	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2016

Garbine Muguruza

Paris, France

G. MUGURUZA/S. Kuznetsova

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. That's a very good win today. How do you feel now going forward?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yes, I do think it's a very good win, because I played her before. It was a very hard match. Well, she's obviously a champion here. She knows how to win this tournament, and she has a lot of experience and is a very tough player.

So being in quarterfinals again, it's great.

Q. You have been working now for a while with Sam. How is the coaching relationship going? What have you learned so far from him?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Well, it's going great. I think Sam is a very professional person. He really takes care of his job. He's giving me a lot of tips of his experience, because that's what I really wanted, someone that has experience of being in the top level and knows, you know, all the good parts and the bad parts, which I need to know, maybe in this moment is helping me more.

Q. I know you follow events in Venezuela. I was just wondering, is it hard sometimes to play through that? Does in any way weigh on your mind?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I'm just very concentrated. Obviously I don't really look, especially here, nothing out of the tournament, in general. So just trying to be focused.

Q. Last year the finals of Wimbledon. How do you approach the Grand Slam tournaments? Of course Serena, she's always the big favorite, but you are, as well. How do you see yourself and your chances playing a Grand Slam nowadays?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Well, nowadays I don't think it's very different. All the players want to do well in a Grand Slam. It is a tournament, there is only four, and we want to make a great result.

I think the same as before. I know maybe now more favorite, but I can lose two days ago. I don't really think about that.

But it's great to really play well here.

Q. We all thought that there was a Spanish lefty on the men's side who would be doing well here. We didn't expect it was going to be Albert. Can you talk about what kind of a guy he is and how happy you are for him?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I was so shocked when he said like he retired. Talking about Nadal, right?

Q. No, Ramos beat...
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I thought it was Nadal. Yeah, he won in three sets, against Raonic. I'm like...

Yeah, he practiced sometimes in the same place that I do in Barcelona. So I see him there training. He's just a very quiet guy. He's very nice and very quiet.

So first year it's great to beat Raonic here. He's a very top seed. I thought you were talking about Rafa.

Q. I was talking about Rafa, but another lefty from Spain is in the quarters.
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.

Q. You knew your opponent and you defeated her. Do you think you improved your overall game?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I think that when your opponent plays at a top level, you have to be at the same level or better, and that's what I had in mind. I knew she was a very strong opponent. I knew I would have to be resilient and play my top level, and this is what could make me win the match. And it was a great match.

Q. You have been a finalist in a Grand Slam tournament, so you know how it feels. You have made it to the quarterfinals this morning. Would you say that you feel anything similar to what you felt in Wimbledon last year? Do you feel as strong as back then?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I think each tournament is different. I can't really compare things. Of course, I'm very happy to have qualified this morning for quarterfinals. This is where I have stopped in the past, which means I'm extremely motivated to move on.

But again, I don't really like to compare tournaments. Each tournament is different. Typically when I start a new tournament, I forget about everything I have done before or everything I have done the previous year.

Q. First of all, congratulations. There seems to be a consensus. You're improving your game month after month, year after year. Looking back at the past two years, what are the specific things you have improved, according to you?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I think the one thing that I have really improved is not just one type of shot. It's me, generally speaking. It's me -- it's the way I prepare matches. I think I have -- I have more experience. When I win I analyze why. When I lose I analyze why. And therefore, I have become a better player, generally speaking.

It's not that I have improved my forehand or anything specific. I think I'm just, when I make it to a tournament, I'm much better prepared.

Q. Conchita said you have to defend your No. 4 ranking. Would you agree with that?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: The beginning of the year was tough, starting from scratch after the crazy end of the previous season wasn't easy. What I like to say and think is when you start a new season, when you start a new year, you have to start from scratch.

I think that's, as I said before, one of the things I have improved. I try to not think too much about the past and focus on what I have to do.

Q. In today's match, you had five match points and eventually you were able to win the match and then you had a break and there was a break on the second set, as well. So when you finally came very close to the end, did you feel strong at that particular moment?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yes, these are key moments and these key moments your senses are wide open to serve your performance, to win the match. And of course sometimes these moments can be difficult. But I think this was more the case in the past. Today I have learned to really focus on these moments and be really good at these important moments in the match.

Q. How did you feel when you heard about Rafa pulling out? Rafa is such a figure. A lot of people said the country is going to feel like an orphan. But now there is the new generation with you and Ramos-Vinolas.
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yes, yes, I felt very bad, of course. First of all, with Federer, I thought, no way. He cannot not be there. And then Rafa. I guess if he decided to pull out, that must be a good reason, because this is his tournament. I hope he gets better very soon.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297