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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

December 31, 2017

Samantha Stosur

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

A. SEVASTOVA/S. Stosur

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk us through the match and how you felt and what went wrong there.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Actually, I didn't feel too bad. I think she actually played a really good match. I think she served exceptionally well and was really accurate and made a lot of first serves. So that was really difficult for me to try and attack and get into some return games.

But, having said that, I had a few break point opportunities and, you know, she came up with the goods every time. So there's only so much you can do about that. But, yeah, I think the first set probably my serve percentage let me down and second set I feel like I did that a lot better.

But, yeah, look she's a quality player, so I knew it was going to be a tough one. But, yeah, there's obviously things that you want to do better and things that I'll be certainly working on before I play in Sydney.

But, you know, overall I'm not walking away thinking, Oh, geez, it's a really terrible start or anything like that.

Q. How has your preparation been, I guess, over the summer and just give us the quick rundown on how you're feeling going into another year of the tour.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I mean, I was really happy with my preseason. I did, you know, pretty much every session that was laid out and planned for between my trainer and my coach and myself.

So, yeah, did everything I needed to do. Put in some really good time on court and off the court. I think I did it really smart. So, I mean, I'm feeling really good and healthy. So I guess that's all you can do to try to set yourself up for the year ahead, and I feel like I've ticked those boxes.

So, yeah, obviously, now it's a matter of going out there and playing these matches. And you try and get through a few and build that confidence and then, yeah, you're off and away for the new year.

Q. Do you still have to do anything to manage the hand problem that you had or is that completely back to normal?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it's pretty much back to normal. I think every now and then, even a couple of weeks ago, I was still getting a little bit of funny sensation and achiness, but pretty much I know how to manage that.

But it's nothing major. I think it's just anything to do with the bone, sometimes you're pretty sensitive to it. And it's healed. But, I mean, when I'm out there playing I'm certainly not thinking about it anymore, which is a really good thing.

Q. What is the plan right now? More scratch matches or something to get more court time?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I'll certainly stay up here for another few days, I think, and practice probably until Wednesday and then head down Thursday or so down to Sydney.

I mean, there's lot of players here to practice with. Probably, yeah, play a few practice matches, sets, whatever you can kind of get. So, yeah, no doubt I'll still be -- got another week, I guess, to get ready for my first round down there.

Q. You don't feel like you're lacking? You finished the season in China so you got a bit of court time. It's not an issue at the moment that you need more matches do you think?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, I would love more matches, but I'm not going to get them now. So you can only do what you can do. You can play all the practice sets and matches for practice, but it's still never quite the same.

But, I mean, that's pretty much what everyone will be doing out on the practice court between now and the next tournament starting. So, yeah, I'll be playing a lot of practice sets and getting that time in and, yeah, preparing, you know, best I can.

Q. Fourth round best for you, I think, Sam in Melbourne.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah.

Q. I mean, you sound pretty upbeat. I mean, it doesn't seem like any reason why you can't hope to do as well as that or even a bit further?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I would love to. Fourth round was, I guess, a few years ago now. But, no, I think that will be a pretty decent goal for me to try to make second week.

Yeah, I would love to be able to do it. I still feel like I've got it in me. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't be doing this.

So you've got to be positive. You've got to believe in yourself and feel like you can go out there and, you know, play against the best in the world, and that's exactly what you get here in Brisbane. It's a tough place to start, but we're all in the same boat. So it's certainly a competitive sport out there.

But, yeah, I'll certainly be giving it everything down in Melbourne and trying to equal my best, and we'll see how it goes.

Q. Do you have something that you still really long to achieve?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, I mean, I think I just want to try to win some more tournaments. I think having that, you know, that taste of a Grand Slam victory you think, oh, know, you would like to do that again.

And I think, yeah, certainly last year -- well, this year at the French Open when I was playing really well, it was kind of getting a little bit exciting and I was feeling really good. And I think weeks like that, it really keeps that drive and determination going.

So, yeah, that sort of feeling and that competitive, you know, feeling that you get out on court you can't really replicate that any way.

So I think all those sorts of things when you get out there, you hit a big forehand, that feels good. You win a match, that feels good. And they're all just those little things that keep you going to hopefully achieve something really good at the end that you're proud of.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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