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NATURE VALLEY CLASSIC

June 21, 2018

Julia Goerges

Birmingham, England

J. GOERGES/A. Barty

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Having found a winning form on grass last year, can you talk a little bit about today's match and how you feel things are going in Birmingham?
JULIA GOERGES: Well, first of all, I'm very happy I could face an opponent like Ashleigh today because I think it's a great preparation regard to Wimbledon. The same for tomorrow. For me it's great having those opponents right away from the first matches on. And I'm very pleased with the way, yeah, I'm playing on grass. It started last year where I haven't won a match I think in five years on grass. People were telling me they don't understand why I'm not winning on grass because I have a grass court game for it. But while we took last year David Prinosil and the team to really understand a little bit the grass court game because he was very successful on grass, yeah, it somehow clicked. Actually the first training last week in Halle, it was I think the first practice for me where I started really enjoying it and having fun to figure out how the things are going on grass. That's how it's going also in the matches. I take it one match at time, but I'm enjoying what I'm doing. Even though sometimes you cannot do something on grass because it bounces strange or the opponent hits an unbelievable shot, too. Sometimes it looks so funny because it looks like they are easy balls that you miss, but they just bounce differently. They just stay low. All those funny shots are coming, but somehow I'm starting to accept those ball. It cannot always look great, but the way I'm handling those things I'm very pleased with.

Q. The grass in Mallorca versus in Europe, in Halle and here, how different is it?
JULIA GOERGES: Halle to here is not different. Mallorca to here is different from the conditions already. They have 30 degrees every day so the ball is bouncing higher. And while today was I think a typical English day, we had sunny weather, but it was still so cold and it was like we just getting used to all the grass courts here and the way the ball is bouncing. I think you can get every day a little bit different conditions. I think my first match we had, like, 22 degrees. Now today was 15 or 16. This can happen in Wimbledon, too. So I think this is the best preparation we can get to Wimbledon.

Q. What was it like when you weren't winning on grass? Were you dreading every time you were about to play a grass court match?
JULIA GOERGES: I just got a little bit frustrated I would say the years before. Now I understand what my weapons are on grass. This has changed since probably, like, one or two years. Even though the first I was with my team on grass, I still managed to accept it a bit better than the last years before. Yeah, since last year when really I figured out the way I wanted to play on grass and I can be very dangerous, it's going a bit more. The same this year. As I said, I started having really fun on the grass court. It's nice that I have those tough opponents right away.

Q. Do you feel your struggles in the past are behind you now?
JULIA GOERGES: Yes, obviously. I'm enjoying what I'm doing, not only on grass, but just in general. My career has changed a lot in the last two, three years when I started working with my new team. I'm just very pleased with the way we're working, but also the way the progress is going.

Q. How to you feel about facing Kvitova in the quarterfinal?
JULIA GOERGES: Actually I wanted to play her. I had a tough match today, and I knew probably I'm going to face her if I get through this one today. But for me it's great playing her already in the quarters. And already my first tournament on grass, I think there's no better preparation going ahead to Eastbourne and Wimbledon.

Q. Do you feel like it will give you a good idea just how good you are playing on grass now?
JULIA GOERGES: Yeah, also. But also at the same time I think she's won twice Wimbledon. I think she's one of the best grass court players we have on tour, and not only on grass, but also on the other surfaces. For me it's been always a tough challenge playing her, but I think it's great that I can accept this challenge and, yeah, put up a big battle and see where I'm at. But also trying to win this match and trying to use my strategy and my tactics. We'll see how it goes tomorrow, but I'm very happy that I can face her tomorrow.

Q. You had seven set points in the first set that you were able to save. Can you talk through a little bit how you were able to get that comeback and get that first set?
JULIA GOERGES: Well, somehow I stay in that set. I was a break, up had a lot of game points to go up 5-3, didn't make it. Then she started to get more confidence, and confidence on my service games I started to drop a bit my percentage. And, yeah, here and there, it just got somehow a little bit away from me. Somehow I still managed to save those set points with good playing as well. Okay, at the end I was pretty lucky with a net cord. No, somehow I think just staying there waiting for your opportunities, that's what I did. I mean, it doesn't mean you win every set when you are seven set points down, but I gave myself this chance of still winning the set. I think that was the key in that match.

Q. Obviously with the grass and the low bounces, you have a bit of an extreme grip, so when the ball's low, what sort of adjustments, I guess over the last two seasons on grass, have you been able to adjust in terms of what to do with that lower balls?
JULIA GOERGES: First of all, it's about getting physical there on grass, like staying low, preparing early for the ball, because sometimes maybe you have to react quickly because the ball is not bouncing the way you expected. But I think that's what I'm doing from season to season better. Yeah, I'm physical and in better shape to really play the grass court game with my grip what you said. But I think if you prepare early, you can have any grip and any swing. If you're just there and really be ready for what can come and happen.

Q. In terms of tactically when you go from clay court to grass, is it a big switch in terms of the patterns that you now have to play that maybe you weren't playing on clay? Are the adjustments big for you or are they pretty subtle?
JULIA GOERGES: No, I think I get more out of my serve even more. It's always a big weapon from my side, but I can use it much more. I can give even more variety. Even though sometimes I'm missing a first serve, I can see the opponent didn't expect that angle or was expecting the other one. For me, it's, yeah, really about getting my weapons even more in play, which I obviously like, but it doesn't mean I'm going to win every match, but I give myself a good chance. So for me there wasn't a big adjustment. Maybe just about accepting that everything can happen on grass, but not about the way I'm playing.

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