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U.S. OPEN

August 28, 2017

Garbine Muguruza

New York, NY, USA

G. MUGURUZA/V. Lepchenco

6-0, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just talk about your level of confidence and expectations coming in with the Wimbledon win, two-time Grand Slam champion, recent victory at Cincinnati, and talk about your level of confidence.
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Well, I think it's a high level, of course. I got big wins recently, and a lot of matches in a row that I felt I was playing good and that I won.

But I said before, you know, coming to US Open and having a dark past, maybe, in the results, I keep it with low expectations. You know, I take every match as a final. It's very important. You know, happy that this first round went my way and looking forward to actually, you know, match my best result here.

Q. What do you think of playing here? Obviously, as you mentioned, your results thus far haven't been all that great. Talk about the atmosphere here. You know, each Grand Slam is so unique and different. Talk about whether you like it here or is it a little hard for you here?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I like it here. I always say that, you know, I love big stage, I love to go on Arthur Ashe, have the crowd enjoying the match.

I just thought with the matches that I played in the past tournaments, I just think it didn't go my way, as simple as that, because I always come prepared and happy.

But at the end, one thing or another one is just the other one wins the match.

Q. Good result today. Are you happy with the way you played?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yeah, I'm happy. I started very well, and then the match was a little bit more equal, as I was expecting, and I keep myself composed and went for it.

Q. A lot of people are talking about you as the favorite here. What does that mean to you, if anything? Does it make you nervous or you prefer not or you don't even care?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Oh, I don't really care, because I don't feel -- I don't feel I'm a favorite here, because I never really played very good. I did play good but just didn't go my way.

I guess it's just based on the results. In the paper, people might think that. But you come here and with the conditions and the past, there are certain players that play better and certain players that don't. So far I'm just thinking that I'm happy that I'm in second round, and that's what I'm going to take.

Q. Who would you think is the favorite in the field?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Who would I think is the favorite? Well, to be honest, I think the top players. You know, there are so many now that are fighting for the same. We are all very close, very equal. There are going to be some surprises, as always. I would say the top players.

Q. But you're one of them.
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I know I'm one of them (smiling). I know that. Of course in the paper, that's what I would say. At the end, the one that plays better is going to win.

Q. How does here differ for you than the other slams where you have had better results? What makes the other slams different?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yeah, I got this question a lot of times. There is not something really different. I know that every time I go out there, there is a big stadium. The crowd is a little bit more noisy out there, which is good.

It just didn't go my way the last matches. I think it's as simple as that.

Q. Not talking specifically about your match today, but in general, when you're in a long rally, crucial moment, which obviously you have had recent experience with, in the rally, do you kind of ever just try to change your tactics because of how long it's going, 12, 15, 18, 20 shots? Also, how important is it for you after that rally, win or lose, to kind of regroup or to make sure you're aggressive at the beginning of the next point?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I think my style of game is aggressive. I don't fear to play 20 shots, because, you know, my base, actually, is playing, you know -- my base is playing less aggressive.

With the time, as I was growing up and I got taller and my arms were longer, I developed this aggressive style, because I think it was better for me, for my style of game. I'm not afraid to do long rallies. I like that.

When you have a long rally, what you have to think is just to recover, first of all, because you have, I don't know, very little amount of time and just fight for the next point the same way. You have to deal with the tiredness or the breathing. That's it.

Q. At Wimbledon when you had that very long rally against Venus at a crucial moment, did you really purposely want a short rally, a short point, which you got on the one right after that? Or was that just kind of you were going to play the point, you would have gone another 15, 20 points if you needed to?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Well, if it's needed, yes, of course. It's better if, after 20 rallies, you serve and you make an ace, of course, or you have more time.

But you have to make sure that the fight is going to be there and you've got to give, you know, everything for the next point again.

Q. Have you been home since Wimbledon? If you were, how big of a deal was your win there?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I went few days. Yeah, I felt a lot of welcoming, I think, is the word. I did few little things about media and press. You know, I started practicing early. No, not crazy.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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