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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 12, 2018

Jelena Ostapenko

Wimbledon, London, England

A. KERBER/J. Ostapenko

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think she did that helped you play bad today?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: First of all, I think the Centre Court is much slower than the other courts I played before. I think she had really many advantages because of that. My shots were not that effective on such a slow court.

But in general, I think she was defending quite well. Yeah, she was serving also quite good today.

Q. Not the result you wanted today, but what do you feel about your tournament as a whole?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, in general, I think I had two great weeks here. Of course, today is not the result I wanted. I think I can still learn something. Everything will come with experience. But in general, I think I did pretty well these two weeks, got my confidence back.

Q. You almost got her back at the end of the second set. Did it feel like it was close to you being back in the match?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yes, when it was 5-3, I had a couple of breakpoints, I felt the match could turn the other way. She started already to miss couple of balls which she didn't before because she was playing very consistent during the whole match. But then, again, I was rushing too much and hit some unforced errors, which I shouldn't, of course. Then the match finished.

Q. You never played her before. What was it about her ball and game that struck you?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, first of all, she's lefty. It's a little bit different. Everything is on a different side because we're more used to play against righties. I knew how she's playing. But I played only one match on Centre Court, and I didn't actually expect it was that slow.

Q. You said you got your confidence back. Where was your confidence before?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: At the French Open obviously it was not there because I had to defend such a big title, and I didn't play my best at all. But I think every match here I was winning and I was getting my confidence back. Just every match playing better and better.

I mean, unfortunately today not the result I wanted, but I was still fighting there.

Q. Did you feel this way last year? You kind of came through the first week not on Centre Court, then when you came on Centre Court, did the ball feel slower last year against Venus?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Actually, last year was a little bit different conditions because the roof was closed. Everything was faster. For Venus it was a big advantage last year.

Yeah, but this year the roof was opened. I felt like when I played, for example, on Court 3, the shots I was hitting were more effective than the shots I was hitting today. I was hitting many good balls, but she was getting everything back. I felt like the court is really slow.

Q. Sometimes when you crack that backhand, the crowd gasps. Can you hear it yourself when you're playing?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Actually, yeah, I mean, because especially the match points she had 5-1, I hit couple of backhands down the line, the crowd was just going crazy.

Q. How does that make you feel?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, it feels great because then you have even more motivation to play. Even if you're losing, you still want to fight. That's what I was doing today.

Q. What do you think you've learned from this match today?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, just in general I think I have to play very consistent. On this level, if I'm doing so many unforced errors, it's not going to work. Players like Angie, she's very consistent. If I want to play on that level, I have to reduce my unforced errors.

Q. Obviously a lot of people think of you as a boom-boom player, they see the power, they think you hit big every single ball. Are you actively working on learning how to play with more margin, more patience in the rallies? Do you think your game style is just hit?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: No, I mean, of course I'm working on my consistency. I mean, also, like today, you could see in the first couple games I did dropshot winners, which for me is not very often I do this. But it worked pretty well today.

Of course, I'm working on my consistency. It's not like I want to hit every ball so hard. Sometimes in the match that happens because I really want to hit a winner, I want to win the point. But in the practice, of course I'm working on longer rallies and in general on that.

Q. Do you think you need to mix it up sometimes, like the dropshot, a few other things, rather than being so aggressive?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Sometimes, of course, because players expect me to hit every ball. For example, today when I hit couple of dropshots, it was winner because she didn't expect me to do that.

Q. You didn't keep thinking you should continue that or just a couple is okay?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: In one game I did two or three dropshot winners. I tried to do it again in the other games, but I think that was way too much. I kind of stopped doing this.

Q. A lot of people would say Angie is just a retriever. Is she better than that?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: What is 'retriever'?

Q. Somebody who gets it back all the time.
JELENA OSTAPENKO: When she played against me today, I mean, I'm hitting the ball much harder than her, and she didn't have this opportunity to go for the shots. But when she plays against players when she has time, I think she's doing winners and she's going for the shots. It's not like she's just running and putting everything back.

With me, of course, she was more defensive player because I hit the ball much harder. Otherwise, I think she's not only defensive player, she can hit winners, as well.

Q. Do you think if it was a best-of-five match, that that's an issue that people should talk about more? What would be the arguments for and against that?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: For us to play five sets?

Q. Yes.
JELENA OSTAPENKO: That's a good question, but I think men are much stronger than we are. They are so used to play, like, those five sets in a Grand Slams. I think for us it would be something strange because we're not used to doing that.

I mean, I don't know. It's a good question.

Q. Do you think you could do it physically, emotionally, could you have lasted?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: It depends how long would be the match. If the match would be five hours, I think it would be tough. But if the match was three and a half or four hours, I think that could work. Depends how long each set lasts. I practice sometimes three hours in a row, so I'm kind of used to it.

Q. Do you have any thoughts on Serena versus Angie in the final?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, I didn't watch much of their match right now. But I think Serena is in a really good shape right now, and she's playing very, very well. I mean, Angie also. She did very few unforced errors today. She was very consistent. I think it's going to be a good match.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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