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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 10, 2019

Garbine Muguruza

Indian Wells, California

G. MUGURUZA/S. Williams

6-3, 1-0 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When did you get an indication that things were not right with Serena in the match? When did you start to notice anything, if you did?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I guess at the end of the first set or when the first set was over, I felt that she was calling the trainer. She wasn't feeling very well, I guess.

But I think she started actually playing very well at the beginning.

Q. After those first three games, she was playing a pretty good level. I mean, what were you telling yourself? Did you feel like you elevated your game after that?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yeah, I think she started playing well, right away with her serve, with her shots, being very dominating.

Yeah, I had to adapt a little bit my position in the court, the way I was hitting, and it took me, yeah, a few games to kind of do it.

Once I did it, I felt much more comfortable to be able to release my tennis.

Q. You're the only player that's ever beaten both Williams sisters in a final. When you walk out on the court with Venus or Serena, is there an expectation that you expect to come out on top of that, more so than some of the other girls on tour?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I like playing against them. I think they are the best, even though I believe I can win every time.

So I am excited. I think "excited" is the word. Playing against them, it's going to be a good match. It's every time difficult. I always have a battle, but I believe in myself to be able to win.

Yeah, I played her many times.

Q. How much time do you spend in California now?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Actually, I spend a lot of time. My coach lives here in LA, and I love it here, because the weather is good. There is a lot of -- there is a lot of focus in the sports, people trying to be healthy. So that helps me to get that feeling.

Yeah, I don't know, preseasons, in between tournaments, yeah, a lot.

Q. You look very fit right now. Do you go to other sporting events in LA?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Sometimes I go to the basketball games. But, you know, every time I come, I am very focused in the training. So I do spend the whole time in the gym or in the court or in the beach, so I see sometimes volleyball players, so I like that. I like to see them.

Q. You're playing the winner of Bertens-Konta next. Are you going to put in another practice tonight to get more court time in?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I don't think so. I think I did a good hit before the match. Tomorrow I have a good day to train.

Both of the players that I'm going to face next, solid players. They are playing better and better, especially Bertens.

I look forward for all the matches. Right now, the more the time goes by, the more that anybody can beat anybody. Doesn't matter the ranking or... That's it.

Q. Have you decided if you are going to play the Fed Cup tie in Belgium?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I haven't decided yet. I haven't decided yet, but, yeah, I'm looking forward to play.

Q. After Miami?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yeah, it's some week after Miami, yeah.

Q. What is the difference in your game from when you're No. 1 to when you're No. 20?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Difference in the game...hmm. Probably doing some mistakes that maybe you were not doing before, or choosing right shots, or a little bit of confidence, a little -- it's a mix between not playing enough matches, maybe not facing enough the top players, few mistakes here and there, and you're gone. It's very fast.

Here it's very fast. You really have to stay on top of it all the time and perform well. The day you don't feel this good, you're out. So it's very competitive.

Q. In your heart, in your mind right now, do you feel that there should be a "20" in front of your name or something higher?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: You know, it's going to sound weird, but I don't really look at it. I don't really care -- of course if you're higher, it's better, but I realize that today Serena, I think, is 10.

Nobody cares, you know. You're facing good players. At the end is the racquet talk. Of course you want to be higher because it means that you're consistent.

But for now it's good.

Q. You seem to be in the best shape of your life, it seems to me, great spirits. Do you feel that way yourself?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yeah, I feel -- I mean, I have been, especially from last year, having a little bit of lower results. I did a lot of work in my body, in the tennis. I work harder to kind of come back and be stronger.

Yeah, I guess it's probably that. I don't know (smiling).

Q. Obviously you don't want to win a match the way it ended today, but does that give you a boost considering that this is the first time you have beaten a player in the top 10 since February of last year?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I don't know. It's really a weird feeling, because I don't feel like I won the match point and well done, you know, good match. It was just like, Man, we'll play next time.

Yeah, I think I played well one set. I'm going to take the positive side of that. Now I have more chances to face top and top opponents. That's what I'm looking for.

Q. Did you sense early on that something was wrong with her?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: I mean, I think she started very well, the first games, and I also came back and started to play better.

I don't know. Probably at the end of the first set or in the change of sets that I saw the trainer was on court.

Q. Were you sensing that a lot of pace had come off her serve and maybe not moving as well as you'd expect?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Sometimes she serves really hard. I feel sometimes she chooses the right location. I don't know, really.

Yeah, at the end of the first set, I felt that maybe she wasn't feeling well. Yeah.

Q. Not a lot of players who have played Serena more than a couple of times, like, don't have a losing record. Like, you're now 3 and 3 against her. Maybe one or two other players like that. I know it's a statistic, but does that give you any sense of pride that you're able to, against a player that many people consider the greatest of all time, bring your game?
GARBIÃ‘E MUGURUZA: Yeah, I think it's great. I mean, the fact that I have been able to beat her a few times, it gives me a lot of signals, like, I have a good level.

But, you know, everybody has a different style of the game. There are some players that, you know, it's harder for them to play certain players.

But I'm always excited to play against them. It's always a good fight. I actually like it, so I'm not scared to play them. It's good.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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