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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2018

Donna Vekic

Wimbledon, London, England

J. GOERGES/D. Vekic

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Sorry obviously for the loss, but when you look back at the tournament as a whole, are you pleased that you made it into the second week and you have been in good form? Can you take the positives from that?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, it's been a good tournament for me. It's my first time of a second week in a Grand Slam. That's obviously a positive thing.

It's tough to look at it like that right now. I'm very sad I lost today. But I think when I calm down a bit and maybe in a few days I will be really happy because I really did have a good week and a good tournament and I enjoyed my time here.

Q. Where do you think you lost it today? Is there anything you can immediately pick out?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, I think she did everything better than me. She served better, returned much better. I was struggling to find some rhythm on her serve. She was serving really well today, and I had some chances and opportunities to break back, but I didn't take them. Yeah, it's very simple.

Q. What's next for you? Where will you go next? Will you take some time off?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, I'm going to take a few days off, make a good plan with my team, have good preparation and hopefully finish the season well.

Q. Will you watch the match on Wednesday?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, of course.

Q. Where will you be? Still be in London?
DONNA VEKIC: No, not still be in London, but I will definitely be watching (smiling).

Q. What do you think?
DONNA VEKIC: I think Croatia is gonna win (smiling).

Q. I know obviously you have spoken about it before and you have the family background. With it being England they are playing, how have you seen England, how they have come along? Because obviously the country here has gone crazy, as you might expect. Is it the same for...
DONNA VEKIC: I mean, when your country is doing well, for sure everyone is happy. Support is big. Yeah, it's gonna be a great match.

Q. Is it right your father played professional football?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, he was goalie, goal keeper.

Q. Who did he play for?
DONNA VEKIC: Just in Osijek, where I'm from.

Q. Somebody else was saying that your grandmother had been helpful with Davor Suker?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah.

Q. What would it mean for Croatia to win the whole thing?
DONNA VEKIC: I think it would be huge. We are a country of 4 million people, and when there was like -- I saw a few pictures the size of Croatia compared to size of Russia, and I think if we are already to be in semifinals is unbelievable, but if we can make it further, it's really good, as well.

Q. In terms of your match today there were key games in both sets where you really fought hard. I think you had maybe four break points. When you look back now, is that something that you're frustrated about or are you proud of the character that you showed to try and fight your way back in the game?
DONNA VEKIC: No, I don't think that's something to be proud of. I'm always -- I mean, it is something to be proud of. But I'm always fighting. I think that's the minimum you can do on the court, to always fight until the last point.

But I am really disappointed about those break points I didn't take advantage, because normally, you know, I find a way to take at least one, and I had couple of games where I had a few, and I was just -- I mean, she also played really well on those points, so big credit to her.

But I still feel like I could have maybe won one of those and then maybe the match would be different.

Q. What lesson will you take from this experience this week?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, I think it's -- I mean, it's only been one hour since the match, so it's still early to learn from it. But I think I will have, like, a good talk with my team and see what my coach says and take it from there.

Q. With so many top 10 seeds out, it would be easy for people to say that's a bad thing. Surely that indicates strength in the women's game, doesn't it?
DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, I have been saying this for a while now. I think the level in women's tennis is really, really high. Everyone can beat everyone.

I mean, you can say that the young generation is coming or you can say -- but I just think that the level is really strong from top 10 to, like, top 80, I mean, really everyone can beat everyone. I think that's pretty good for women's tennis, because you see a lot of variety.

Q. Will you be sending any support to the football team?
DONNA VEKIC: Good vibes. Good vibes (smiling).

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