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U.S. OPEN

August 29, 2016

Angelique Kerber

New York, NY, USA

A. KERBER/P. Hercog

6-0, 1-0 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Not a lot of work out there today. It was a pretty quick match. Just kind of the way you like to get a Grand Slam fortnight started?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: To be honest, it's never the way I would like to finish the match, but I went out there to feel my rhythm and start the tournament well. I played the first set really good, so this is what I will take from this match, that I'm playing my tennis.

For me, it's always tricky the first few rounds. So it's always good, yeah, to have the first round done. Just now focusing on the next rounds.

Q. You have had a terrific season. You come in seeded No. 2. Just talk about coming in the highest seed you have ever come into a Grand Slam and the level of confidence that I would think comes with that?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I have a lot of confidence, especially also from the last few weeks and from the whole year, actually. I mean, I'm playing one of my best tennis now.

To come in here is always special. You know, for me, especially. I'm not looking too much about the seeds because I know every round it's tough in the Grand Slam.

But I think that I know that I'm playing good right now. That gives me a lot of confidence. And also, the experience I had from the last years and the last weeks especially, yeah, gives me the confidence of going out and playing really good tennis.

Q. Serena and Venus Williams have inspired so many young players to take up tennis. Who, for you, was the most inspiration as you were getting to learn the game?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: When I starting, of course, Steffi was always my inspiration when I was growing up. I was always watching her on German TV. I was always like thinking, Okay, one day I can play like her and playing the big tournaments.

So that was always like my inspiration. But also when I start, of course Serena and Venus, they played already. So for me, the both, they, yeah, are also great champions for me.

Q. Besides the power of Steffi Graf and of course the Williams sisters, what about the intelligence of the way they played? What did you learn maybe from the mental side of it?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, when I was young, I don't know. I was not thinking too much about mental stuff. But when you are like growing up and you're playing your tournaments and matches and a lot of like experience you take, then you start to think also that the mental side, it's really important, and to think about like strategy and everything what's coming with this.

So I think you have to take time to grow with all the stuff around you.

Q. You were asked on the court today again about the prospect of being so close to No. 1. You said you didn't want it to be a distraction, but that if it would come it would certainly be something that you would look forward to. Without it distracting you, how does the prospect of that inspire you?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, for sure to be one day No. 1, I think this is a goal from everybody, especially also for me. But I will not putting too much pressure on myself like I said a lot of times, because I know that when I put the pressure I'm not playing my tennis then.

You know, I will go out there to win every match going step by step. If the day will come someday it will be amazing. But, yeah, just let's see. I have to win few more matches.

Q. We have been hearing about records in women's tennis a lot lately. They separate them whether they happened in the open era or it didn't. Do you know why they separate like that? Do you think they should?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know. I mean, I have -- I don't know actually. No.

Q. What is the thought of playing indoors on Ashe Stadium? What are your thoughts about that?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's really like -- it's really huge when you go out there, and for me it's nice to have now the chance to play on this court and like indoors. It's nice, actually.

Q. Anything specific about what you think will make it special indoors?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's always a little bit different when you play indoors or outdoors. It's always like not the same, but, I mean, the surface is the same. So, yeah.

Q. Do you find it any different this year? Because even though the roof is open, there is a lot of structure that encapsulates the stadium.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah. It looks of course a little bit huger and bigger. It's also like of course you have the first few hours you have like one side it's sun and the other side is shadow.

But at the end, I think if it's raining we all are happy about that. (Smiling.)

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