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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 10, 2017

Angelique Kerber

Wimbledon, London, England

G. MUGURUZA/A. Kerber

4-6, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was it like being part of it? Walk us through it.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think we both play a good match. But at the end I think just two points that decides the match.

But of course I'm disappointed that I lost the match, because I was really playing good. Yeah, at the end, I mean, just one can win, and that was not me today.

Q. Do you feel, even though you're out of Wimbledon, the rankings change and so on, that was one of your best matches for a long time?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It was for sure the best match for a long time for me, so that's why I actually said that I lost the match. But I think I'm still on a good way.

When I came here, I was telling myself, I was practicing good after Paris. For me, I'm still looking for the next months, next weeks. I think I'm again on a good way to playing again tennis, yeah, on a high level.

Q. Having your No. 1 ranking change after this tournament, how different will that make it feel? You get to be the hunter again instead of the target.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know if it's different or not. I know the feeling already to be No. 1. I know the feeling to be No. 2, in the top 10.

I think for me now I get so many experience to being the No. 1, now I know how it's important again. For me to taking time for myself, practicing good, just going out and playing good tennis.

I think I show it myself the last 10 days here. With this positive emotion I will go home.

Q. What was it like for you to be No. 1, the combination of the honor and pressures, everything else that goes with it?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, was completely new for me. But it was a good experience. I will try, of course, to coming back and being one day again the No. 1.

But right now I'm really happy that I find my game back. I'm on court playing good tennis again. I think I can still improve it.

But of course, I mean, yeah, I don't know if the pressure will be less or no. I mean, we will see.

Q. When you compare it to before you were No. 1, now that you can look back on it, what is that comparison like for you?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know. I think I will see it in the next few weeks or few months when I will be not the No. 1 any more.

Q. There's been many more men's matches scheduled on Court 1 and Centre Court. Were you surprised, as the No. 1 seed, to be on Court 2?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: To be honest, I was really surprised that I was playing on Court No. 2, yes. But, yeah, I mean, the schedule was out then. Yeah, what can I go? I was going out, trying to play good match on Court No. 2. I played a lot of matches there.

Yeah, still it was a good feeling to be playing on this court, as well.

Q. Surely this match was worthy of Centre Court or Court No. 1.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think we played good match. I think it was a good match from both of us, on a high level. Yeah, I was actually looking forward to playing on one of the two big courts.

Q. Do you think the scheduling generally shows a lack of respect towards women's players?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, what can I say? I mean, this is the schedule. This is not my decision at the end. It's the decision from all the others. At the end I have to take this court which I get scheduled on.

Q. You're saying you accept it, it's fine. As players, you play your hearts out anyway. As one of the leaders of this sport, you're world No. 1 as we speak, do you think it's important to speak out against something like this because it's repetitive? It's hurtful to the women's game to not put their best product on the show courts.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I mean, I think we will see. Maybe I will talk to them, as well.

I think it's, like I said, not my decision. I don't know, they discussing the schedule before the matches, and I know it's always not so easy. There are a lot of good players right now, they are playing on Monday. I mean, I respect everybody.

You know, of course I was surprised. This is what I can tell you. But at the end, I mean, yeah, it's not at the end my decision, you know.

Q. Were you troubled by your knee a little bit in that game?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: What?

Q. You held your knee at one stage. Were you having a little bit of trouble?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, actually I'm okay, yeah.

Q. What is your sort of attitude going forward for the rest of the season? You're coming to the American hard courts next, a place you're very comfortable.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, right now I will go home and I will take few days off, then I'm looking forward to going to the U.S. I mean, I'm feeling good. I like the tournaments they are coming.

I think I will go there also with a good motivation, good positive emotion. For me, it was really important that I played good the grass season. I know that I'm back, I can play good matches. This is what counts for me at the end.

Q. Would you make Garbine Muguruza favorite to win the title now?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think there are still few favorites. I think there are still really good players in the tournament. I think it will be really interesting who will be in the finals at the end.

Q. Talking about who is going to be in the finals, you played Jo in the quarterfinals at Eastbourne. What do you make of her chances to get to the final?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think she has for sure big chances because she played so good on grass courts. She had really close matches here already. I think that, yeah, it doesn't matter against who she is playing. If she's playing her best tennis, she has a chance to get to the final.

She's playing here at home, so I think this is also, yeah, good feeling to have. But, yeah, we have to see how she will deal with this pressure, because it's also pressure.

Q. Do you think a match against Muguruza is about as tough as it gets for a fourth round?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think there are still also toughest matches in the fourth round. This is the draw. I think it doesn't matter against who you play, you have to play good. It was a good match from both of us. It was the fourth round.

Yeah, I mean, this is the draw.

Q. Do you think it would have been a good match for a final even?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think we both play good. We play both the finals here already. Of course, I mean, it was a really high-class level match. So it could be also the semis or the final, yeah.

Q. You mentioned you're happy you feel that your game is back. What is the main factor in your being able to reach this point? What did you do? How did you get here?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it's just step by step. I think all the matches I played, starting in Eastbourne, where I had good matches, but also matches that I turn around, close matches that I won, and also this match where I really played good tennis, as well, and everything came together.

I think, yeah, it's just step by step. It's like working, playing, believing still in yourself. This is what I did the last weeks after Paris.

So that's why I'm also a little bit sad that I'm out here. But still there is few tournaments to go.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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