice before on grass, but when you go out there in a situation like this, you know she's playing kind of above her ranking, is it particularly nerve wracking to go out against somebody like that?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Not really. Absolutely not. I treat every match the same, so it doesn't really matter who is on the other side of the court.

Q. Is it strange when you come into these press conferences to be told over and over you're older when in real life you're so young?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: We always feel so much older in the tennis world than we do in the normal life. I'm so happy there's so many girls of my age and older around. I think we keep pushing each other. I think it's great for our generation. I mean, I'm actually pleased with it, that I'm able to compete at the highest level and really enjoy it.

Q. Why do you think there are more women playing into their 30s now?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: I think it's the experience, that we've been through so much, we know exactly what to do. Sometimes we don't do it, but we know what we should be doing.

Q. For women you have your fitness training that you do, weight training. Probably more than men you're also judged maybe on how you look. How tough is that to deal with?

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: You know, 14 years, 15 years on the tour, I think I got used to that a while back ago. So, yeah, I think it is the way it is. I don't really pay too much attention to that.





US Open Tennis: Hantuchova in finals after the procedure: "I put my heart into it"-SUMMARY

New York 3 September (TASR) - Slovak tennis player Daniela Hantuchova for the second time in his career fought its way into the singles finals at the U.S. Open Grand Slam. In the eight villages on the main Arthur Ashe Stadium after the excellent performance of concentrated defeated American woman Alison Riskeovú home for 2:01 h in three sets 6:3, 5:7 and 6:2 and adjust the mutual balance with this grueling already at 3-0. The duel of the procedure enters the semifinals on Wednesday against the winner of Tuesday's second duel between forces of Belarus Victoria Azarenka and Serb Ana Ivanovic. '

Hantuchova refer the fifth time in singles in Grand Slam finals. U.S. Open is the first time succeeded yet in 2002, the peak in the singles events at the Big Four's final at the Australian Open in 2008. Due process between the elite eight ball at Flushing Meadows already has some premium $ 237,500 and 500 points to the WTA world rankings. In the new edition would return to the world's best thirties and again becomes Slovak number two, when overtake Magdalene Rybáriková. For Hantuchova is this year's U.S. Open 50th Grand Slam tournament in New York starts thirteenth.

Hantuchova since the beginning of the duel with Riskeovou great servovala i returnovala American and holds free card destroyed vast forehand. Winning the 3 Cycling over Izraelčankou Julia Gluškovou in the match, which turned the Slovak 3:6, 2:5 and turned four mečbaly, it gave a lot of confidence. Once the initial Geme Hantuchova played in aces. For the state of 2:3 while brejkbal missed, but in the eighth Geme after a series of high quality return filing Riskeovej broke and set to a successful conclusion.

Hantuchova very well read súperkin service and in long rallies from the baseline was almost infallible. Right at the beginning of the second act former world number five again took Riskeovej Service and after confirmation stopped to take the lead 2-0. American in additional minutes added to the vigor, the eighth Geme use brejkbal in the very first game and equaled to 4:4. The match followed a few hours interrupted for rain. After returning to the court for state Riskeová 6:5 pure play broke Hantuchova submission and forced a third set. However, it pulled the short end. Hantuchova after a two breakaways built a 5-2 lead in their own administration transformed the very first match point. For the first time since January 2008 will play Grand Slam singles-finals

Hantuchova after the triumph over Riskeovou shone with satisfaction. "I am very happy to be back in Grand Slam finals is a surreal feeling. Every match I give to heart and very much it means to me.'m Grateful for all the work that my team has done here. Today's match was difficult in that I could already decided in straight sets, but then came the rain and waiting. grueling second set won deservedly. Hrala wisely went into it, it had no choice, but in the third I put everything into it and it paid off. I tried it cool, I knew the level of the end of the second set can not keep., I strove to play the exchange, in which I was better. Today me in important moments extremely help service. status to 6:3, 4:2 I played really great, better than in previous matches at this year's U.S. Open," Hantuchova said in a conference call with the Slovak media.

In a duel with Gluškovou Hantuchova had treated his shoulder against Riskeovej but physically felt perfectly fine. "I was pleasantly surprised that the marathon with motion-Gluškovou I felt fantastic. Great thanks to my stress-relieving trainer. Since the end of the second set was grueling even with my first administration tried to be more in their villages, which suited me. I gave even more es . Riskeová wanted me to be more strategic scared her, but it did not work out too. storm After the break it was previously on militancy.'d rather play wiser than beauty. victory over Gluškovou gave me a lot of confidence. One is grateful that yet even in the tournament and all the more it weighs. Though I lost the second set, I told you that I can be glad that I have spiders in singles, which kicked me right. greatly appreciate, that after 11 years I'm back in the finals U.S. Open. Already have nothing to lose, on Tuesday you look duel between Azarenka and Ivanovic. At this stage of the tournament is the one against whom the grueling'll play. Both know to play great tennis, it's a great champion and former world number one. Hopefully in Tuesday regenerate well and I will be well prepared for the quarterfinal match, for which I am looking forward, it is a big challenge for me. anything is not over yet, the tournament is actually just started for me," said Hantuchova

It's kind of irrelevant to me, eddy. Maybe Ana so as to give Dani and all of us some payback from 2008. Either way, I shall avoid entertaining myself reading the pundits and touts acting like they're the only people on earth that know that Daniela has beaten all low ranked players and struggled to win the last two and now it's reality check time and all that good stuff. To me, this is house money time. Should our gal average 100 mph on serve and touch 108 like yesterday or like what I saw in the double bagel match, she can stay with either one of them. We can relax a bit, too. Part of the stomach churning of the last two matches was the fear that Daniela was going to not grasp a great opportunity as she was facing people she should beat. She overcame that and is going to be top 30 unless Flavia reaches the final and Dani goes no further. To me, any more wins here are gravy, and we can have hope that she can now rise to the challenge. I really wish that a bunch of us could go to any future matches in New York. Daniela has had to deal with crowds rooting against her all the way through. Imagine some of us Maniacs all sitting together. Daniela would hear fan support like never before!
.

The true answer to how we should be rooting today is what is actually happening. At 3-all in the 3rd, Vika & Ana are almost 2 hours into it. A 3rd set tiebreak creating a nearly 3 hour match...that's what we want!

It would have been very awkward to play Ana,not just because of the history. Sven wouldn't have been able to help her at all. Having said that, I was still rooting for her to win-I'm not counting on Vika to play as crap as she did for the first set and a half. And regardless of what I may think of her,she is a very clutch performer on the big stage. I think Daniela would have had a better chance against Ana

I'm not so sure Ana would have been easier, Vika's served lots of double faults this whole tournament and Vika's 1st serve isn't as hard as Ana's 1st serve.

The crowd might actually get behind Daniela not Vika as the crowd were certainly in favour of Ana today.

It's going to be so exciting!!!

On the other hand,Vika's returns are first-rate,Ana's not so much.And Vika seems to actually enjoy the crowd getting on her back.She's No.2 for a reason(plus I would have enjoyed revenge for 2008).

Recalling Dani's Doha win over Azarenka, it wouldn't bother me a bit if she caused Vika to once again consider a career change.
Now, facing #2 in the world who recently figured out how to beat Serena, Daniela will be given zero chance, so it's really house money time. I wonder how she'll react if she starts well and actually gets the fans behind her. It didn't help everyone she's beaten, true, but this time there should be close to a full house, and it will really sound like a New York crowd, which there's nothing like anywhere. Daniela would feed off that. I like the way you guys are putting it, that Dani should embrace this chance and just leave it all out there and enjoy the experience. And if all goes just right…well, Suite Judy Blue Eyes!

Recalling Dani's Doha win over Azarenka, it wouldn't bother me a bit if she caused Vika to once again consider a career change.
Now, facing #2 in the world who recently figured out how to beat Serena, Daniela will be given zero chance, so it's really house money time. I wonder how she'll react if she starts well and actually gets the fans behind her. It didn't help everyone she's beaten, true, but this time there should be close to a full house, and it will really sound like a New York crowd, which there's nothing like anywhere. Daniela would feed off that. I like the way you guys are putting it, that Dani should embrace this chance and just leave it all out there and enjoy the experience. And if all goes just right…well, Suite Judy Blue Eyes!

One of my favourite songs of the 60's. But surely the most appropriate Crosby,Stills and Nash song is Helplessly Hoping?