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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

January 9, 2016

Angelique Kerber

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

V. AZARENKA/A. Kerber

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was your read on that match? What's your reaction to it, first off?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think the first set was -- we played both on the really high level. There was just like two, three points which decide the set. Also the second set, first few games there were like I don't know how many minutes, but very close.

At the end I think, yeah, just two, three points decide the match at the beginning and also at the beginning of the second set.

But I think I did a little bit more mistakes than the last few days. And she was playing very aggressive. She was going for it.

I don't know, but for me it's always tough to play against her. I never won against her right now. Yeah, I hope one day will come where I can beat her.

Q. Do you actually feel that the changes you made in your game, more aggression on your side, do you think that's something that's going to take you through to get closer to not just Vika, but other aggressive players?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think I'm feeling good with the way I'm playing. I need a little bit of time to get used to my new game style which I will try to improve in the next few weeks.

For the beginning, it's not bad. Of course I'm reach the final for the first time in Brisbane and for the first tournament of the year. I'm really proud actually about that. Of course I can still improve my game.

I will try to work still on my serve, to be aggressive, and, yeah, I think that in the next few weeks I get use to it. And then for me, maybe it's a little bit easier to play like two, three sets this style.

Q. Which is Vika's hardest shot? Forehand? Backhand?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, she's hitting the balls very hard. I think she served good today, tonight, and also her return, it's really strong.

So actually I think maybe her return is very good.

Q. Do you think she's in the kind of form now that she was, or getting close to it, as a couple years ago when she was at the top?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Always when she's playing against me, yes. For me, every time she's playing and she's playing great. (Laughter.)

It's tough to say this. For sure, yeah, she's closer I think, but it's hard to say because she's playing always good.

Q. You played her twice last year. This week she's looked like a different Vika, the one that was dominating. Is there anything you can see that she's doing better?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, actually, she's still aggressive, and I think that's how she's playing also in the past. She's still doing it, and maybe she's doing it more than few months ago, but...

Yeah, she is tough to beat.

Q. Obviously you made it to the final here. You lost, but still had a great week; a lot of the other top 10 players had a lot of question marks with injuries. Do you feel this could be an opening for you over the course of the next couple weeks to be able to do some big damage?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, actually I am not thinking about this. I will play every single match against who I am playing to play and to win the matches, and then we will see how far I can get in the next few weeks, and also how the others with play and how fast they recover, I don't know.

But for it's important for me to have good matches, good wins, and, yeah, just enjoy every moment on court. Yeah, at the end, just one can win. Also today, I mean, I enjoy the finals. Vika deserve the win today.

Yeah.

Q. You went out of the Australian Open first round last year. Does that burn inside you? Obviously one you would want to improve on this time.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Last year?

Q. Yeah, yeah.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I think right now I can just play better this year. I lost last year first round. I think I had better preparation this year. Here I had just great matches against great opponents, so I will go there with a lot of confidence, and try, yeah, to win the first match.

Q. Last year you struggled at the majors. Is there a difference for you between the tour events and the majors mentally? I know that's your focus this year.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think last year was a little bit. Like I start here, and what I told me before the year starts that I will just try to play match by match and it doesn't matter if it's like international, a Grand Slam, or whatever.

I know the players and the courts are the same, the balls are the same, so I will try to focusing more on the bigger tournament and trying to play like the smaller ones.

So let's see how the year will do.

Q. This week you've been talking about more aggression on the return and also on the second serve. Today a few forehand returns on key points that you missed, and then a couple double faults. Is that demoralizing to where you don't want to continue with that, or can you continue wanting to play that way?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I will try to continue, because like few weeks ago I was not going for it. Today or tonight I missed the balls, but still, it feels better that I missed the balls and not just I pushing and hoping and the other one was going for it.

So I just try to improve, and maybe next time the couple points I can win like this. I will try to improve it. Yeah, I can just improve it like I will try to doing it, you know. Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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