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ROLAND GARROS

June 2, 2017

Samantha Stosur

Paris, France

SAMANTHA STOSUR/B. Mattek-Sands

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So another day another win. What was the most pleasing about it today?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I thought today I played really well. I think Bethanie can be a really dangerous player. She obviously likes to play really aggressive and coming to net, kind of play big, and do all these things. And if you're not on and doing the right things against her, then she could make life very difficult.

But I felt like every time she maybe had a bit of an opportunity or something like that, I was able to play a bit better and, yeah, kind of squash that and then get myself ahead again.

So just really pleased that I was able to play as well as I did.

Q. What do you make of your next-round opponent?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: We played each other in the Olympics, and that's the only time I've played her. And to be honest, I don't remember too much about it right now.

But, look, she's young. She's really got nothing to lose. I know she hits the ball hard. She's pretty fiery and all that. So it's a match where I'm going to have to play aggressive. I know she's going to absolutely go for it and I'm going to have to play my style, and that's what I'm going to try and do.

Q. How exciting is it to be in the second week again? It's your sixth time here.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: It's really good. I'm really happy. I'm really pleased that I've been able to continue this form and get another straight-sets win. And yeah, feel like I probably played a bit better again today. And yeah, I'm just really, really happy.

Q. Sort of write the story of your relationship with Roland Garros over the years. What sort of genre would it be? Has it been -- does it feel like a place where you have come close and fallen short, or is it a love story here and you think there's still a happy ending in sight somewhere down the distance or how do you feel?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, I think if you asked me after losing to Francesca in the final, I would say it was a horrible, you know, sad story.

But as I've been able to get over that loss and look at it for what it is on the whole of what I've been able to do here, I think it's great. I guess it would be a nice, romantic love story where there's hopefully still a great finish at the end.

Q. What do you think would be the sort of -- I guess what is it that makes this place special for you? Your results here -- I think this is the sixth time you're in second week here. You've been very consistent here. It seems to agree with you pretty well. What makes for the chemistry in this love story?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think -- I mean, the surface obviously helps. I've said it before, clay courts are kind of a surface where I feel like it matches up with my game very naturally well and my weapons can easily be used.

And I just feel like -- I feel really comfortable on this surface. And, obviously, these courts are the best in the world, so you can really kind of get into it. And if you're confident then, you know, you can do very well here. So I think it's probably a lot to do with that and the match-ups.

And then you have that kind of confidence going into an event knowing that you've done well before. That always helps. And yeah, I think it's probably a few different things, but I think, again, naturally my game matches up well on this surface. So that definitely helps.

Q. Just trying to go into that a little deeper, I mean, I think you really do well at certain places, certain surfaces, and a little less well at others. Just talk a little bit about that up and down in your career and how you deal with that.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I mean, I guess everyone kind of goes through ups and downs, but I think the important thing is to know that you're going to bounce back. And even some of my -- you know, the moments where I feel like I've struggled the most or through certain periods, I've always believed that I was going to get out of it and play well again and get a good result. And that's kind of what I've done my whole career is have that bottom-line belief in myself.

And then, yeah, I mean, I think everyone goes through it. And tennis is a funny sport. You can be down and out, and then you have one good week and things can change dramatically or even one match sometimes.

So every day is an opportunity to try to play well and turn things around or continue to keep building on something that's going well.

Q. Considering you've been in the second week here quite a number of times, what is more important to you? To be rested or to have been tested in the first few matches?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I think if you can get through them a bit more easily or simply, however you want to put it, then that's always going to be a good thing.

You know, I think even last week in Strasbourg, I had a couple of really kind of quick first two rounds. And then but you want to have that fight going into a Grand Slam and that's exactly, you know, what -- you see where exactly you're at. And I got through those, so that obviously builds a whole lot of confidence and feeling good about your game.

And, yeah, I mean, look, I think anyone would take any win no matter how it comes. So it doesn't really matter. But, yeah, if you can get on and off the court maybe a little bit quicker, then you're certainly going to take that whenever that opportunity presents itself.

Q. How different are you as a Grand Slam player now? Like, just how you handle the two weeks at majors versus, you know, earlier on in your career? What are the big lessons that you feel like over the course of your career you've really learned and instilled in yourself to handle these majors well?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think knowing that you don't have to play perfect or the best tennis every single day that you get out on the court. Sometimes just getting through a match or winning a match is obviously good enough. And then like I said before, every day is another opportunity to try to play well.

And I think being smart about how much you're doing on your days off and conserving your energy, if you are going to go right to the end, then that can play a big part.

And I probably learned that lesson -- I don't know what year it was -- but I lost to Kim Clijsters at the US Open, and I was just tired and exhausted. And the next year I took a day off mid-tournament and won the event.

So I think you've got to take things how they are right now and not think, Oh, well this is what I've always done so I'll do it again. Sometimes you have to change things.

And it's a long event and I think that's probably the most important thing, just being really smart how you manage your time.

Q. Have you felt like this draw with the top players who aren't here, Serena, Maria Azarenka, people talk about maybe some new person breaking through. But for older players like yourself, Kuznetsova, Venus, who are still in this tournament can represent sort of a chance for you too and does it make your eyes widen a bit when you think about who you might not have to -- not that anyone is easy, but just there might be a bit more of an opening here.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I mean, I still haven't seen the draw, to be honest with you. I obviously know who is around and who's left and stuff.

But I think it's opportunity for the younger ones and the older ones. If you're still in it, then we're all in it to win it still.

And I think, yeah, the more experienced players can kind of use that and know, okay, exactly what it takes to try and win a Slam. And sometimes the young ones, they've got no fear. And sometimes, yeah, they don't know what they don't know. So it's sometimes easier just to roll through and, before you know it, you find yourself maybe holding the trophy.

So I think it's a good opportunity for every single person left in the draw.

Q. We live in kind of a new cyber world where symbols and messages are important. Do you understand why so many people have been upset about the comments of a woman who's been just saying things that have been judgmental and dismissive and in your heart would you like to see the stadium renamed?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I guess we're still talking about this a lot.

Look, I think she's digging a very big hole for herself at the moment. And for whatever reason, she wants to keep talking about it, and I don't think she's making more friends by doing that.

And look, I think if it continues down this road, then maybe there may be no other option but to do that, but we'll see. Again, I don't necessarily think that's going to happen. But yeah, she's not helping herself by making the comments that she's continually making.

Q. Just curious because there has been sort of an odds-making on the stadium. What makes you think it's not going to happen? What makes you think that it's more likely to stay the same than not?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't even know who makes the call to do that so...

But, look, I actually really like the column that Martina Navratilova wrote the other day. It was named for her tennis and everything else, but you got to be a good person. You don't want to be off side with so many different groups of people around the world. It's about the tennis, but it's also about who you are. And I think if, you know, there's not a nice light in that, then why should there be, you know, that name up in lights. But yeah, it's not for me to decide.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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