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WIMBLEDON

July 8, 2016

Angelique Kerber

London, England

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Second time around in this position. How does it feel now compared to the first time?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It feels, again, very good. I mean, today I have a day off, and I feels very good to be in my first Wimbledon final.
Yeah, it's just a very great feeling.

Q. If you do win, do you think you'll be jumping in the river Thames?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think this time, no.

Q. Obviously the German result last night didn't go well. How does it feel having to carry the hopes of a nation on your back now?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I was watching the game yesterday. It was not the day, yeah, of the team. They tried everything, but still they played a good tournament there.
Of course, I am in the final now, and I will try to take the flag for Germany and the hopes.

Q. I know you've been asked quite a few times before about Steffi. Your time in Las Vegas, have you sat down and talked with Andre much?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, I also played a little bit with Andre, as well. With both. The time, it was this year after Indian Wells. I spent few days there in Las Vegas with Andre and Steffi, with both of them.
Like I told a lot of time, for me it was an honor. It was always great to go there and play with them, talking with them. They are both champions and also great persons.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about Torben. What does he bring to you that is unique, that helps you the most?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think the most important thing for me is that he knows me really well. He knows, yeah, when he can speak with me, and when better not. This is really good because I know him over 10 years right now.
He's always supporting me, doesn't matter how I'm playing. He knows how my game is. I think this is the most important thing for me. I know that I can trust him on court and also off court. Yeah, this is really special.

Q. When you're playing against someone that has that much history going for her, and yesterday against Venus, is it difficult to separate yourself from that and keep the ruthlessness that you need?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Actually, it's always tough to play against, yeah, players like this. I mean, I will try to go in my own way, trying not thinking too much about the history of my opponents. It's a new day, a new match. For me it's always important to give everything I could this day.
Of course, I'm going out there to win the matches, playing my game, not thinking too much.

Q. Any superstitions the day before a big match or the day of a big match?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, I will try to sleep good, then we will go for a nice dinner today. This is always important for me to have a relaxed evening before a big match.

Q. You don't go to the same restaurant before every game?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Not every game, but I have couple of good restaurants here. I'm trying to change it a little bit.

Q. This is your first time facing Serena on the grass. How well do you know her tendencies on this surface? Do you expect to see a different player than you saw in Melbourne?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I expect, for sure, a really tough match. I know that she will go out and try to beat me, especially because she lost against me in Australia.
But, yeah, on grass she is always dangerous. I think she won here so many times, she will go for it. I know this. I know I have to play one of my best tennis tomorrow.
Yeah, but I'm excited and I'm really looking forward to play against her again.

Q. How nervous were you facing Serena in the Australian Open final? Are you perhaps more comfortable this time around?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know yet. I will see tomorrow.
But, yeah, I mean, it's the final. It's the last match of the tournament. For sure I will be nervous like before every single match. But I think that right now I can handle it better. When I'm going on court, after the first few games, I think I will not be so nervous than before.
Of course, it's a big day for me tomorrow. I will try to, yeah, go out and win it, of course. Yeah, it's always tough against Serena. But, yeah, I will try to take the experience from Australia and trying to be a little bit more relaxed.

Q. What were the specifics in your game when you won in Australia that enabled you to win and might help you again against Serena this time?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it will be completely new match because we are playing here on grass. It's a little bit different, the game style.
But, yeah, I will try to go out, being confident, believe in myself that I can beat her. I think this is also the key for tomorrow, to believe in my game and myself, showing her I deserve to be in the final as well.

Q. What are the specifics of your game that you think are most important that will help you tomorrow?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think that I should play my game, being aggressive, just going for it, trying to win the match, not hoping that, yeah, she will miss. She will not missing the ball. She will go out there trying to winning. I think this for me will be very important to take the match in my hands.

Q. Have you had good luck messages from Steffi?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, not yet.

Q. You don't expect to get any?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, no messages.

Q. We know what it's like in Britain to have someone who hasn't won for a long time, the pressure that the public put on them. In Germany, 20 years since Steffi Graf, what is the pressure like for you?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I know it's 20 years ago. It's a long time. I will try to be the next German one who win Wimbledon.
But still, it's a long, long way still. It's another tough match before me. I'm trying not thinking about this pressure, because I know that when I put too much pressure on myself, I will not play my best tennis.
That's why I will go out there, try to enjoy the final, and not thinking about, yeah, the pressure and everything around.

Q. Will you switch off from everything else?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, I will try it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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