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ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2015

Andrea Petkovic

PARIS, FRANCE

S. ERRANI/A. Petkovic
6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Looked like your thigh was a little more heavily wrapped today. Feeling worse?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah, felt definitely much worse after the three setter, the tough three setter I had. Yesterday it was already pretty bad; today it wasn't great. I mean, I did play and the wrap helped definitely a lot, but as soon as the rallies were going longer I just didn't have the footwork to adjust myself to the ball. So I was missing a lot of balls that I normally probably wouldn't have missed. She played great. She really didn't give me anything. I knew it's going to be tough today, especially against somebody that you do have to work the rallies against. I hoped she would give my more presents, but she didn't. She played a great match. So, yeah, that's that, I guess.

Q. How long before you will be back to full health with it, do you think?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I don't know. I have a little time now. I will try to take probably at least a week, at least I week. Now I didn't have the time to really give it a rest, so it was always there. It was never gone. It got better and better each day, but then after the tough three setter it got worse. It really needs to be gone all the way before I step out on court, especially on grass where you have to be low and really need your quads and your thighs to work well. So I'm just going to give to a good rest now, and then my specialty, grass, comes on. So I'm really looking forward to that.

Q. On the clay here, how would you describe it and how dirty does it leave your clothes?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I think actually it's pretty okay. If you have every played on German clay courts, it's much worse. The courts are a lot heavier and a lot dirtier. I actually like the German courts. I grew up on them. But here it's just really nice how -- or it's really challenging to adjust to the different conditions every day. Because it really changes tremendously with each degree that the temperature rises or falls. So, yeah, it's probably one of the Grand Slams where the conditions can change most in a few days. So it's really challenging, but I love it here. Despite the loss today, it's one of my favorite tournaments and I always play well. And I was playing well as long as I didn't have to move. That 's difficult against the best players in the world without moving.

Q. Obviously you grew up in Germany but have the Serbian background. Why do you think there are so many players from the Balkans now, or in the last decade or so?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: That's a good question. I would say there are two things that definitely play a role. One is genetics. We're all pretty tall and strong just in general genetically. And the other one, just mental. I don't know what it is, but we just have this urge to prove ourselves, I would say. I think every Balkan player, especially all the Serbian players, when you look at them, you always have the feeling that they wants to prove themselves and show the world what they can do coming from a small country. They are very proud. I feel like that's a big part of the mental game. We just -- I mean, we, the Serbians or people with some Balkan blood in them -- they maybe just push through tough times harder than others. I don't know. That's just my guess. Not scientifically proven.

Q. Do you think maybe coming out of tough times during the war, tough conditions, that made you, made them tougher?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: That may be the reason for this wanting to prove ourselves, I guess. But also, when I look back on the history of Serbia, it was just always a very proud country and always stood for what they believed and stood against others just because they could, I guess. I don't know. That also plays a big role. Just being a small country but still trying to show the world that they can do better probably, and that there is a reason they are on the map. That's always how I feel when I am there, that the people are very proud and want to show what they've got and want to show how well they can do.

Q. Regarding your physical condition arriving in Paris, is it finally a pretty good result?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I guess so, yeah. After when I take it all in -- I mean, a week ago didn't even believe I could play. So I guess it's okay, you know. It's just so annoying when you're on the court and hitting the ball well but the minute you have to move around just feel like you're not at 100%. It's just very annoying. Yeah, and the preparation this year for the clay season was definitely not great, not optimal. But, yeah, I just have to take it as it is and accept it for what it is. It just went this way, and I'm just very happy that grass season is coming up because that's my favorite surface.

Q. Last question from me: This Court No. 1 is going to disappear.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah, I know.

Q. How did you feel on this court?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I love that court. I really do. I feel like there is always the craziest matches of the tournament. As long as Monfils is not playing, because if he is those are probably the craziest matches. I've always played really well there. I think before today I only lost once to Sveta Kuznetsova, and I had three match points. I could have won that. I just feel very comfortable on that court. Also today I felt very comfortable and started well. It was just Sara played really well. I was hoping she would give me more and that I could work with more, but she really played what she had to do. That was enough against me today. So, yeah. But that's a pity that that court's going to be gone. I really like this round sort of thing.
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