	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2017

Samantha Stosur

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

H. WATSON/S. Stosur

6-3, 3-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you think you were back in the match after the second set there?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I did. I thought the second set was quite good. The first set was a little too erratic. I got off to a good start. It was a little bit up and down.

In that third, I really thought I played pretty well. To be back even, yeah, obviously you feel like you're in a decent position in the match at that point.

Q. How do you digest this latest defeat? Probably came in with expectations but also no expectations.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, well, it's just disappointing. I mean, you get a bit sick of this feeling. It's one of those things. You're disappointed, you're upset, angry, what could I have done.

But, I mean, at the end of the day I feel like I've done everything I can to try and prepare as best as I can. I gave it my best shot, and it didn't happen again. So you can kind of blow things out of proportion and think that everything's a disaster or you can kind of look at it maybe a little bit more logically and think, Okay, what do I have to do to keep getting better?

That's what I have to do. I just have to get a little bit better each time. I think once I can get through a match with a win, then that's going to turn things around. Yeah, that's what I have to do.

Q. 6-Love on the scoreboard, felt a lot closer than that, lots of long games. What do you think the reason was Heather was able to win by that score?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know. There were lots of long games. Even that first game, I think I had breakpoints. She hit that good ace out wide or something.

Yeah, I didn't feel like I was out of the match even at 3-Love or 4-Love. I felt like the games were close enough that I was still competing. Even with a shot, if you can kind of just somehow, you know, grapple a few points here or there...

I even felt like she was maybe getting a little bit nervy, even though she had that lead. Like I said last week, tennis can turn around very quickly. You have to give yourself a chance to try and get back into it. That's what I was trying to do.

Q. Which form was more relevant, the lead-in where you'd lost matches just this year and late last year, or Melbourne Park, well documented?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: What do you mean?

Q. Well, which history was more relevant to the result today?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: None. I mean, I know what the history has been leading into this year. I know what it was last year. I know that you can change things quickly.

But I wasn't thinking about last year's loss or the loss last week going into this match. I was thinking about it for what it was, and tried to really focus on that.

Q. Was the first set a bit of a shock to you? You won nine points in a row, were on fire, and then it went pretty quick. Was it a surprise to you it changed so quickly?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I mean, like I said, I feel like I got off to a good start, then got a little bit kind of erratic, up and down. Yeah, I guess then losing the next five games didn't help that.

I guess the good thing was I was able to regroup quickly and get off to another good start in that second set, carry it through and win it. Yeah, tried not to dwell on it. That's what I was able to do, regroup. You have to be able to turn things around.

Q. The fact you've had a few disappointing results in Australia, then rebounded and last year made the French Open semifinals, does that add to the hope you can turn this around?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I mean, I've done it before. I've done it many times before. That's kind of the outlook I have to take. I mean, that's certainly one that's going to make me feel better rather than going home and sulking for the next six months.

Yeah, I still feel like I've got good tennis in me. I don't feel like it was all bad today or it was a big disaster. I know there's obviously things I need to improve. I need to do it quickly, work out a few things. I do feel like it's still possible for me.

Q. When you walked off the court today, do you focus on one thing that you need to look at in the short-term to overcome these losses?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I mean, a few little things going on that I want to make decisions on, kind of improve, tinkering with things. Yeah, once you kind of really feel like everything's good, you get that win, it can change quick.

Even last week, if I win that match in Brisbane, things are very different. I'm a couple of points away. But, you know, with a loss next to your name, it's a little bit harder to recover from those things. You just got to try to get over the line. Then, yeah, it can be a whole lot better. Confidence is a great thing and a terrible thing.

Q. Is it confidence at the moment?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think, I mean, it's a little bit. I wasn't going into this match, you know, fretting about not winning or having a lack of confidence. But I think in certain situations, maybe 2-Love up in the first set, you've got through a few matches, you make a better decision, hit a better forehand here, or the difference between hitting an error or a winner, that's kind of the differences I think that can really play a huge part.

Q. You've only had an hour or so to think about it, but what's the plan from now? You said you have to think it through logically and not do any sulking. Do you go back to Queensland?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I'm playing doubles and mixed now. I was always playing doubles. Hopefully at least another couple of opportunities to get out on court, yeah, have a bit of fun, play dubs and mixed.

Yeah, hopefully I can be around here for another couple of weeks and keep training and working on things and trying to find that good rhythm again with a couple of shots.

Yeah, that's it.

Q. Nice to have a bit of fun and get your mind off that a little bit?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it will be good to get out there tomorrow and play doubles. Again, any win's a good win. I'll go out there and, again, give it my best and hopefully can do that.

Q. I think it was your first match off Rod Laver Arena in 11 years or something. Margaret Court is a very different court to when you last played on it. Was there any unfamiliar surroundings because you're so used to Laver?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, I practiced there the other night. I practiced there last year. It's a really nice court to play on. Obviously it's gone through massive changes and everything. Yeah, I was ready to play out there no matter what.

Q. On a positive note, in the third set, you were 3-Love down, and in that long game, you hit a cross-court short on an almost impossible angle. Even Heather was taken aback by it. Is that one of the best shots you've ever hit?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Can't remember it (laughter). Yeah, I don't know.

Look, again, I know that I hit some good shots and some good winners and all that. Yeah, you need to be able to do that more. Everyone out here's really good. You can't be that little bit sloppy. Probably my best shot. That's what I feel like I didn't do or didn't hit as well today. But there were some positives. Yeah, I guess I should find the tape and look at that one (smiling).

Q. Were you bothered by the shadow at all on the court? Late in the second set, she was trying to play to it.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Even I was trying to serve a little bit into where it crosses over. Shadows like that are never easy. Maybe struggling like that, you're wearing sunglasses, then you're in the sun, in the shade. I'm sure nobody finds that easy.

I was aware that that was probably going to happen today with the time I was scheduled. I saw the matches going yesterday.

Yeah, I knew about it. You've just got to try to deal with it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297