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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2015

Eugenie Bouchard

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

E. BOUCHARD/I. Begu
6-1, 5-7, 6-2
An interview with:
EUGENIE BOUCHARD

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Seemed like it was going pretty much one direction for quite a while and then switched pretty fast. Did you feel something slipping from your game? She change up? What do you think caused the hiccup there?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: It's disappointing for me because I want to play so well and I want to be perfect. That's not possible. It happens. Yeah, I think I started being a bit less aggressive, a bit too passive, and you know, that's not my game at all. I don't do well when that happens. She could string together a few good points here and there, hit some good shots and serves and got some confidence in the second set. You know, that helped her. So definitely disappointing. But I learned a lot from it and I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen next time. I'm happy that I could regroup and, yeah, play a bit better tennis in the third. I want to build on that for the next match.

Q. You said in the on-court interview that you're going to go outside and practice. Is it too late to cram for a test? What did you mean by that?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I believe in cramming. Yeah, well, tomorrow it's great with slams that we have a day off and it just gives you some more time if you want to work on a few things here and there. Tennis is so much about confidence that one practice can't probably do much. But just to maybe feel a bit better and just get a little bit of confidence in a practice, just to go out there, hit the ball, and, you know, do -- practice what I do well and try and focus on that. Obviously, yeah, one practice can't do much. But it's just about going out there, having a good feeling, hitting the ball, and trying to get ready for the next match.

Q. Next match could be against Sharapova. Looks like she's winning. What did you learn from the Wimbledon match?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, well, I would definitely look forward to that match. I think it's always great to play the best players in the world. We've had a couple matches, and a good match last year. You know, I think I was close. It was just a tough battle. But I think I've progressed a lot since then, and, you know, I definitely want to keep playing my game no matter what. Really kind of take it to her, go for my shots. That's what I want to do on the court. And it's more fun when I play that way, too. I had more fun in the third set today. So I want to try to do that.

Q. How much, if at all, do you take confidence from your run here last year in a match like this today? Are you thinking, I'm in Australia; I've played well here in the past. Can that help you in a match like this?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I think it can a little bit. I've played a few matches now on Rod Laver and I feel good out there. I feel comfortable. You know, I just was able to breathe and kind of relax in between the second and third and just refocus. I had the confidence in myself that, Okay, I couldn't change the past. I told myself that. As much as I want to, I can't change the second set. But I tried to go out there and do better in the third. That's what motivates me. I want to be so good that if it's not good, I'm so motivated to try -- show that I can do better.

Q. Your trainer, does he do some new things, are you doing things with him conditioning-wise you haven't done previous?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Well, we're always probably incorporating new things and improving, doing maybe harder things, which is really fun. But I've been working with him for almost a year now. We've got to know each other. He knows how I am, how I like to play. He helps me with stuff to try to be faster, get quick to the ball, and of course be strong. Have that endurance as well if you have to go three sets like today.

Q. Your mindset, how has it changed in the last 12 months?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I think I just have that inner belief. I really have that confidence that even if it's not going well, just like in my previous round, it was a really tough close set and I got broken a few times. I was able to stay calm and I know I have another gear to go to and I can still, you know, I still have a good chance if I just keep fighting and keep trying. It's helped me win so many matches last year. So I truly believe that I always have a chance no matter what. So with the last 12 months, I think I just have more of that.

Q. Do you have a favorite Genie Army song?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, I got asked this I think after my first or second match. And I said it's the one where they go, Genie is hot, hot, hot. But since they've been singing a newer one, I think maybe only from second or third round on. It's based on Ricky Martin's song "Living La Vida Loca." They changed the words and sing about me. I think that one's pretty cool. They are creative to come up with such a random song and talk about forehands and backhands and stuff. It's pretty funny. So that one is up there.

Q. Does it get your attention when there is a new one in their rotation?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: It does. I know when they start I'll go like, Okay, it's this song. Like I know the beginning of it and I'm like, Okay, I'm ready for the song. When I hear a new one, I'm like, Oh, that's nice. They been working hard. Good to see I'm not the only one working hard.

Q. You think they would take requests?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I was thinking about it, because I really want them to start singing some Taylor Swift. Hopefully they will see this and maybe work on it. That would be really cool. Maybe I'll ask them to do that. I'll be really motivated if they do that. Like if I'm down, start singing Taylor Swift and I'll be motivated.

Q. Have you met in person?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I did, yeah. I met them last year at the end of the tournament for the first time. They also flew to MontrÃ©al for that tournament and I hung out with them a bit there. Yeah, probably see them at the end of this tournament as well. They're a really cool group of kids. It's cool that they can kind of organize and manage something like that. You know, like none of my friends that are my age would be able to do that, you know, so it's impressive.

Q. Yesterday Wayne Ferreira said he thinks you're going to be around for a long time, you'll win a lot of slams; he loves your mental attitude. How does hearing comments like that from ex players, how do you feel about that?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Who said that?

Q. Wayne Ferreira, former South African legendary player.
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I mean, it's always nice to hear. I want to be around I guess a long time. Not too, too long, but a decent amount of time. Yeah, just hearing nice comments from any ex player or someone who knows what it's like is always nice. I just wasn't to keep getting better. I feel like it's nice to hear, but motivating as well. I want to do better, and I feel like I have so much more to learn and progress and stuff.

Q. You said you had a tough start to the first set in your third-round match. You won within half an hour your first set today. Was that a particular focus to start well?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I think so. I always want to start well. And especially it was early this morning, it was 11:00 a.m., so I well wanted to get myself started on a good note. I went to sleep really early so I felt very awake when I woke up. I was very happy with that. That's important to me of course I think trying to set the tone of the match right away. It's not always in your control. Sometimes you can't. But when you can, I think it's a good thing. I'm happy I was able to do that today.

Q. What do you remember most about the match with Sharapova in Paris?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I kind of just remember a grind. I didn't feel like I was playing great tennis the whole time. Sometimes here and there. But that's what it's about: trying to win and trying to always play better, get through it, even if you're not playing your best. I felt like I was close with her. She probably wasn't -- we were both maybe a bit off. You're never really playing amazing. Maybe 10% of the year. So I remember that, and I remember I had chances and stuff. I just remember a tough match. I was pretty disappointed after, so that's motivating.

Q. There will be a match of Madisons tomorrow. When will we see a match of Eugenies?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Well, they're both American, so I think that's good. That'll be interesting. I have never met anyone with my own name, so that will never happen.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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