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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 13, 2017

Garbine Muguruza

Wimbledon, London, England

G. MUGURUZA/M. Rybarikova

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Was it slightly easier than you expected in the end?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I wasn't expecting anything because I didn't know -- you never know how it's going to go, the match. I saw her play before. I saw she was playing very good, very talented.

Just went out there, you know, and didn't expect anything. Just expected myself to be ready as much as I could. Maybe the score did look maybe more easier than actually playing during the games.

Q. How would you contrast your feeling in getting to the final this year compared to two years ago?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, is very different. I mean, you know what are you going to feel. You know what you more or less deal with out there. I feel much more calm, kind of controlling more my emotions than the last time. It was more new for me also.

And, yeah, it's a big change.

Q. When you were much younger, before you ever came to Wimbledon, what was in your imagination, maybe even in your dreams, about what the Wimbledon experience would be, what you would see, feel, and hear here?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, what I remember for Wimbledon is just the matches, all these finals. You know, going out in the court. They carried your bag, everybody is silent. More this kind of stuff that is different than actually, you know, than the match.

Just for me it's incredible to be here in another final, because it means a lot. It's a Grand Slam. I lost two years ago one, so I really look forward this one to try to change that.

Q. When you were a young girl, before you ever came to Wimbledon, what did you imagine this place and the experience would be like?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, like I expected, I think. I feel right now like what I imagine when I was younger. Just incredible tournament, the crowd, the court, you know, what makes Wimbledon special.

I think I'm not that far actually how I imagined when I was a little girl.

Q. What has Conchita done for you?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, I think she's helping me to deal with the stress of the tournament, because it's a long tournament. I've been here already since a while. Is one day yes, one day no, one day yes, one day no. So she just knows, you know, how to prepare, how to train, what to do.

Not that I'm doing something different, honestly. But, you know, to have her by my side gives me also this little confident on having someone that has won before.

Q. When you went out of the French Open last month, you had a tough time with the partisan crowd. If you were to play Konta in the final, do you think that experience will help you? Have you thought about how you'd deal with a tough crowd potentially?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I'll be ready no matter who is in front of me. I've learned a lot. I'm not sure. Wimbledon is known for being more respectful maybe. I expect everything can happen, this mindset, so...

Q. Can you give us a quick word on both your potential opponents, the challenges of facing both.
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, facing Venus, you know, she won here like five times, I think. She knows how to play, especially Wimbledon finals. It's going to be, you know, like a historic final again.

I think Konta is just, you know, she's super motivated. She's at home. She's playing great. That's also something dangerous.

Q. What are some of the differences working with Conchita as opposed to working with Sam?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, Conchita and Sam are really working together. They are in contact. Before I do something, they both decided. So it's not that that magic is not happening. I think I'm here because I've been working not only the last few days, but longer time, getting ready for this kind of moment.

I think a lot of things are clicking also with her and the team this week, so it's very nice.

Q. Have you played a more one-sided Grand Slam game than that? When you're winning so comfortably in a tennis match, do you sense a panic in the opponent? The look in her eye, what is it?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: If the other one is panicking?

Q. Yes. And have you played a more one-sided game than that in a slam?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I don't know. I don't understand.

Q. Is it the easiest win you've ever had in a Grand Slam?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I would say. It's not easy. Maybe looks easy. But, you know, everything is inside. You're out there. Even if the score is 6-1, 4-1, or something, you're never calm, no matter what happen. I could be 6-1, 5-0. Doesn't matter. I saw in French Open final, one was winning set and 3-0 or something, and everything can turn around.

So I try to be composed, and until I don't give the hand, it's not mine yet.

Q. In terms of the history of Wimbledon, this tournament, what are some of the names of the greatest legends and how did they inspire you as you were coming up?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, all the great champions has won this tournament. I always stare at the wall where all the names are of the previous winners. There is a lot actually that are repetitive.

But I don't know. I would like to see my name there hopefully. And I don't really think a lot. You know, I'm here, I have another chance. I'm trying to be simple, and that's it.

Q. You said you thought you would feel better when you were done with all the French Open defense, all of that. Has that been the case, because it looks that way?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I mean, once that tournament was over, I just change the page. Was a different situation for me going into a Grand Slam as a defending champion. It was just a good experience. No matter how it ended up, it was good to have that behind and to look forward again for new objectives. It was something big to deal with.

That's it. I'm happy it's behind already.

Q. Are you playing with less pressure now?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: No. I think I want exactly the same. Hopefully I can feel that pressure always.

No, I don't think I'm playing with less pressure. I'm always, you know, there tense and looking forward to win.

Q. If you go back two years, you're up against Serena, the greatest of all time. What were your expectations going into that final? Regardless of who you face this time around, how will it be different this time around?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I don't think it's going to be different. A final is a final. I know when you have Serena in front, you know that she has more experience, and she knows how to play more. She's been in that situation more times.

At the end everybody has equal chances. Everybody's 50/50. Only one's going to win. So, you know, maybe the names are in the paper more favorites. But after, the racquet has to talk. So sometimes doesn't really matter.

Q. Sam is not here because his wife is about to give birth. Do you keep in touch with him every day or is he like in holiday for the moment?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: No. For sure, no. We talk every day. I think he's important. He's part of my team, in the distance right now. We talk about the match, everything.

Every day as a team, everybody adds their own little thing, even if he's far, so yeah.

Q. How do you stay calm going into a Grand Slam final? Anything you'll do differently this time to two years ago?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I'm just going to keep doing the same thing. Probably two years ago it was just a surprise because, you know, grass was something new for me. Felt like, Oh, I'm in the final of a tournament that I less expected.

But I just going to keep doing the same because it's going well. That's what I do always. So there is no reason to change in this match.

Q. You mentioned that you look at the names of the champions. What are the names there that perhaps you think about the most? What inspiration do you get from the specific players?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, not one gives me motivation, because all the names that I read, I know all of them. For the last years, you see a lot of Williams surname. So I look forward to just have it there. I don't know, to put a Spanish name back there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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