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U.S. OPEN

September 2, 2016

Catherine Bellis

New York, NY, USA

A. KERBER/C. Bellis

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Ashe is a little different than the Broadway Tennis Center. As you walked out, what went through your mind?
CATHERINE BELLIS: So many things at once. I mean, it's the most amazing court I ever played on. I had never played on it before, except actually I was lucky enough to get a little bit of a warmup on it right before the match.

Yeah, I mean, it's the best court I've ever played on, and the best court in the world.

Q. Pretty overwhelming feeling? Did you look up? What did you say to yourself?
CATHERINE BELLIS: When I was walking in? I kind of expected what it was going to be since I hit it on it a little earlier. I was kind of aware of the seats and everything. I mean, nobody was watching my warmup, so there was a few more people in there.

I looked up and saw the people. It was really cool.

Q. You had two breakpoints right away. Were you not overwhelmed by the moment? Was it hard to settle down?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I think the first game I was a little bit overwhelmed. As my nerves settled down, I think hers did, too. She started playing a lot better also.

Yeah, I was a little bit in the first game, but not too bad.

Q. What will be your takeaway from your Open run here?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I think today was the best experience I've ever had in tennis, playing her today on Arthur Ashe Stadium. She's one of the best, I mean the best player right now on the tour besides Serena.

Her groundstrokes are perfect. I hope to one day be able to play like her.

Q. What do you think you learned from the experience of playing someone like that?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I think we're around the same height. She doesn't have the biggest serve in women's tennis. I definitely don't either. I think she's a really good person to model my game after.

I mean, her groundstrokes are so solid, so perfect. I'd love to see how many unforced errors she made in that match. Pretty sure it was close to zero.

Definitely an unbelievable match for me to be able to play, to play against.

Q. What are your immediate and long-term goals?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Immediate would be probably by the end of the year I'd love to keep getting my ranking up as much as possible, keep improving. I think the last year I've improved so much, improved my game so much. I want to keep doing that.

Long-term, just be the best tennis player I can be. Can't really ask for more than have all my hard work pay off long-term in the long run.

Q. A young player like you, there's everything to work on. If there were one or two things that you want to work on, what would they be?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I just want to keep improving my serve a lot, make my groundstrokes a little more solid. I think today on some of the long points we had I ended up missing some finishing shots.

Just keep working on those, keep working on playing long points. I mean, she could go for hours. She could play an hour-long point and wouldn't be tired. Improving my fitness.

Yeah, everything, all around, always.

Q. Did this week tell you that you can do it, hang with top players?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Yeah, I think so. Besides today, obviously I won all my previous matches. Yeah, I think I played pretty well in every single one of my matches in the past couple weeks. I'm really happy about the tournament. I think it's definitely a good sign from me.

Q. Have you heard from LiLi (phonetic) before the match?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I heard from Frankie, the assistant coach before the match, but I haven't had a chance to hear from him yet.

Q. And hanging out in a fairly swanky hotel suite in Manhattan is what?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Now is going to be the best part of my trip here because now I actually get to go shopping, kind of explore a little bit. Stay here a couple days extra.

Q. What shops do you think you'll hit?
CATHERINE BELLIS: My friend just actually came in town yesterday. We're just going to really go hit everything. I mean, just play it by ear, see what she wants to do, just figure it out from there. But we're going to have a lot of fun.

Q. The other day you admitted you were waffling about Stanford. What is your mindset?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Right now I think it's still definitely an option for me. I'm not going to make any quick decisions right now.

Q. If you do go to Stanford, opening day they say, What is the one word that captured your experience at the US Open 2016, what word would that be?
CATHERINE BELLIS: That word would be -- I think any synonym to the word amazing or unbelievable. I mean, I'm just so grateful to have had this opportunity in the last two weeks. I'm playing really great tennis right now for me. Really excited. Really happy.

Q. If you went to school, it would be next fall, right?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Next fall.

Q. Biggest surprise of the week?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I like these questions. Biggest surprise of the week?

Actually probably my friend coming yesterday. We just planned it kind of quickly after my match against Shelby a couple nights ago. She ended up coming. We've had a blast so far. She's from Louisiana but trains in Florida at the same place I do.

Q. Where do you train in Florida?
CATHERINE BELLIS: USTA.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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