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SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL

January 9, 2018

Samantha Stosur

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

S. STOSUR/C. Witthoeft

4-6, 7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Always great to get a win here in Sydney?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, absolutely. Don't even know when the last time was. Whenever that was, it's nice to do it again and repeat it this time around.

Q. Was it strange playing out on Court 3?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: It was a little bit strange, but it is what it is. There's lots of matches to go on these courts. I will play anywhere. I got a win, so I'm happy.

Q. Did you enjoy the experience, get close to the fans?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I'm not too big for my boots to go out to Court 3. That's okay (smiling).

But it's definitely different from playing on centre court or show court 1 here. I guess there is a big difference between those two courts and the outside courts. But, you know, there were some pretty good players playing out there yesterday as well.

Q. She's a Lucky Loser in the draw, but her ranking is actually not that much different to you. She's still top 50. Speaks of the strength of the field. What did you have to do to get past her? It had lots of momentum swings. She just won a title I think end of the last year.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I did watch the highlights of that.

Q. She was coming in in good form.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah. Even though she lost the last round of quallies, she played three matches. Like you said, we were close in rankings. I think anyone who is pretty much main draw or in qualifying here, they are very good players. The field is so strong.

I certainly was aware I was going to be in for a tough battle today. I felt like as the match went on I probably played better and better, started timing the ball better. Really kind of just got used to everything and started, I felt, to play pretty well. I felt my serve was really good today.

Yeah, in those moments where I really needed to knuckle down and really stick to it and make something happen toward the end there, try and serve it out, I think I did a good job. All in all, very happy.

Q. Did you feel relaxed?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: At times. Sometimes not. Sometimes yes.

I think it always goes like that throughout matches. And, yeah, you've got to be able to ride those waves and still be able to, yeah, stick to your routine, stick to what you know you've got to do, no matter what the score, what the occasion is, anything like that. So if you can do that, then yeah, you give yourself every chance to do very well.

Q. Generally where do you think your game is at compared to where it is normally this time of year?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I don't know. It's kind of hard to say, hard to compare year by year. You know, last year I lost to Muguruza in three sets in a really tough match and was feeling pretty good about things. Came here, went out first round.

Last week I didn't feel too bad about it, but I won a match this week here. It's just tough. All these tournaments are really hard. Everyone is eager and keen to get those wins. You've got to fight hard for everything.

I don't know necessarily where it compares, but I'm happy to have got through that first one. Obviously you want to try and keep getting better and better as the tournaments progress.

Q. Is it the ability to fight match by match, is that the key thing, do you think? Fight really hard for every point, every match?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I mean, the best players are quite often the best competitors. They have got big weapons and everything like that. If you can knuckle down and get through hard moments, that can make a huge difference.

Yeah, like, it's the same for everybody. We all want to try and get to the same point. You certainly don't expect it to come easy to you. And nor should it when you're playing the best in the world. You have to do what you can do.

Some days it matches up better against your opponents and you find it a bit easier. Then other days it's not so easy. You have to take it day by day, and yeah, every day give yourself a chance to do it.

Q. You're playing an Aussie next. Do you enjoy that experience?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, that's happened numerous times throughout my career. Don't think I have ever played Liv out on tour. That will be a new one. Dash, I have played a couple of times. Yeah, it will be good to watch those two play today. I have actually practiced with Liv twice this week already. Dasha warmed me up this morning. We all know each other very well.

Yeah, for them, and then for me to play either of them, there is not really going to be any secrets out there. It's going to be a really great chance I think for all of us to try and get through. Yeah, we'll give it our best and shake hands at the end and that will be it.

Q. Now that you won, it guarantees two Australian quarterfinalists. We now have two all-Aussie matches. Must feel good among the girls. Two of you will be in the last eight and possibly better. What's the mood like?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it's good. Obviously hit with Ash this week. Like you said, it's a very tough draw, a quality draw. Yeah, if we're guaranteed two Aussies in the last eight, then that's a great thing for us in general.

I hope it's going to be me for one of those spots, obviously. Yeah, it's a great thing for us to have Aussies in the draw continuing as it goes deep.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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