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Q. It's been a long time since you beat her, you've had struggles against her. Seemed like today you had more faith in yourself.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, yes, I think it's hard to play someone I lost so many times before. I knew she's great player. Especially here, she's playing amazing tennis.

On the other hand, I really have nothing to lose. She was defending the title, not me. I was really trying to play my best tennis, go for every shot I could.

You know, I'm just very happy because I really was playing great tennis.



Q. You're praised with being very intelligent on court with your tactics. How did you break this down, what was your game plan going out there technically?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think it's hard to talk about the game plan against someone that can do everything on court. Pretty much everything is going back. Not really much mistakes. So I think I was just trying to play aggressive, not in the middle. I think focus on the serves as well.

I think you really have to do everything to beat those kind of players like Vika.



Q. Did you notice at some point that her forehand was off, that she wasn't having her best day?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I don't know about that. I think you should ask her about this.

But I'm just very happy I could really play great, playing much better tennis, because otherwise I wouldn't win that match.



Q. You didn't lose confidence after the second set even though the last game was not great for you. Did you tell yourself something between sets to stay there strong?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, it's always tough to come back after the set, especially that I have some chances to win. I thought, you know, will be very tough because I think she was more confident in that third set, after the second set.

I think the key was also the beginning of the third set. Long, tight games. In the end of the games, I had some great shots. The beginning was good for me. Then I was just, you know, keep going.



Q. How good does it feel to reach a semifinal here, having played so many quarterfinals?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Great. I'm so happy and pleased, especially that I beat one of the best players in the world. Was not easy draw, not easy quarterfinal.

I'm very happy that I made my first semifinal here.



Q. You've made it to the semis and a final at Wimbledon. What did you learn from those defeats that will help you this time around in the latter stages of a major like this?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think every semifinal, every final is a huge experience with tennis. Those experience I just had from Wimbledon. Of course, I'm just very happy, you know, to reach the semifinal at other Grand Slam.

So I think this is the level everybody playing great tennis. Well, it's a bit more pressure. This is the semifinal of a Grand Slam. Especially here, first time for me.

Hopefully I will play the same tennis as today.



Q. What do you think about your opponent for the semifinal and how do you prepare for that?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, we played so many matches against each other. A couple last year, as well. I think the last one was the final at Stanford, which I unfortunately lost.

But, well, I saw her matches here. She was really playing great tennis, especially today.

Going to try my best, for sure.



Q. You seem fairly calm now. You sent a tweet that was just exclamation points after you won.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes.



Q. How excited are you to finally beat her now?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I mean, this is for sure one of the greatest matches at the slam, especially here. I did couple times quarterfinal. Few times was pretty close, even against her few years ago.

Like I'm saying, she's playing great tennis here. I think, you know, especially the third set was unbelievable. I really cannot complain about anything.



Q. Are you going to go back and watch it a few times?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I don't know about that. Especially I don't really have much time. I'm playing tomorrow. For sure just a lot of treatment, massage, rest. Have to be ready for tomorrow.



Q. Keep the DVD for the future?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I'll watch something in the evening. It's always good.



Q. You hit some pretty incredible shots. There were some good rallies in the third set. What was the favorite one that you hit?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, well, a lot of good rallies definitely, amazing points, and running forward, backwards, side to side for so many times.

Well, I was really feeling good on court today. I think, you know, I was feeling I could really do everything, trying and fighting for every point, every ball.

You know, finally semifinal (smiling).



Q. You had the very difficult loss to Lisicki at Wimbledon. Talk about the process of putting those big losses behind you and looking to the future.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, of course, losing matches like at Wimbledon, it's always disappointing. It's kind of painful, as well, especially that it was the semifinal of a Grand Slam.

But I think, you know, you're playing so much tournaments, so much very important matches, that it takes really not much time to forget because so many other matches, other Grand Slams after that.

I think every Grand Slam is different story. I'm trying not to really think about other matches, especially tough matches that I lost.



Q. How important was it for you to use a lot of variety today? In the past when you've lost to her, you would get stuck in a lot of baseline rallies. How important was it to mix it up like you did today?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, definitely I was really trying to mix up everything and, you know, going down the lines as much as possible. Just make her run. She's very consistent player. She's pretty much, you know, putting everything back the other side. Dropshot, lobs, of course. I think this is my game, and it was working really well today.



Q. Do you have any favorite color you wear for success?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Color? Not really. Not really.



Q. Not white, red, black?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I like colorful stuff. I don't mind changing.



Q. You are a great shot maker. You have great anticipation. How do you read your opponent's serve and shots? How is it possible?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think something that you practice for so many years. Of course, maybe I was born with that, not serving 200 per hour. You're just winning the game, mix up everything, run a lot. I'm just kind of play like that.



Q. You don't show too much emotion on court. Are there more things going on inside you or do you just feel like you need to stay calm or you're not going to play well?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think I prefer to stay calm and just focus on every point, especially matches like that. If you're not focused for one moment, the match can turn around very quickly against you.

I always trying to really think about the next point.



Q. Can you win the Australian Open?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I hope so. I will do everything in my power to do that.



Q. Do you like the fast courts? Does that help your game?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Uhm, I don't know about that, about the courts, faster. I didn't feel like it. Especially it's really hard to say, the conditions are very different every year.

I remember I think one or two years ago it was so windy every day, playing on a bit smaller court like Show Court 2, 3, it was pretty much impossible to play. Now the heat.

I didn't feel like the courts are different than before.



Q. Do you think you've learned something from Wimbledon last year where, again, the draw kind of blew up, Serena lost early, a bunch of top seeds lost early, it looked like a great opportunity? It seems like a little bit of the same situation here this year. Did you learn from that experience of taking it one match at a time, can't look at the trophy?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah, of course. I mean, of course, a couple seeded are out. Doesn't mean it's going to be easier and you have a title right away. It means that other players are playing great tennis this week. That's why they beat the top seed players.

Of course, maybe top seeds are players who are more confident, especially in a Grand Slam, they make much more the semis and the finals. But it's still tough.



Q. Do you remember the first time you met and played Cibulkova? Must have been a long time ago.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: We the same age. I really played a lot of tournaments in Czech and Slovakia, as well. Probably a tournament under 9 or 10.



Q. Do you remember who won or what the match was like?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I have no idea.



Q. You were both like this tall (indicating very short)?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think we were even smaller than that (laughter).

For sure, we played so many tournaments together when we were juniors and kids. But first match I have no idea.



Q. Were you still pretty much the same players back then: you with the variety, her short but powerful?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think it's always tricky to play someone that you know for so long, play so many times, as well. Like I'm saying, every match is a different story, especially when it's a semifinal of a Grand Slam, the first semis for me and for her as well. Well, we'll see.



Q. I believe you're always saying you push yourself quite a lot in the off season back in Poland. Don't you have the fear you won't be able to recover in time for the new season? How do you balance that?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, uhm, yes, after holidays, it's pretty much half of November, so it's just six weeks. Well, not even, because most of the tournaments are starting already in the end of the year. It's just five, six weeks you can really practice.

I was really practicing and doing a lot of work, a lot of fitness. I think now we can really see that, that I'm feeling good on court, wanting to go for the next one.



Q. You did university in the winter?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, I did. I did my fourth semester. I just missed one exam to finish the second year. So one exam to be in the third year.



Q. How important is mental toughness at this stage of the tournament?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, uhm, of course going on court, don't be nervous, it's tough. I think in the beginning of the match it's always a little bit tough, especially it's the first semifinal. But hopefully after few games I'm going to be myself and play my best tennis.

Q. Were you flat? Was it just a bad day at the office? Were you not fully fit?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think I feel like in slow motion today. I had a couple tough matches, especially yesterday.

Yeah, well, I think I was not fresh enough.



Q. She played well, but was there a sense that you could get into it?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, definitely she did play well whole tournament, but I think I spend twice more hours than her on court. I think that's it.



Q. Did you know you were feeling a bit flat going into the match?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes. Well, when I played very tough match, very high level yesterday, you know, playing the next day is always tough.

Of course I knew I was the second half playing so of course I wouldn't have a day off. In that case, that day off would be really a lot for me.



Q. You've played a semifinal before in a Grand Slam. How did that help you prepare for today?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, well, I think every match at a Grand Slam is a very good experience, of course.

I mean, I feel good. Like, you know, of course it's always a little bit pressure because it's the semifinal of a Grand Slam. But I didn't feel nervous that way.

Of course I wanted to win. It's very disappointing, especially that I didn't play, you know, the top 5 player. It's a little different as well. I think she have one of the best tournament that she's play in her career.

Well, good for her.



Q. You do sometimes start slowly. Did you ever get a sense that it was starting to come and it just didn't develop?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah, I feel real slow today. I was late for pretty much every ball. I could really feel that it was not really my day.

Of course I was trying, especially in the second set, to come back, but I think just I wanted, but my legs not really.



Q. Maybe this is a difficult question, but is this loss tougher for you than the one at Wimbledon?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, it's always hard to compare. It's so different, two different matches.

But was similar, I think. Well that I have I think bigger chance even when I was like, okay, half mummy.

Today I think she was playing very well and I didn't really feel, you know, like suddenly I can really do well.

So of course I try really, but I think she didn't let me really play.



Q. What lesson will you have learned in this tournament that can help you in the future?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Playing shorter matches, two set matches. That would be great. Less than one and a half hours (smiling).



Q. Is this a positive tournament for you as you leave? Do you consider it a good one? Are you considering it a bad one?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Of course, I mean, still a good result. Semifinal of a Grand Slam is still a good result. I've never been semifinals here. I'm still happy that I did it.

Well, uhm, I cannot complain about that.

But on other hand, of course you want even more.



Q. You've had a lot of long matches. The way you play means sometimes you have to wear your opponents down. Does that mean an area you have to work on is not fitness, but the ability to recover from a three set match?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah. Well, of course. But I think it's not really happen to me. I'm not the only one. I think even the fourth round match against Muguruza she was playing unbelievable tennis, but suddenly I think she had no power in the end.

She had really tough matches before, especially against Caroline and some tough matches before.

You're always going to feel that. We are just human beings. We are not machine. Sometimes happen; sometimes you, you know, just exhausted.



Q. Did you get a chance to see any of the highlights from yesterday's match?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah, I saw it a bit on TV. Yeah, actually I was watching tennis. Was something, yeah.



Q. Did you see a favorite shot that you hit yesterday?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I don't know. There was couple nice volleys. So I think those.

Q. Can you talk about the match? It was a pretty dominating performance and a good way to start a Grand Slam campaign, yeah?


AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yeah. Well, we didn't play before so we didn't know what to expect. Actually, we know each other from the junior events and for a long time now, but then never played against each other. Well, first match is always tricky, but I think today everything was working my way. Pretty good start for me.

Q. Coming into the tournament with a win up in Montreal, talk about your thoughts coming in. Do you feel like you're in good form and ready to make a long run here?


AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I hope so. Of course I had a lot of good matches on the way here. Especially in Montreal. A lot of good matches against top players and a couple of good wins. So of course that gives me more confident than before. Hopefully I will play in the same good level here.

Q. You have not gotten past the fourth round here before. Is there something about this that creates a little bit more challenge for you, or do you think you're maybe now more ready to get deeper into the tournament?


AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Of course. I think like you're saying, this is the only Grand Slam I was in the quarterfinals, so I will do everything to do that. I hope even deeper, but let's focus on that first and then we will see.

Q. How disappointing is this for you?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I mean, it always is, especially in the Grand Slam your first week. But, well, I think here is not really the new thing for me. Unfortunately.

Q. What can be so tricky about her game?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, first of all, she's very solid player, very consistent from both side, playing very good from the back. Very consistent, yeah.

Q. Today it was two straight sets. What went especially wrong for you? Your game? Or how you were feeling?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think every game was pretty tight and a lot of rallies. Even the serve wasn't really the big in the weapon in that match, so every game could go either way. But I think in the important moments I think she was just playing a little bit better.

Q. For you this tournament has not always been where you played your best tennis. Is there a correlation from year to year here, or is it just the way the draw has worked out?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, you know, it's a good question. I want to know the answer for that question, as well (smiling). Of course also depends who play, that's for sure. But draw is the draw. You have no choice. But, you know, I didn't play bad today. I think it was just her day. Of course I could do something different maybe or try something else, as well, but I really try my best and I was fighting till the end. I just couldn't do it.

Q. You had the semifinal in Melbourne. Maybe it was a bit more complicated for you this season. French Open, Wimbledon, here, a relation?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I don't think so. French Open was long time ago and different surface and just different tournament. I don't think, you know, it goes together especially...

Q. Confidence building?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think it's more about last couple of weeks than what was three or four months ago. So of course the most important is the Grand Slams of the year. It's last Grand Slam of the year, and of course when you lose first week it's disappointing. I didn't lose here because of the French Open or something.

Q. What will you do now?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I will probably go home. The last trip is going to be in Asia. I'm playing Seoul, Wuhan, and Beijing.

Q. Is there something about the US Open that you don't particularly like or doesn't particularly suit your game?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: It's the question from the lady here. I really want to know the answer. Then maybe I will find a way to play better here and just try another way to be in the second week. There is just something here that I can't really pass those rounds. Well, I have couple of years to try. Hopefully one day I will do it.

Q. Did you feel you played as well this season as you have played last one or the one before? Did you feel at your best this year?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think my season was not too bad. Couple of really good results, especially in the hard court. So, you know, I'm still fighting for the chance. I have, you know, still big chance to go there, so it means the season was not too bad.

Q. When you see the US Open coming every year, as a competitor, what goes through your mind knowing the luck that you have had here?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, it's always a good sign that I don't have much points to defend, so it's always the good side the next year. That's why I think it's maybe a little bit less pressure. But the other hand, it's more pressure because I really want to do better. But, well, not this year, I guess.

Q. How did you feel coming in? Did you feel like you were in top form and really kind of looking forward to a long run here? If so, does it make it all the more disappointing?

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, it's been good. I was practicing here a couple of days and I was really feeling fine. Nothing was wrong. Played some good matches also on the way coming here. Of course it's disappointing, especially that I really feel good. I thought I was really -- I prepared good for the tournament.

Agnieszka Radwańska będzie jedną z gwiazd Champions Tennis League (CTL), nowopowstałych rozgrywek, które w dniach 17-26 listopada będą rozgrywane w Indiach.
Inicjatorem rozgrywek jest Vijay Amritraj, gwiazda hinduskiego tenisa lat 80 XX wieku. W Champions Tennis League wystąpi sześć drużyn z sześciu hinduskich miast, które zostaną podzielone na dwie trzyzespołowe grupy i rozegrają przeciw sobie dwa mecze (jeden u siebie i jeden na wyjeździe). Zwycięzcy grup zagrają ze sobą w finale. Zmagania potrwają od 17 do 26 listopada.

Kadra każdego zespołu będzie składać się z sześciu zawodników - singlisty i singlistki z miejsc 5-25 w światowym rankingu, legendy tenisa, reprezentanta gospodarzy oraz hinduskiego juniora i juniorki z miasta, z którego pochodzi dana drużyna.

- Z Hinduską Federacją Tenisa (AITA) dyskutowaliśmy o tym pomyśle od wielu lat - przyznał Amritraj, dodając: - W końcu zdecydowaliśmy, że możemy wprowadzić poziom tenisowej rozrywki na nieznany dotąd w Indiach poziom.
Armitraj uważa, że CTL nie jest konkurencyjnym projektem dla International Premier League Tennis (IPTL), rozgrywek, których pomysłodawcą jest Mahesh Bhupathi i w których wystąpią m.in. Roger Federer, Novak Djoković, Serena Williams czy Pete Sampras. - Nasz projekt dotyczy tylko Indii i nie wezmą w nim udziału tenisiści z pięciu najwyższych pozycji w rankingu. Natomiast rozgrywki Mahesha będą rozgrywane na terenie całej Azji, więc nie sądzę, żebyśmy byli dla siebie konkurencją - powiedział 60-letni Hindus.
W rozgrywkach CTL wystąpią zespoły z Madrasu, Bangalore, Pune, Pendżabu, Delhi i Bombaju. Największymi gwiazdami zawodów będą Agnieszka Radwańska (zagra w drużynie Pune), David Ferrer, Venus Williams i Martina Hingis.


Składy drużyn zgłoszonych do Champions Tennis League:

Madras: Martina Hingis, Michaił Jużny, Mark Philippoussis, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan
Bangalore: Venus Williams, Feliciano Lopez, Thomas Enqvist, Ramkumar Ramanathan
Pune: Agnieszka Radwańska, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Pat Cash, Saketh Myneni
Pendżab: David Ferrer, Greg Rusedski, Somdev Devvarman, Garbine Muguruza
Delhi: Kevin Anderson, Jelena Janković, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Sanam Singh
Bombaj: Sergi Bruguera, Tommy Robredo, Alize Cornet, Sriram Balaji

Już wkrótce do sztabu szkoleniowego Agnieszki Radwańskiej ma dołączyć nowa osoba. Rolę konsultanta najlepszej polskiej tenisistki ma pełnić była gwiazda światowych kortów. Jej nazwisko poznamy jeszcze w grudniu.

- To ktoś z zagranicy, kto wygrywał turnieje wielkoszlemowe i ma doświadczenie, by pomóc w podobnych sukcesach - zdradza w rozmowie z "Gazetą Wyborczą" trener Radwańskiej, Tomasz Wiktorowski. Dodał, że rozmowy z tą osobą trwają od dawna i są na etapie finalizacji.

Sztab "Isi" chce, by konsultant (lub konsultantka) była z Radwańską przez 12-15 tygodni w roku - na Wielkich Szlemach i innych ważniejszych turniejach. - Ma pomóc w realizacji głównych celów: zdobyciu tytułu wielkoszlemowego, medalu na igrzyskach w Rio w 2016 r. oraz awansie do kończącego rok Masters w 2015 r. - mówi Wiktorowski.

Zatrudnienie konsultanta o znanym nazwisku jest dobrze oceniane przez tenisowe środowisko. - Jeśli w trakcie turnieju Agnieszka będzie miała u boku osobę, która już go wygrała i wie, co się czuje przy piłce meczowej w finale, może jej to tylko pomóc. Będzie to ktoś w rodzaju przewodnika - komentuje dla "Gazety Wyborczej" Joanna Sakowicz-Kostecka, była tenisistka, obecnie komentatorka TV.

- Agnieszka robi mądrze. Doradca może pomóc wygrać turniej wielkoszlemowy - ocenia Paweł Ostrowski, były trener m.in. Angelique Kerber i Marty Domachowskiej.

Konsultant będzie pomagać Radwańskiej prawdopodobnie już w czasie Australian Open 2015. "Gazeta Wyborcza" spekuluje, że może chodzić o Szwajcarkę Martinę Hingis lub Belgijkę Justine Henin.

Agnieszka Radwańska ogłosiła, że Martina Navratilova została nowym członkiem jej sztabu trenerskiego. Wcześniej taką informację podał dziennik "Blesk".
- Z radością pragnę ogłosić, że Martina Navratilova to nowy członek mojego trenerskiego zespołu - poinformowała na Facebooku Agnieszka Radwańska. Wcześniej pisał o tym czeski dziennik "Blesk" na swojej stronie internetowej.

- Jestem bardzo podekscytowana, że będę pracować z Agnieszką Radwańską i jej drużyną - napisała na twitterze Martina Navratilova. Powodzenia krakowiance i Czeszce życzył Andy Murray. - Życzę Agnieszce i Martinie wielu sukcesów w przyszłym roku. Mam nadzieję, że dobrze pójdzie każdej z nich - napisał na Twitterze mistrz US Open 2012 i Wimbledonu 2013 oraz złoty medalista olimpijski z Londynu. Szkot, miłośnik kobiecego tenisa, współpracuje z Amelie Mauresmo, zdobywczynią dwóch wielkoszlemowych tytułów i byłą liderką rankingu WTA.
- W Polsce spekulowano na temat Martiny Hingis lub Justine Henin, ale wszystko wskazuje na to, że będzie to po prostu Navrátilová - pisał w poniedziałek po południu dziennik "Blesk" na swojej stronie internetowej. Wieczorem Radwańska potwierdziła tę informację.
Navrátilová jako zawodniczka sięgnęła po 18 wielkoszlemowych tytułów w singlu, z czego dziewięć na trawiastych kortach Wimbledonu, a także była liderką rankingu WTA (w sumie przez 332 tygodnie). Wygrała 166 turniejów WTA w grze pojedynczej oraz 177 w grze podwójnej i są to rekordowe osiągnięcia w Erze Otwartej. Poza tym cztery razy triumfowała w Pucharze Federacji (jeden w barwach Czechosłowacji i trzy z drużyną USA).
Głównym trenerem krakowianki wciąż będzie Tomasz Wiktorowski.