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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 1, 2018

Garbine Muguruza

Wimbledon, London, England

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You come to Wimbledon as defending champion. What does that mean to you?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Really just good memories. I'm here to try to win another Wimbledon, not really to defend the title. I think it's just a new year, it's a new field. That's it. I think just good memories.

Q. Maybe not so much about defending a title, but what is the feeling like coming into Wimbledon as the titleholder? When you arrived at Roland Garros last year, how is it different, what are your feelings about it, the mentality?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Of course, it's a special situation to come back to the Grand Slam that you won last year. You're very emotional and happy.

I think I give it less importance right now. I think it's just doesn't really matter what happened in 2017. It's just about this year. I think that's what I had to learn in French Open. This year it's different. Different mentality.

Q. Who do you see as the main threats, main contenders for the title this year?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I think there is a lot of people. There's a lot of players, because this year, and also the previous year, you see that every tournament, there is different winners. The top ranking is constantly changing. Even the top 1 spot is always -- there's always people that have chances.

Yeah, I mean, honestly on grass, especially in this tournament, I feel whoever has two great weeks can be a threat.

Q. Obviously there wasn't much chance to play a lot on grass coming into Wimbledon. How do you feel your game is on this surface at the moment?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I feel it's good. If you don't have a lot of matches, you train a lot. Either way...

I've been training hard, being a lot of days already in Wimbledon. Yeah, getting ready.

Q. How different does it feel as a contender having Serena back in this Grand Slam tournament? Does it change the mood of the locker room at all? Does it have no effect on you whatsoever?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: No, I mean, no. She's one of the greatest. Is good to have her in the draw. You always want to face the best opponents.

Yeah, I don't think there's something different. She's back, and it's good.

Q. When we get to Wimbledon, people talk about the traditions here, one of which is wearing all white. What goes through your mind when you put on your outfit and know it's all white, that it's different from every other tournament?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think it's good. I think it's part of the magic of Wimbledon, to come here and have to wear white. I try also to practice in white. During three weeks, you always try to, you know, follow the tradition and be respectful. It's very nice. I also like a lot white, so I'm happy to wear it.

Q. What is most enjoyable about that difference for you when you consider at the other places you can wear whatever you want?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think just the white is a detail. I think there's a lot of things when you come here that you feel is special. Of course, you wear white. You see every detail. Every flower is perfect. You don't see a flower that is ugly. Everything is taken care of (smiling).

I think it's just every little detail. Especially now that I am a member, that I'm trying to discover what it means, so it's awesome. It's awesome.

Q. This is the 10th anniversary of the classic 2008 final between Federer and Nadal. What do you remember most about that match?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I remember it was very dark. It was very dark when they finished. I think it was the limit. I remember because the court was, like, there was no grass any more. Rafa winning, he was on the floor, all the flashes. Because it was, like, dark, you could see all the flashes.

Very emotional. I think he deserve it that day. I remember. It was one of the matches that I remember about Wimbledon the most.

Q. You've had your best results on grass and clay. They're supposed to be completely different. Why do you think your best results have come on these? Is it that you like the natural of the ground?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think it's just because it's different. I feel hard court, it's flat. It's like this, everybody plays good. There is nothing different. The fact that the change of surface allows you to gain little details here and there, add things to your game, I find it good for myself game.

When you go to hard court, I feel it's very equal. I feel everybody plays good. That's it.

Q. The match between Roger and Rafa, it's been a while since a Spaniard man or woman have won at Wimbledon. What do you think it meant for Spain, other Spaniards were reminded that the country can do well on grass?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I did feel the difference winning French Open and Wimbledon. I think it was just French Open, I remember when I won the tournament, it was like normal. It was, Okay, if Rafa didn't win it, somebody won it. It was a little bit like that.

I feel like Wimbledon was very special. It's harder for people's perception, especially in Spain. If we're talking about Spain, it's very special. They don't get a lot of winners as in French Open. Worldwide, everywhere you go, You know Wimbledon? They're like, Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's maybe more well-known than other tournaments.

Q. Do you feel under pressure coming into the tournament as the titleholder? If you do, how do you deal with that?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I feel always under pressure in every tournament. Of course, here it adds some extra. How do you deal with that? You just try to do your thing. You try not to give so many importance about what if, what's going to happen. You just train and get ready. This is something that you just start to eliminate thoughts in your mind, especially toxic thoughts.

You control a little bit more the situation, and that's it.

Q. To the question about clay and grass, you're quite aggressive on all surfaces. What do you do specifically when you come onto a grass court, however subtle, to your game, tactically?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Sometimes on grass you do what you feel you can. It's very fast, it's unpredictable. Of course, I think having good groundstrokes, not fearing the net is a key part of playing on grass.

Q. Every player has a different routine before the match. What are the different components, aspects of your routine, what you do all the way up until the match, whether it's music, a snack, what you keep in your bag?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I don't have a very maniatic [sic] routine, that I have to do this and this. I can just be with my team talking, just talking about whatever, getting ready with my physio. I can listen to some music.

Yeah, nothing specifically that I do constantly. Just probably chat with my team a lot.

Q. You mentioned music. Is it a specific thing that you repeat or is it different all the time?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I have, like, a bunch of lists that I always like to hear. Of course, before a match, you will not listen soft music. You always go for something, I don't know, Latino, just the songs now, the hot songs now.

Yeah, listen to music would be one of my maybe routines.

Q. Is there a snack or something else that you eat in the moments before a match?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: No. Just food, normal food for the match to be with energy and stuff. Nothing specifically.

Q. Do you feel your experience has been accelerated from the emotions you felt when you weren't able to defend at Roland Garros to how you feel now? To me you look a lot calmer than, say, last year in the leadup to Roland Garros. Do you think that's accurate?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I think my life goes very fast. I think it seems not long ago, but it is a long time for us, for the athletes with all these emotions that we go through every tournament. I do feel like I'm having another perspective.

I think that's the word really, 'perspective'. I know it sounds boring to say, but having been in that decision, learning, experiencing stuff, makes you say, Okay, this is not going to help me, maybe this is going to help me. Just that, just that.

Q. Obviously Serena being seeded here doesn't just affect her, it also affects the other seeds. What was your reaction and opinion on her getting seeded? Does it give a little bit of relief to the other seeds?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, is a tournament decision. I feel like if they seeded her, there are going to be critics. If they don't, there are going to be critics. Every next scenario, there is going to be something.

It is what it is. She's seeded. The tournament can do that if he wants to. Of course, she's five, six times champion here, so... I think it's understandable.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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