SportsLine.com recently spoke with Lina from the Idea Prokom Open in Sopot, Poland. Here is what she had to say:

SportsLine: You've had excellent results this year on all surfaces. Which do you prefer and why?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: I prefer all of them -- it doesn't matter for me which one it is. I think my game is suited to all surfaces.

SportsLine: Have any of the veteran players on tour helped you out with your game or helped you adjust to life on tour?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: My coach, Larisa Neiland, has been very important because she has been on the Tour for 15 years or so. She knows everything and tries to pass on her experience to me. She knows what happens and what to expect, and she says to me, "Do this" or, "Don't do this."

SportsLine: What do you think you need to do to take your game to the next level and possibly become a top-10 player?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: I'm already physically grown up, so I think to be a top player I need to grow up in the head.

SportsLine: Why do you think there are so many young Russians succeeding in tennis right now?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: We have a lot of good coaches in Russia and I think we all work very hard and try our best to succeed. We are always told that one day the hard work will pay off and that is very good ... very motivating for us.

SportsLine: What are your goals for the remainder of the year?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: My main goal is to qualify for the Sanex Championships in Munich, Germany. It would be great to play there with all the best players in the world.

SportsLine: What has been your high point on tour so far?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: I suppose it would have to be Paris, where I got to the quarterfinals. I have a lot of wonderful memories. I was very nervous before my last match and afterwards I was very, very tired.

SportsLine: What are the most significant adjustments you've made, mentally and physically, since you jumped from the Juniors?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: My tennis and myself overall have become stronger and more clever. I had to make some changes to my game, and, in the beginning, it was so hard to change everything. Everything was so different. I knew I had to change things about my game to make it.

SportsLine: What is the strongest part of your game at this point and what do you need to improve upon the most?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: I think my backhand is the strongest part of my game and I most need to improve my serve.

SportsLine: What do you enjoy most about being a tennis player?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: I like my life -- the travel, the competition, everything. But sometimes when I'm alone it's not so good. I miss my friends and my parents.

SportsLine: Are there any players that you still look up to? Who?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: No, there aren't. I had Steffi Graf to look up to, but now she's not playing anymore. But now there isn't anyone I look up to because they are my opponents and I'm trying to be better than them.

SportsLine: What do you do when you find yourself getting discouraged on the court?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: I try to relax. When I'm angry it seems like I'm out of control, so I need to stay calm.

SportsLine: What are your biggest career goals?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: No. 1, of course! I think that's the goal of everyone. It's also important for me to play all of the Grand Slams. But my favorite tournament is Moscow (The Kremlin Cup), because it's my home. I would love to win that tournament.

SportsLine: Are there still players or situations that intimidate you for any reason?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: No players intimidate me. Off the court I don't like it when people around me are arguing -- my parents or my friends. But on the court, I'm not scared of anything.

SportsLine: What were some of the difficult childhood sacrifices you had to make because of the demands of training and travel?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: My friends, my family and my home. I like to be in my own room to sleep in my own bed.

SportsLine: What would you like to pursue after you retire?

Lina Krasnoroutskaya: I'm 17, so I think it's a little bit early to be thinking about that. But I think I will stay involved with tennis in some way because it's my life. I think to leave tennis and start a whole new life again would be tough. But I don't want to be a coach -- it takes too many nerves and patience.

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