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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 11, 2018

Angelique Kerber

Indian Wells, California

A. KERBER/E. Makarova

3-6, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When you lost the first set last night and it started to really rain, was it relief? Was it stress? What were some of the emotions at that point in the match?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know. I think it was a little bit different and weird and everything. I mean, of course at the end it was maybe not too bad that it was raining for me. But, yeah, if you are in the match and then it's starting to rain, and we walk on once and then start again, so it was -- yeah, a little bit weird.

But, at the end, it is like it was. At the end, I can say it was good that it was starting to rain I think once in 10 years here (smiling).

Q. Did you feel that you needed that time to regroup? Because obviously you came out a lot more aggressive today.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think I try to change a little bit my game today than yesterday. I mean, actually I know what to expect, but it was completely different match. I mean, to playing also night and day here, I mean, the temperature is a little bit different. I was practicing the last few days, like, during the day, so it was also a little bit different.

So that's why I was just trying to just starting the match from zero and not thinking that I lost the first set. Just going out there and try from the beginning to play my own game.

Q. What is it about Makarova's game that can sometimes be quite tricky for you?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, of course she's a lefty. This is always a little bit tricky if you play a lefty, if you're a lefty, too (smiling).

Yeah, and then she's going for it. I think, yeah, like I said, I think that at the beginning of the match I was not finding my rhythm. It was 0-3 just after five minutes yesterday. So, yeah, it was not so easy to get in the match.

Q. It was weird conditions all day even with that, before the rain. It was drizzling and cold. Did that affect the concentration at all at the start of the match?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know if it's affecting my concentration. It was more like the matches also before, they went so long and we changed the court.

Yeah, there were little, few things also besides the match that change and it was not, like, a normal match thing.

Q. You have got another tough one coming up with Vesnina. Fairly close head to head, but she's taken the last two. Your thoughts on that?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I played her again, like, last year here. So it's another match that, yeah, I just can make it better than the last time. I will just try to continue how I played or like how my effort was today, to go tomorrow straight on court and play like I finished today.

Q. Can you talk through some of the changes you have made to your serve? It looks so different in terms of the motion since you have started working with Wim.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, I change it actually. Yeah, I talked to him when we started I would like to change something. And I came to him with the idea I would like to maybe change my foot. So he said, Okay, maybe let's try.

Yeah, it's a little bit different, but it gives me much more confidence and also much more power.

Yeah, yeah, I think the confidence, it's the important thing that I can also hit the balls much faster than I hit before, and I think we did a good work in the last few weeks.

Q. How important is repetition in practice when you're making those kinds of changes, muscle memory?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It is important, of course. You have to do it every single practice. For me, it's more that when I have the feeling, I have the feeling. It was not too tough for me to change the movement.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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