Google News Flavia Pennetta: ´I Never Thought I Could Go This Far in the Tournament´
by IVAN PASQUARIELLO | VIEW 3622
Flavia Pennetta Press Conference F. PENNETTA/P. Kvitova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Petra was in earlier and said she wasn't all that disappointed because she played very, very well and you simply outplayed her.
Is that how you would describe it?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I think we both play very well. It was a good fight. In the end I play a little bit better. Physically I was better than her in the last set, so that was the difference, for sure.
Q. How do you feel about being back in the semifinals where you were a couple years ago? Who knows who you're going to play; they are slugging it out right now. How do you feel about being back in the semis?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Of course I'm really, really happy.
It's something incredible. Before the tournament I never think to be so far in the tournament, so it's something special. It's something amazing for me in this moment. Q. Why did you not think that, because you have been there before?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: No, because I didn't play really well in the last week and the feeling was not that good.
I just come here and try to practice, try to find the good feeling with the ball, with the atmosphere here, and everything it seems working. (Smiling.) Q. Yesterday your countrywoman, Roberta Vinci, said how proud Italy was to have her in the semis, but they may be even more proud to have two women in the semis.
How proud are you, and how proud is your country at the moment?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: Of course I'm very proud. Of course yesterday when I saw Roberta in the locker, I mean, I hug her and I say -- I mean, she was amazing yesterday also.
I think this is really important for our country. We did a lot of good things in the last 10 years. We have me, Roberta, Francesca, Sara, now Camila is coming also. So I think it's really good for Italian tennis to have such a good player.
Q. They say to never talk to women about their age, but Schiavone...
FLAVIA PENNETTA: We are old. I know. Q. Thank you.
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I mean, old for tennis. For the life we are younger. (Smiling.) Q. But just talk about that.
There must be just some reason for that.
FLAVIA PENNETTA: No, there is no reason. I mean, also Serena, she is not that young. I mean, of course we are a little bit old for the age of tennis right now. A lot of young players coming in the last -- since the Olympic game, I think, was a little bit of change of generation.
But we are here. We still fight. We still enjoy what we did. I think this is important. Q. Talk about the role of Fed Cup just over the past many years. You have had success after success. Has that helped you guys? Has it pushed each of you?
FLAVIA PENNETTA: I mean, I think was really important for all of us because sometimes I mean, I starting the year in 2009 with the top 10 and then Francesca won Roland Garros and then Sara come.
Everyone was pushing the other one. I think it was really important for us to have someone before us just to try to catch it all the time.
