WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2004

Karolina Sprem

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

KAROLINA SPREM: I don't know (laughing). Yeah, it was great day today again. I was just -- it was tough to go on the court because after so big win against Venus, it's not easy play today. But I was just going on the court and I was just want to play the match how I was playing against Venus, my tennis. And she was playing well. She was serving well. She was return well. She's also one of great player.

KAROLINA SPREM: I don't know. Before I was going to sleep this day, I was just say, "You need to forget this. It's big win for you, but you need to forget this. Tomorrow, it's new day. You have practice, you need to rest, and you need to prepare for the next match."

KAROLINA SPREM: I don't know. She was serving well and I was having problem with this. And I didn't know what to do. But I was just focused in my match and I was focused on the next point, I think. So that was the key. And I have, in the second set, 6-5 and the serve. Then I lost the serve. I was really like a little bit down because she was serving well and I was losing the point when she was serving. And I was just - I don't know - she missed some point and I come up. And then I start to serve well and... But she was all the time in the match.

KAROLINA SPREM: Yeah, but I was nervous, but I was nervous just when I have 6-5 in the second set. Because I knew that I need to take this my service because after having had problem because she's serving well. But it's okay. Fourth time I win in the tiebreak this week, so I'm tiebreak specialist. And it's okay (laughing).

KAROLINA SPREM: I don't care. I don't care. This is behind me.

KAROLINA SPREM: A little bit, yeah, because - I don't know. Because in this situation, like I say, I didn't know what to do. And I was like confused. I didn't know what's happening. I had like -- if I didn't know was the score, then maybe she know. But if she didn't know, then umpire supposed to know but...

KAROLINA SPREM: Bad luck for him. But we have so many people in the court and they need to know the score, not me in this moment. It was really big moment for me, and I didn't think about this. So this is behind me, and I don't want to talk about it.

KAROLINA SPREM: No, I'm not angry. That's for sure. No, why? I don't have reason to be angry.

KAROLINA SPREM: I don't have problem with this. I don't want to talk about him and about Serena.

KAROLINA SPREM: Not Roland Garros, but I was playing semifinal in Berlin against Venus. I was playing the great match. And I think that this match help me against Venus before three days, so...

KAROLINA SPREM: I don't know. Maybe I was -- in Roland Garros, I was like feeling a little bit pressure because everybody expecting something from me in there. And I lose in the first round. After, I was like down. But it's okay. That's tennis. That's the game. After, I was practicing well and I knew that I can do this, that I can play the good tennis. I showed that I can play a good tennis here on the Wimbledon so...

KAROLINA SPREM: It's nice. I can say it's good. Fast. It's good.

KAROLINA SPREM: Yeah, I'm hitting the ball all the time so...

KAROLINA SPREM: Why?

KAROLINA SPREM: Because I like to play the tennis. I was having the fun. That's the most, I having the fun on the court and I'm enjoying when I'm playing, so...

KAROLINA SPREM: Yeah (laughing).

KAROLINA SPREM: Good (laughing). Pretty good. Why?

KAROLINA SPREM: No.

KAROLINA SPREM: Just like that, yeah.

KAROLINA SPREM: Everything. But on the first place is the tennis, and I'm think that I'm just for the tennis and I don't want to try anything else. So tennis, it's on the first place from the beginning so...

KAROLINA SPREM: Like young player, I always like Mary Pierce.

KAROLINA SPREM: Yeah, she was like something special for me then. She was win the Roland Garros and all these big tournament. She's a -- yeah, I always like her. I don't know why, but she was playing the good tennis.

KAROLINA SPREM: Iva?

KAROLINA SPREM: Of course. And Ivanisevic won the Wimbledon, so...

KAROLINA SPREM: Well, won the Roland Garros, yeah. And won the Wimbledon like Ivanisevic, yeah. Why not? So...

KAROLINA SPREM: Here? Tomorrow, it's new day, new match. So I don't know what can happen tomorrow. But like always, I say I just want to go on the court, do my best, play my best tennis what I can. And if I can, I want to win the match.

KAROLINA SPREM: No. Because before, like I said (inaudible), I was playing against her. In the third set I have 3-0, and I was having the big chance there. And I lost this match. And I was like a little bit down after this match. But, again, there's the tennis. I have the chance play against her here on Wimbledon, on Centre Court, and I took this chance, and I win this match.

KAROLINA SPREM: This one and the France and... (laughing). I don't know. If I have the chance, yeah. But I don't want to think about this.

KAROLINA SPREM: Every tournament I play like a Grand Slam. So every tournament what I play, I want to win. But it's not possible. But every point, every set, and every match I want to play the best and take the point and take the set and take the match if I can so...

KAROLINA SPREM: I don't know. I like my forehand. I like the backhand. I like the serve. Maybe more I need to come on the net. I was coming on the net against Venus, and maybe was that the key that I win this match. And I was serving well, and I was 100% in my match. I don't know. You see better of the court than me (smiling).

KAROLINA SPREM: "Harmony"?

KAROLINA SPREM: Maybe I am. I don't know (laughing).

KAROLINA SPREM: Yeah, I am happy all the time. I am smiling all the time. That's good.

KAROLINA SPREM: Yeah, that's good.

KAROLINA SPREM: Sorry?

KAROLINA SPREM: My dad is all the time with me, and my mom, she don't have a time and she's at home with my sister. But I have my coach here, my physiotherapist, and my sparring partner. So four people with me. It's good team.