Q. You led 3‑1 in the first set. What happened after that?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, I think she played just unbelievably well, you know. She barely miss one ball after that. I was hitting as hard as I could. She was always coming back with some better shots.
Even when she was scrambling, she was putting the ball just ten centimeters from the baseline. So I never had like a look to a ball like kind of be sure or where I can attack or feel like I have some space into the court. She was always into the ball.
It seems like she's reading my game like in the book. It was just too good. She was just better than me, that's it.

Q. Was it very hot out there?
MARION BARTOLI: It was quite, quite hot. I have to say it was definitely some tough condition. I guess it's really not the same to play like we played today and the other match is going to be held at 7:30. I think it's really two different games.
Well, maybe she prefer to play at night. I don't think it's really fair to have one quarterfinal played at 1:00, right in the middle of the heat, and one playing at 7:30. But I guess that's the way it is.


Q. Vera is yet to drop a set. Can she go all the way?
MARION BARTOLI: I think if she keeps playing like this, she can definitely win this tournament. She's really consistent out of the baseline. As I said, she's almost like a ball machine. She just put it back at you all the time, you know, with interest.
There is not any weakness into her game I can find. She's serving well, moving well, hitting the ball well. Of course, she can win this tournament.

Q. Were you shocked how well things had gone two days previously and how badly they went today?
MARION BARTOLI: I don't think it went badly. I think she's just the better player. That's it. At a point you have to admit when someone just plays better than you. I think she plays better than me on today. I don't know about the whole year, but today she just play better.
I don't think I put a bad performance, but I think she was serving better in second serve than Jelena was doing two days ago. I didn't have the same look at the same ball. I couldn't attack it the same way. She was moving faster.
She was just coming every time with a better shot to my shot. You have to accept sometimes someone is just better than you.

Q. Were you distressed after the first set when you went for the ice?
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, it was kind of really hot. You know, I had some tough matches at the beginning of the tournament. It's kind of taking on me a little bit. I was feeling really the heat after the end of the first set, so I really needed to cool down a little bit before to go on in the second.
But, as I said again, I didn't find I was really putting a bad performance. But she was just better, that's it.


(via AO Tennis Championship 2009, photo/Reuters Pictures)

Marion Bartoli - Australian Open 27. January Interview