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AEGON INTERNATIONAL

June 20, 2016

Belinda Bencic

Eastbourne, England

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you feeling after Birmingham?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, better. It was just very unfortunate I slipped there on -- I think they let us play on the wet grass, so that wasn't really good. I just slipped there, and obviously, you know, did something with my leg.

I have been doing the physio treatment all day. Yesterday I was practicing, so I should be fine. I still tape it a lot, so it's a little bit hurting but it's okay.

Q. You didn't trigger anything with your back?
BELINDA BENCIC: No, my back is totally fine. It's not the back. That's positive. But everyone thought it's the back.

Q. Have you had any time on the courts yet?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yes, yesterday I practiced twice, an hour. But I was hoping for today but doesn't look good. Especially when they don't cover the courts, so we have no chance to practice.

I guess it's the same for everyone, but still it's a little bit of a disadvantage.

Q. How does feel to come back to Eastbourne? Obviously defending champion and good vibes. But at the same time, it's been a while since you have had a lot of match play. How do you feel to play this tournament?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, obviously good. I mean, you come back and you just have all these great memories. I mean, it's every time the same when you play a good tournament. I mean, we always go to the same restaurants, so it's a ritual.

Yeah, I mean, it feels good. Obviously I haven't been in like, you know, in the match streak lately, but somewhere I have to start so I hope here.

Q. Were you paying attention very much to what was going on on tour during the time you were away most of the clay season?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, I know everything, all the results. I mean, I had a lot of treatment and like doctor stuff and just doing fitness and stuff.

But, I mean, Tennis TV. I was watching all the results, all the matches. I had a lot of time.

Q. Do you feel pressure here defending the title?
BELINDA BENCIC: No. I mean, why would I feel pressure? Of course it's points, but every time someone is defending points somewhere. So I guess it's just a normal situation. And I don't feel any pressure and no expectation because I haven't played a lot of matches lately.

I'm just trying to, you know, get the matches in and just keep going. Yeah, just have fun and obviously I'm so glad to be back on the courts, so that's the most important.

Q. Has the injury caused you to rethink any part of your game? Do you have to do things differently now?
BELINDA BENCIC: No. I mean, everyone has injuries at some point of their career, so I'm not the first person to get an injury. Obviously also girls in my age, the other ones also had little something. Even in the juniors before. I mean, this was my first or second like serious injury, so I just take it as a part of the job. I mean, it's nothing special.

Obviously I have to be careful and do a lot of prevention, as well, but I think it's just part of the job. It happens to everyone. Doesn't matter how much you pay attention or do that or do that, so, yeah.

Q. What was the most surprising result from the clay from where you were sitting? You were watching at home? What was surprising to you?
BELINDA BENCIC: Well, I think Kiki Bertens. She did amazing. She had such a streak. She won Nuremberg, right? Then Fed Cup and Roland Garros. I think she had an amazing clay court season. She's a very nice girl. I was very happy for her.

Q. Have you managed to catch up with all of the Grey's Anatomy before you got back?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah. (Laughter.) To be honest, I watched and in Birmingham they blocked me. I need VPN to watch it. You can only watch it on Netflix in U.S. I came to the idea, oh, I can do the VPN so I can continue watching. But now like it's always coming, VPN, it's like an unblocker, you cannot watch this so much. Now I have no life anymore. (Laughter.) Yeah.

Q. Netflix has a new policy.
BELINDA BENCIC: I know. It's so bad, right? I'm so mad.

Q. You're playing doubles in the Olympics?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah. I'm playing doubles now with Martina Hingis.

Q. And mixed?
BELINDA BENCIC: Mixed is just Martina and Roger is set. Stan, I mean, he didn't decide yet.

Q. Are you looking forward to it?
BELINDA BENCIC: Oh, yeah, of course. I mean, Olympics, I heard so many great things from other players that it's so different and so much exciting. Obviously I'm looking forward to it.

Q. You said Stan didn't decide yet. So...
BELINDA BENCIC: I don't know. No one discuss -- I mean, you kept asking if I play with Hingis, and now it's set. And now you ask because of mixed. (Laughter.)

I don't know. It's also chance he will play with Timea. I don't know.

Q. What's Timea's doubles like?
BELINDA BENCIC: She's gonna maybe play with Xenia Knoll if they allow her to play, because she didn't have the three Fed Cup. But she was nominated, you know, so like it's not her fault that she didn't play Fed Cup. So maybe they will allow her to play.

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