Q. It's a wonderful win.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Thank you. Q. But in the second set, two points away from winning. Did you think that you'd ever have a second chance?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I mean, no. After losing that game, yeah, things kind of stepped up a notch from her. Yeah, I didn't know if I was gonna get another chance.
That third set just kind of hung in there, and I was behind the whole time serving second. Just tried to hang in and wait for another opportunity.
Then I got one at 6 All, and thankfully I took it. Q. Were you a little nervous in that 30 All game? You were two points away.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, yeah. Sure, I was.
You know, it's not that I think I played it that bad, but I didn't play the way I was. When I got that next chance at 7 6, I wasn't gonna let the same thing happen again. Q. It could have been an easy win in two sets. You got close to that. Did it even feel better, now that you saved a match point to Serena? Did the win even feel better, although it was a close one?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, for sure I would have liked two sets better. But, yeah, to be able to come back from that point and be match point down, yeah, it just makes it, I guess, extra special in a way.
But, yeah, if you can, I'd always choose to close it out earlier. But it definitely means a lot. Q. Do you feel you can win the tournament here?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah. I mean, I think I've got as good a chance as anyone. I'm in the semis now; I played two great matches. Hopefully they're both gonna help me for tomorrow's match. Q. You've obviously been able to fight it out not only against Justine, but now Serena. How's your belief right now?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: As good as it's ever been. Two great matches back to back for me, which is fantastic. Yeah, it's not over yet. Now I'm in the semis, and I want to definitely try and keep going.
I made it to this point last year. If I can try and go another set further, then that would be great. Q. It's been a long time since an Australian tennis player beat the No. 1. What does it mean for Australian tennis, you think?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah, it's a great result for Australian tennis, and, yeah, my first time beating someone ranked No. 1. Hopefully it's going to spur things on back home and keep the involvement going and maybe have some new people playing. It's very exciting. Q. You were able to kind of overpower Justine I think the round before. Serena is a different type of player. Tell us kind of your strategy going in and how it worked out.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I mean, Serena and I have played each other for a few times. In the Australian Open she just went after the ball and played very aggressively and I didn't really get a chance to get into the match. I kind of thought, Okay, that's possible of happening again today.
I didn't want to let her try and dictate the points early on, so I tried to do that straight back to her. That first set really was on top of things, and even through the second, and I knew that that was a way that I had to win.
You can't, you know, give her much. You definitely have to go after it. I mean, it's the same against her and any girl who is probably in the top 5, top 10. Q. I'm just wondering, I think it was about 18 months ago when you played Serena in the Medibank International in the first round. Did you have any horrible flashbacks to that at any stage?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: It actually not horrible flashbacks, but I did think about that going straight down to the wire in the third set. Yeah, that was where I had match points and lost the match.
It's good to know that I've learnt from that situation, and this time didn't let it happen. Q. What match was that?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: First round in Sydney a couple years ago. Q. There seems to be some feeling that some of the newer, modern strings are changing the game. I'm wondering what you're using and if you feel they've changed your game at all?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I'm using the Babolat Black String. Nadal is using it, and I think Tsonga is using it. As soon as I hit with it I liked it. For sure I think it helps me playing with spin. I think anyone who plays with spin can get a lot out of these synthetic strings.
I used gut a couple years ago, but now have changed. Yeah, I think it's definitely helping. Q. When you were growing up, were there any Australian players to admire or follow or any other players you might have idolized?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, as for Australians, I watched I remember staying up late watching Pat Rafter play here and Wimbledon and all that.
But when I was, yeah, first started playing I loved Steffi and Monica. They were my idols. I always watched them. My family took us to the Australian Open final one year and we watched those two play the final, and that was just the best day of my life at that point. Q. Who were they?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Steffi Graf and Monica Seles. Q. Oh, yeah.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Sorry. Q. 1993?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: '93, yep. Q. Yeah, right. Where was it played? Oh, it was Melbourne.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: In Melbourne, yeah. Q. How excited are you?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Very. I've calmed down a bit now since walking off the court. I'm pretty happy with myself. Q. You should be. You seem to be a very strong physical player. How much attention do you pay to your physique and your training?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah, a lot, especially in the pre seasons. And if I have a couple of weeks off during the year and can really train hard, then I do most of it then.
But I've played so many matches the last couple of months I haven't even thought about going to the gym. So it's one of those things. You try and do it when you can, and now that I'm playing more matches and having more success on court, kind of don't have to worry about it as much. You get match fit.
Maybe next week I'll get back into the gym. But, yeah, it's something that I think is important for me. I can definitely see improvements in my game when I am physically strong and as fit as can be. Q. How does your body cope now after those two physically and mentally difficult matches?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I actually feel good. No problems. I mean, I'll take it easy tonight, but so far, feeling pretty good. Nothing hurts when you win, I guess. Q. Do you think in women's tennis that there's maybe a little change going on now with your style of play for the clay courts? We see Schiavone play very good clay court game. More spin. Playing a little bit more with the forehand, maybe a little bit more like the men. The hard hitting girls like Sharapova, the Williams sisters, they're not doing so well on the clay. Do you think this is maybe a step forward for the girls to come up with a different game style on clay?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, possibly. Not too many girls out there do hit with a lot of spin like me and Francesca, like you said. I think if there is a surface where players like us can do well, I think clay is just as good if not better than hardcourts.
Yeah, I think the majority of girls do play that way. Maybe that's why we have success, because there is less of us. It's a different ball that they have to see that they're not used to. Q. You had that very strong run there through the end of the first set and into the second, several games in a row, points in a row. What was the sensation for you like at that point? Were you thinking to yourself, She's gonna start playing better or things might turn around?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah. I can never even though I was 1 love up and then Love 40 after losing that game, yeah, I definitely knew it wasn't over. Serena can turn things around very quickly. She started serving a lot better and playing a bit more aggressively.
I knew that it wasn't over, even though I had had that run. I just tried to keep doing the same thing and then got myself in that winning position and lost it.
Then, yeah, third set, just tried to hang in there, like I said before. I waited for another opportunity, and I took it. Q. You mentioned spin. In what ways does your doubles experience impact the way you play singles?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think the biggest thing that the doubles have helped me with was just playing in Grand Slam finals on the big center courts.
You know, one of the most nervous matches I've ever played was the doubles final at the US Open. We got through that and we eventually won, but that was definitely a huge learning curve for me to realize just how those things can take over when you're playing.
Having been in situations like that, I think that's probably helping me the most now as far as the doubles helping singles. Q. You're talking about spin and so on. We sort of categorize you as somebody who is strong and a big banger. You stayed along the baseline today, which seems strange for someone who is a doubles player who obviously...
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I'm not a doubles specialist, though. Q. No, but you obviously have a lot of experience, like at the net, for example.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Sure. Q. You don't seem to use that too much in singles.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah, sometimes I lose; sometimes I don't. Sometimes it just doesn't the opportunities don't allow me to go in, or if things are going good from the baseline I'm more comfortable there.
But the match against Justine I actually came in a lot, and today I didn't. So it's still something I'm trying to work on. It's good in doubles, and I'm still trying to feel more comfortable with it in singles. It's just kind of a work in progress. Some days you feel it; some days you don't. Q. What about looking ahead to Jankovic?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I haven't thought about it at all. Well, I mean, we played each other a couple times recently and are one each. I know she's not going to give me anything. It's a bit different from playing Justine and Serena.
I'm gonna I'm still gonna have to play the way I want to play: be aggressive and do what I want to do and try and dictate to her a little bit more. I know she's gonna hit tons and tons of balls in. I have to be prepared to be patient and wait for my opportunity a bit more. Q. Do the other matches mean anything going into this one when you consider those were all on hardcourt and this is the first time you are meeting on clay, as well?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it's a totally different court, situation, semifinals and all that.
It still may not mean a lot, but there's still things that I think I can take out of that last match we played against each other and try and do, I guess, technically, anyway.
Yeah, different situations, so don't know. Q. Was the Lyme's Disease threatening your career?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I guess, yeah, for sure, it could have been. I didn't ever really let myself think about that when I was in it, but from what I've been told and all the doctors and all that, it's not a good thing to get. I think I turned it around. And, again, from people that I've spoken to, I think I'm pretty fortunate that I was able to come back and be healthy so quickly.
It was a long time, but relatively quickly compared to a lot of other stories I've heard. Q. Where did you get it, do you think, or do you know?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I have no idea, and nobody can tell me, but I actually think it was maybe here in Paris (laughter) and then took it it can take anywhere I've learned a lot about Lyme's Disease.
It can take anywhere up to 10 months for you to you start feeling it. I think it may have been here or it was either in London somewhere. Q. How long were you out with it?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: From Wimbledon till week before US Open. I played US Open, which I shouldn't have, but I didn't know I had Lyme then.
Then I was out from US Open until I think a week or two before the Rome tournament started the next year. All out, it was nine or ten months. Q. What US Open was that?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: 2007 6 7, I think. Yes. Q. The pressure in these Slams when they get towards the end must be just incredible. Could you talk about your feelings out there? You said at the Open in the dubs final you felt a great deal of pressure. Did you have those kind of feelings today, especially when you're trying to serve out the match in that 5 3 game?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I mean, yeah, for sure it was I got a little bit nervous and a little bit tight, but overall, I actually felt good. It's not really a pressure. I guess everything is just adrenaline and all the emotions hitting you kind of at once.
I didn't really feel pressure out there playing today and just really enjoyed myself. I think if I can try and keep that in the forefront of my mind, then maybe those other things don't occupy your head so much and you can just play that next point. Just play and not worry about anything else. Q. On a different topic, Australia is such a great sporting nation. You go out, you beat a No. 1, and reach the semis. What kind of responses have you been getting from back home?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I've had lots of e mails and text messages. I haven't even finished reading them yet. I'm sure mom and dad are going crazy at home. I haven't spoken to them yet. I'll call them after this.
From what I hear, everything is pretty positive and everyone is really excited back home.
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