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WIMBLEDONJune 25, 2016Angelique KerberLondon, England THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. On a scale of 1 to 10, how prepared are you physically and mentally coming into Wimbledon? ANGELIQUE KERBER: 1 to 10? Q. Yes. ANGELIQUE KERBER: Let's say 11 (smiling). No, I'm really prepared. I did everything I could. Q. Physically and mentally? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, physically and mentally. It's tough to say the number, but I'm really, really prepared. Q. How far do you think you can go? To the finals? ANGELIQUE KERBER: We will see. First of all, I will be just thinking about my first round, then we will see how far I can get. Q. Which player do you consider the favorite? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Here? Of course, I mean, Serena's one of the favorites, I would say, because she is a tough opponent, on grass especially. But it's tough to saying who is the favorite. I mean, everything can happen. Q. What do you think have been the biggest factors in your play since the Australian Open? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think I improved a lot in a lot of things. I mean, off court and also on court. I mean, with the experience what I had in Australia, I think this is also a big, big thing for myself to improve my game and my personality. Q. How about your schedule? What is your evaluation of your schedule since Australia, and the possibility of maybe changing it next time around? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, I did my schedule at the end of last year. I committed these tournaments which I said last year and I played everything. So for me, the schedule was fine. After Paris, I had a little bit time off where I went home and make few days rest before coming here. So this was good for me to have this time off after Paris. Q. How are you feeling physically after Paris? You had the shoulder issue. You had some time off. Feeling better or are you still racing the clock to be fit? ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, I'm feeling better. I mean, the time after Paris, few days going home, having a lot of treatments for my shoulder and everything, that was good for me like mentally, physically, everything, to get this time, getting a little bit down. Right now I'm feeling good, so the shoulder is already much better. Yeah, no pain when I'm serving. Q. Do you see yourself as a favorite? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I'm always seeing me (smiling). I don't know. It's tough to say the favorite because everything can happen. You must play every round the best, looking day‑to‑day here, especially at the Grand Slam. Q. What do you like the most about playing on grass, and what do you dislike most? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I like to play on grass. I mean, it's always nice to have, like, few tournaments on grass of the year. It's always something different. On grass, the rallies are not so long as on clay and also on hard. I like to, yeah, have the short one, the short rallies, or, like, also to going for it. What is really important on grass is the serve and the return. That's the two shots, they are really important. This is what I like. I don't dislike grass, so it's always good on grass for me. Q. You played Garbine a bunch last year on the big stages. Can you talk about her game a little bit. Were you surprised she was the one standing at the end of the French Open with the trophy? ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, I was not surprised because she is a good player. I played against her last year a lot of times. Yeah, she's a really good hard‑hitter. She's going for it. She's believing in herself. I think all this stuff came together, in Paris especially. I knew that she's a good player. I saw it on court when I playing against her. I was not surprised so much that she have already a great success. Q. A non‑tennis question. What are your thoughts on London, if you have any plans to see any sights or shows while you are here? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think I will go one day, maybe today or tomorrow, to a musical. This is what I'm always doing here. I don't know which show now, but for sure we will go for one night here. Q. What have you seen in the past? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I saw Mamma Mia, I saw the The Lion King. I saw a lot of new shows also last year. I don't remember the names. But all the shows are always so good here, yeah. Q. The grass of Wimbledon, if you compare this to other tournaments, is it different? ANGELIQUE KERBER: To the other grass tournaments? Q. Yes. ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, it's tough because the first days on grass, especially here, it's a little bit different than when you are in the second week, because then the grass, it's not like the first days. But it's similar. It's similar. I mean, the grass court's getting better than the other tournaments. They are trying to do the best. I played Birmingham. I can say it's much better than it was like a few years ago there. So for me, I think it's similar, yeah. Q. What is the difference between the first week and second week? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, first week we have much more grass on court. Second week, it's just more sand. This is the difference. Then, of course, the game is also a little bit different then. Q. In between going to the shows and playing, are you trying to work in time to watch the European Championships, the football? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Of course. I'm always on the TV and watching, especially Germany, of course. They are playing tomorrow. Q. Will you be watching? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes. I think the show I will go tonight because tomorrow they play. Q. What are your thoughts about Germany? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think they have a tough draw right now. I said from the beginning that I believe in this team because they know each other. This team is a really good team. They have great players. I think that they can go really far. I hope that they can win the Euro. Q. What does it mean to you to have the opportunity to watch the team? ANGELIQUE KERBER: It means a lot. Germany is a big football country. Everybody's watching. When I was home, I was also watching with my friends at home. This is always nice to supporting them. You know the players, some players, so it's always great to see that they are winning. Q. When you're watching the football, are you anxious, on the edge of your seat? Do you jump up and scream? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Both. I'm jumping, screaming. Sometimes I'm quiet as well. So it's everything. A lot of emotions in these 90 minutes. Q. It's Laura Robson up first, a British player. How do you feel about that? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, it's tough to play, of course, against a Great Britain girl. But I'm looking forward. I played against her a long time ago. Also here, I think one first round, I think 2011. So I'm looking forward. She's a lefty, so this is always tricky, on grass especially, like me. But, yeah, it's good to have a first round, a tough first round. It's always good. Q. Will you look back to that match? ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, it's too far away. It's too many years. Q. When it comes to fashion in tennis, do you plan to show us anything different? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I have my adidas. Every player is getting the clothes. I mean, here it's always white, so... I think you can't show too much here. Q. Do you have anything to surprise us with your fashion? ANGELIQUE KERBER: This week, no. I stay with white, completely white. Q. How down were you after Paris? It was an early loss. When you look back on it, she did incredibly well throughout the two weeks. When you left, how down were you? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Actually, like, of course after few days, I was disappointed still. But, to be honest, I was not watching Paris from this moment. I was, like, going home, I was taking my time off, because it was a lot in the last few months. I was trying to take these days just for myself, spending the time at home, then trying to be ready also mentally and physically with my shoulder to going on court, yeah, going there and giving again everything. So I just saw a little bit the final, but that was it. I know from Paris, I just know that it was raining the whole week. This is what I know. Q. After the Australian Open, did your approach to every game change because your mentality must have changed? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I'm trying to change still my game, trying to improve to be more aggressive. Of course, after Australia, I know that I can beat everybody, also in the finals. This is what gives me a lot of more confidence. And the experience from Australia, I think this is also very important for me. Q. As someone from another country in the European Union, what is your reaction to the vote in this country this week? ANGELIQUE KERBER: That's politic. I'm out from politic, so... It's tough to say something about this. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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