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BNP PARIBAS FED CUP: USA VS POLAND

February 6, 2016

Sloane Stephens

Kailua Kona, Hawaii, USA

U.S.A./Poland

1-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First, congratulations, Sloane. Second, just want to know your thought process as you quickly got down in the second set and had the miraculous comeback to take it.
SLOANE STEPHENS: Yeah, I definitely had a little fart there at the beginning of the second set, but I regrouped well and I was happy that I was able to play some solid tennis towards the end.

It happens, so all I can really take from that is that I tried my butt off and never gave up. That's all that really counts.

Q. Technically what changed, or was it all above the neck?
SLOANE STEPHENS: I kind of just ran out of gas. Needed some sugar. I had some caffeine and a little taste of a bar and I felt better. I got my energy back up and I was kind of bouncing around again and I felt good. So I think that definitely helped a little bit.

Q. Some history. Magda, have you played her before?
SLOANE STEPHENS: I played her one time. I played her in the first round in D.C. last year.

Q. What do you need to do against her to not get in a 4-All hole, I guess?
SLOANE STEPHENS: Well, I definitely think Fed Cup play and tournament play is very different, so, I mean, today obviously you're playing for your country. There is a little bit more always that goes into playing for your country.

The next time I play her I'm going to do the best I can, but it'll be for myself and probably won't be for my country so not that much stress.

But, you know, we'll see.

Q. You just answered my question with the stress. When you get down 3-Love in Fed Cup, what does Captain Mary Joe say to you?
SLOANE STEPHENS: Keep fighting; keep playing your game; stick to the strategy we set; believe in yourself and play hard.

Only encouraging things. There is only so much -- obviously she believes in us. Getting down 4-0 I'm sure she was a little panicked, but never going to let me see that she's a little worried, so...

Q. It is technically a home match for you guys, but about the furthest home match you could get. What was the atmosphere like?
SLOANE STEPHENS: Amazing. This is the first tie I've played we've sold out, so was it really, really nice and the fans were great. They were loud. It was awesome.

I think we should have every tie here obviously.

Q. You challenged a call. Can you tell us what the protocol is for challenging calls?
SLOANE STEPHENS: I didn't challenge a call; she challenged a call. Yeah, normally happens like, Oh, I thought that was in. I'm challenge it. It's in or out and that's it.

Q. Do you have a certain number of challenges?
SLOANE STEPHENS: Yeah, three each. For every set you get three. In the tiebreaker you get an extra one.

Q. How was today different from how you thought it may be, or the same?
SLOANE STEPHENS: I mean, you can't really predict going into a match what's going to happen. You just have to go out and do your best. Today I was obviously a little nervous. Playing for your country is always really big, so for me, just going out there and doing the best I could even though I was down 4-0, just keep trying my butt off and never giving up, that's all you can do when you're playing for your country.

Q. You guys have a pretty busy schedule tomorrow. A lot of people will be watching the Super Bowl. You have any feelings or predictions?
SLOANE STEPHENS: I'm all about Cam, so whatever happens...

I'm all about Cam. That's all I can say.

Q. I don't know if you remember the point, but I think it was a break point maybe at 4-All. You hit...
SLOANE STEPHENS: My passing shot?

Q. You remember?
SLOANE STEPHENS: Yeah.

Q. But what I am thinking of - you had the great passing shot - but it was the stab volley. You were almost like -- you kind of went out and got the volley and then you were -- you know, you it came back and you got the down-the-line winner.
SLOANE STEPHENS: Yeah, like I said before, you got to keep fighting. You're going to get your opportunities one way or another. I think for myself and anyone, if you just go out there and do your best, at the end of the day you're going to get some sort of the opportunity to nail it.

I think at 4-All, break point, that was my opportunity, and then I served out the match. So was it nice.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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