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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2016

Angelique Kerber

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. KERBER/A. Beck

6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First time here through to the quarterfinals. Congratulations. How do you feel as far as career comparison? Would you say you are in your career best form?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's always good to be like for the first time in the quarters here. I never reach the quarters. I'm feeling good. I mean, I had a great preseason. I was trying to transfer it to my matches.

Yeah, it's getting better and better from match to match, and right now I'm feeling good.

Q. A lot of breaks of serve today. How are you feeling on service?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, that's true. I think my serve was not the best today. I mean, I can serve for sure better and faster, but, I mean, it was a tough match. It was also tough mentally. I mean, it was a German one, as well. I knew actually I was the favorite, but she played very well in the last few matches here. She had nothing to lose, so she was actually more aggressive than me in the first few games.

But then I was trying to take my chances, to go for it, and in the second set I was -- yeah, I find my rhythm and I was playing, yeah, better and better.

Q. Are you feeling fortunate? Given your first-round match you had a match point against yourself, are you feeling fortunate you have been able to go this far and possibly go further?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, of course. I was actually with one leg on the plane back home, but I won the first match with the match point down. The first matches are always tough in the Grand Slams. We saw that many seeded player lost in the first few rounds.

So, yeah, and then after I was playing much better. I'm feeling good, and right now I will try to take my next match and, yeah, and play again good tennis.

Q. Given that difficulty you had holding serve early, how did you respond or feel at 3-2, 40-15 I think in the first set?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, it's true. I mean, it was a lot of breaks and rebreaks and everything. I was trying actually to take my chances, but she played good in the moment, as well. I mean, she returned very good.

Like I said, my serve was not the best today, but I was then trying to rebreak again and then take my serve to 6-4.

Q. What did you say to the umpire? You knew you had hit the ball that was challenged back.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It was back, right? Yeah, and I was telling her that I put it back on court, but she told me that my shot was in the net. So that was -- that's what she was telling me. I said, Okay. Because what should I say? I didn't have -- I couldn't say, like, challenge or whatever. I mean, that's not yet. Maybe in the future. (Smiling.)

Q. Vika has won the first set. If she does go through, how are you feeling about that match?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I had tough matches against her in the past. The last one was in Brisbane in the finals. I never won against her right now, but that will be a challenge, you know. I will looking forward when I play against her to really take my chances, take the next match.

It's a new one, it starts from zero, and I know what's coming from her. I will try to be aggressive and try to go and win the match. She played very well from the first match here in Melbourne. Yeah, I will try to get another chance the next challenge against her, and we will see what's happen then.

Q. What do you need to do better?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think I must serve for sure better, because she's returning very well. Be more aggressive. Playing aggressive. Moving good and actually playing my game like I'm playing on practice and just focusing more on me and not on her game.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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