Francesca Schiavone (Italy)
2 January 2005




Francesca, congratulations. You like Perth, your singles record looks good here

Yes. I love it here (Perth), and I hope that it can be great for me and for Davide. It was a nice match nothing special and it was not easy because it was the first match of the year, but it is important that I am here, it is a great, great Hopman Cup.

What do you fear when you go into a match against an opponent on the way up? A young girl, she made a few unforced errors, but you have to think about your game don’t you?

I have to think about my match, my game and my concentration, because it is not easy to stay there every point, because she is good. She missed a few today but sometimes it was for her, sometimes it was for me.

You had a pretty good year last year. You won a doubles title; you played some quality opponents in singles. What are you goals for this year?

This year I would like to win a lot. That is my goal. And to improve my serve is an important thing for me. I would like to win a tournament in singles. That would be very good.

If your backhand works well all year, I think we are going to have a look at it now (looking at the TV), you might well win tournament in singles. It was a good weapon today.

Yes I played good shots, when I could and I can to the net and that was great, but it was the first match so step by step.

What have you done between the last match at the end of last year and now? Have you done a lot of work?

Yes a lot of work.

Or not much

No. A holiday first and after that there was a lot of work with Daniel and JoJo. Hard but it is important for the rest of the year.

Finally, the prospect of a mixed doubles encounter. You have played with Davide here before and you will be up against Coria, who is a very good player but he hasn’t played mixed. What is your attitude going to be?

I know I read in the newspaper that he never has played mixed doubles. But I think that Davide can play very well in singles so you never know maybe it is 2-0 and it is much easier. In the case of playing mixed with Davide, I feel good with him and we have already played here. It is an open match.

Good to have you here. Congratulations. A good first up win.

Thank you. Ciao.

Schiavone, Sanguinetti, Groenefeld, Haas with Peter Wilkins
4 January 2005




Can we put our hands together first of all for the fighting Italians: Francesca Schiavone and Davide Sanguinetti. Davide, first of all the match, three set points in the first set slipped away, but you were competitive throughout.

(Sanguinetti) We tried to give it our best shot, unfortunately they were too good today, and I have to congratulate Tommy and say that he played an unbelievable match in singles and he deserved to win. Congratulations.

Well done. Your match in singles you looked a bit out of sorts there. It wasn’t happening for you at times.

(Sanguinetti) Well I guess he out-played me and was serving too well and he played a really good match so he was tough for me today.

What about that rally with Anna-Lena in the early part of the second set. She showed a bit of power.

(Sanguinetti) Which one I forgot?

Davide, well done. We will go across to Francesca. A lot of people might not be aware that Francesca has played six singles matches in two Hopman Cups and hasn’t lost a match yet. That is an enviable record. That’s terrific. Congratulations on that, you just love it here.

(Schiavone) Yeah I love to stay here. I enjoy this tournament. I can’t win the mixed doubles though.

We know you haven’t won a mixed doubles, but I am not going to mention that.

(Sanguinetti) She never lost a singles, but we have never won a doubles.

You were very competitive there. A terrific match, terrific entertainment.

(Schiavone) And he has never won a singles so…

Could you please have your blues in the change rooms.

(Schiavone) Absolutely. Davide is a great boy and I enjoy it a lot with him. In the mixed doubles it is very tough.

It is very tough, but you played a terrific match tonight. Congratulations. The Italian connection, Davide Sanguinetti and Francesca Schiavone.