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WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2016

Garbine Muguruza

London, England

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to come to a slam as a Grand Slam champion?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think the same. Nothing has changed for me to look at Wimbledon different. I'm actually thinking that I'm weird to be back here because of last year, not because of a Grand Slam winner just two weeks ago.
It's rare to be back here. I'm, like, so quick and a lot of things had happened in between. I mean, I can't believe it.
But, yeah, no, I didn't see a different.

Q. What is different in the way you look at what you accomplished in Paris today from the moment when you did it?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I don't know. I feel quite calm, like I did. I was very excited obviously, but I was actually pretty calm right after I finished the match. I just have a good feeling, you know, that I'm playing good, I won a lot of confidence.
But nothing really different. I don't know. Maybe it's weird, but no.

Q. How do you feel your preparation for grass has gone? How has your preparation been after the clay?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, it's obviously very hard. I think it's one of the most difficult switch of surface. Well, I finish very late at the French Open. Then I had to go to Mallorca. I didn't have time to concentrate another tournament basically. I didn't had the enough hours of practice on grass.
But, yeah, I've been practicing hard for a Grand Slam obviously, but better. It helped me, those hours that I've put these days on grass.

Q. How did you feel about playing a grass court tournament in Spain?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Weird (laughter). We were not sure we were in Spain. Mallorca, it's like, I don't know, people from everywhere. It doesn't really Spain, I have to say. But, in fact, we were there.
I was so happy that after French Open the next tournament was in Spain, even though was really fast. I don't know, I felt so good. The crowd was there a lot with me. So, yeah, cool.

Q. Now that you've won in Paris, do you feel more or less pressure coming to Wimbledon? Do you think your opponents will treat you differently now that you're a Grand Slam winner?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I don't feel difference because I'm so convinced that not because winning French Open I'm going to come here and this is miracle and I'm going to win every match.
I've been in the situation where you win a lot of matches, and then suddenly, you know, you lose. You're like, Oh, I thought I was going to win. I don't take anything for granted.
I'm going for the first match, like everyone else, from zero. And, yeah, not thinking about that.

Q. This is looking a bit further ahead, but I was wondering if you were following information on the Zika virus and whether you were concerned about competing in Rio at all?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yes, lately I saw some more news. But, I mean, there's people in charge on that. I really don't know what to say. I'm not really looking and I don't really know what is Zika virus.
But if they're making Olympic Games there, I mean, it has to be, I don't know, some security. I don't think they're going to make Olympic Games, and we don't care, doesn't matter if we get that there.
I think there will not be a problem.

Q. Have you been watching Spain in the Euros?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yes (laughter). I mean, in Spain, if you don't follow football, you're dead. You don't have conversation. Everybody is like, Did you see the last goal?
If I turn around, I miss a goal, you cannot talk.
But, yeah, I like to follow it. I just have to show a little bit my support (wearing Spanish jersey). I don't know, I like it.

Q. I'm sure you're used to sharing attention from the Spanish media when Rafa is at a tournament. Now that Rafa is not here, are you getting the sense that all the Spanish media is focused on you?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I thought about that the other day when I saw that Rafa, you know, was not playing. No, I'm just joking.
I don't know, for sure, people with me are more looking at what I'm doing, will be more watching me. But I think that's fine. It's a good sign. I like it. I'll try to do my best.
But I was so happy, finally this year, I'm like, I did better than Nadal in French Open. I'm like, This is so weird (laughing).

Q. How long did it take you to put the French Open win in the past and just focus on looking forward?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, when I touched the grass court, I'm like, Okay, I know you come from a lot, but this is tennis. One week you win, next week you're like new tournament. It's hard because you want to still enjoy, you're still reminding that much.
As soon as I step on the new court, new surface, I'm like, Okay, let's try to start fresh.
You have this in mind, but...

Q. The match is on at 5:00. Where are you watching? Watching with any Italians?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I'll just try to be in front of the TV watching. Sometimes I cannot because even though I forget, I'm like, Oh, I got to do that, I got to go to press, I can't.
But, yeah, it's always fun. Even if I'm not looking like this, just to hear it, you know, yeah.

Q. Is it tough being drawn against Italy? Like putting two seeds together in the early round?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I don't know. I think Spain has a great team. I'm like, C'mon, guys, we got to win. For Spain people, we're crazy. We follow. The country, I'm sure when they lose, they're, like, sad. I can feel like, We lost, this is so bad. So hopefully they win, yeah.

Q. You talked about playing mixed with Rafa in Rio. What, if anything, are you doing to prepare for mixed doubles? You won't be able to play with him at a tournament before then.
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I have no idea. I have no idea. I never played mixed. I think he told me he never played mixed. I think last minute, in case we play, I don't know, it's going to be like, Well, Rafa, what do you do?
I don't know. You?
I think it's going to be very like that. It's so hard to practice. This is the last tournament where you can play mixed before.
We'll figure it out in that case.

Q. What are the best things for your game about playing on grass, and what are the worst things for your game about playing on grass?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, I'm going to start with the good ones.
I have a very aggressive game. My shots are pretty, you know, aggressive and strong and deep, and I go for the shot. On grass, maybe you kind of feel more that fast game.
I don't know. I mean, the bad things? I think sometimes it's hard to run on grass. On clay you can, like, slice. On hard court, you can grab more here. It's like sometimes I'm too tall, I don't know, feel weird sometimes.

Q. Do you like it?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think I like it. I had a love and hate with Wimbledon because at the beginning was hard for me. With the time, I've get more used to grass. Before was like hard. But now I'm completely change, so...

Q. Who is your favorite Spanish football player?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Oh, I like a lot of football players. Do I have to say one?

Q. Two or three.
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, I like Sergio Ramos who plays Real Madrid. I like Iniesta. Chavey. I can mention a lot. I mean, there's everywhere Spanish players.

Q. Last year you were talking about how you didn't really know a lot about grass or play a lot on grass, yet you get yourself to the final. I'm wondering if maybe grass can become your best surface because of this style of aggressive play? Could you ever see yourself saying, I can't wait to get back on the grass? Do you want me to retract the question?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I'll be honest, I don't have a problem.
When I was younger, a lot of people were saying, I think you will play good on grass.
I'm like, There's no way, I hate grass. I'm horrible.
In time, I agree. I think my style of game helps. But I don't feel yet is my comfort zone. I would say more clay or more hard because I play more.
But I agree, I think my style of game, if I get to be more perfectionist on that surface, more chance to play more tournaments or everything, I can play good, yeah.
I feel I can play well in every surface. I can adapt. I don't know.

Q. After the French Open obviously you rushed to media, there's a lot of things you have to do. Over the last three weeks, was there one moment where you could finally actually stop and enjoy and realize what you did and maybe scream or celebrate winning?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Actually not. I was very relaxed. I tried to not get crazy. I didn't do actually a lot of things.
I went home for a couple days, went to Mallorca, practice. I took my family to Mallorca also. Even though I lost, we stayed there, you know, two, three days to train there and enjoy.
I think maybe that was the days where we had more fun and we were talking about the lob, I don't know, the matches, the rain, everything. We were joking.
But I've been pretty calm, yeah.

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