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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2018

Angelique Kerber

Wimbledon, London, England

A. KERBER/V. Zvonareva

7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk about the match, how you feel you played.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think it was a good first round. I mean, it was not so easy, also because of the weather condition. It was a little bit windy out there. I start good, and I had, like, few up-and-down games. At the end I think it was a good match.

Q. When you're playing on grass, are there any adjustments specifically you have to make to your serve?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: To my serve? I think the serve is really important, especially on grass. I try to really focusing always on the serve, actually with a little bit more seconds more, because it's an important shot. You have then the next shot, which is important, as well. So yeah.

Q. Do you consider yourself a good wind player?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Wind player? I'm coming from Kiel. It's always windy there, so... Yeah, I was practicing a lot when it was windy when I was really young. I actually prefer if it's not so windy to play because it's much nicer, the tennis, then.

Q. From your experiences here when you play at Centre Court, what stands out most about the walk to Centre Court?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think the walk, of course, it's really special, especially here in Wimbledon. I mean, you are going from your changing room to the Centre Court with the stairs. Yeah, it is special. But in my mind I'm just try to focusing on the match which I'm playing.

Of course, you are enjoying the walk through the Centre Court because, yeah, it's Wimbledon. You know it is one of the biggest tournament. If you play on the Centre Court, I mean, it's always really magic.

Q. Vera said she wasn't planning on making a comeback. What do you make of her attempt to come back?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: She's a good player, especially on grass. That's why I knew it will be, yeah, a really good match. She's coming back. She had really a lot of experience, especially from the years before where she plays so good. She played here the final, as well, one year.

This is why I had to be really focusing from the first point, because you never know. I mean, she know how to play good, especially also in important moments. Yeah, I mean, she is still playing good.

Q. Before you play any matches, do you have a specific routine, any superstitions before you walk on court?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Not really. I'm not really a superstition [sic] person. I'm doing my warmup, then I'm listen to, like, music a little bit. Not really one type of music. It's just everything. Then I try really to, when I walk on court, to have my mind already on the court. But nothing really special.

Q. Obviously you have had success here. Do you ever look back on the final with Serena?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I saw parts of the final when I played against Serena. For me it was a really big match. I mean, she won it. But for me I was not the one who lose the match, she won it. It was for me a very big experience to playing here on the court against Serena.

Yeah, I'm looking back to the match, as well. I mean, it was something really special for me to playing here. I think this moment, it will be always in my mind because, yeah, no tournament can do the same feeling like here in Wimbledon, especially on the final day.

Q. When you do the fist pumps, do you ever look at it and do you know that you're doing that or do you realize after that's how you celebrate the point?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Actually I know how to celebrate because I'm doing this so many times. I think this is also the part of my game I think that I'm really also emotional. I think without all of this, I couldn't play the tennis I am playing.

Q. It's the 10th anniversary of the classic Nadal win over Federer. What do you recall, if anything, about that match?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I think especially Rafa, he is a great player. He's a great champion. Also here he had so many great matches which I remember also the finals against Roger. You can always watch the matches. Even you know the result, it's always, like, really excited to watch the match, especially of them both.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward how they will play, especially also Rafa now here on grass this year.

Q. Do you have specific memories of that first time Rafa beat Roger?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know which year was it.

Q. 2008.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I have in my mind how he was celebrating. That's the only thing. I don't remember the whole match, but I know how he was really, like, yeah, having the celebration after.

Q. What do you remember about that celebration?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: That he was really, like, happy. Actually he couldn't believe it, I think. It was like a dream.

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