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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 11, 2019

Barbora Strycova

Wimbledon, London, England

S. WILLIAMS/B. Strycova

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Given the outcome today, you played hard, if you bumped into Simona Halep in 15 minutes, what would you say to her in terms of how Serena can be beaten?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: I met Simona actually right after the match (smiling).

Well, I thought today that Serena was playing extremely well. I think it was her best match of all here. She was serving amazing. She was playing very deep, so I really couldn't play what I wanted to do.

Well, if she will play like this in the final, it's going to be very hard for Simona. But Simona has also her weapons. You know, every day is different. So far like today, she was playing amazing.

Q. According to the stats, you played serve-volley the most among the women's players. Is that part of your game?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: Yes, it's part of my game, especially on grass court. I like to play serve and volley since I'm very young. It's working on grass because the ball doesn't bounce well. It's just sometimes enough to play short volley. It's working.

So, yes, it's part of my game.

Q. Nobody doubts about Serena's strokes, serve. Someone thinks she could move better. For you, playing against her, did you have the impression she's moving faster than she was few days or months ago?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: Well, I think sometimes she doesn't have to move because she's so powerful and her strokes have so much power that, like, from my point of view you just hit the ball and then the ball coming so fast at you that you are just happy to go over the net. She doesn't really have to move.

I think that when she's in the draw and playing more matches, she's moving better, playing better, serving better. I think also she could show it today, that she was getting and reaching balls like maybe I thought not like first, second round.

Q. What is the difference between this match and the last match? The last match, crowd supported Johanna. Today they supported you.
BARBORA STRYCOVA: I was very happy they support me. It was a great feeling. It was my first semifinal. Even though I enjoyed it -- even though I lost the match, pretty easy the score, I enjoyed it very much.

The difference was that I was playing totally different player, totally different groundstrokes. Yeah, that was I think the difference.

Q. How can you explain your growth as a player? You were always very good in doubles, but in singles you were struggling a little bit to reach this kind of level. I remember in the Olympics game in Rio losing to Sara Errani 6-2, 6-2. What happened to you? What has happened to Errani? Because that is also a strange situation, someone No. 5 in the world and now is outside of the top 100. Are you surprised or not?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: I consider myself as a single player. I am pretty long time already in top 50, 30. Doubles, I like to play doubles. Yeah, I can play good doubles, so I'm top 10 right now. I wasn't two years ago. At the beginning of the year I got in top 10. Maybe that's why you think I am more doubles player.

What happened to me is maybe like when I get older, I understand myself more. I also try to fix my emotions. I try to work much more on mental stuff than before. I think that's very important. To see that tennis is part of my life, but it's not everything. If you realize this, then things got better and easier.

About Sara Errani, I don't really know and I don't really kind of follow. She was amazing player. She also had a game that she had to work on the court very well. She had to fight same as me. But her groundstrokes were maybe not as powerful as some girls.

It's tough to hold the level like she did couple years ago.

Q. How much about the experience today felt new and different?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: To be honest, I was very happy that I was playing against Johanna on Centre because it helped me a lot. I was nervous to play Johanna on Centre because the court for me is something very special. To go out there today to play semis, of course I felt it, but not as much as I played the quarters.

Yeah, playing opponent like Serena, it was unfortunate maybe (smiling). But I tried my best today. Even though if I would be 100% fit, I am not sure that I would have any chance because she didn't let me to get into the game.

Q. What wasn't feeling fit?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: I felt my glutes. At the beginning of today of warmup, I felt it a little bit. Second ball of the match I was running for a ball and I really, really felt it there. Since then it was getting worse and worse.

But I'm not saying that really that's why I lost the match, no. She was just too good today.

Q. Walking out on Centre Court, in the tunnel there's the quote.
BARBORA STRYCOVA: I'm reading it every time.

Q. What is your interpretation of that quote? How hard is it as a tennis player to do what is being requested?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: Well, it's the most difficult thing to do that. As I get older, I try to treat it the same way. When you understand it, when you treating it in the same way, like I said before, things and sometimes the way is easier.

Q. About Serena and her age, many of us are talking about that. She could set a record if she wins. Do you sometimes wish she would act her age in the sense that at 37 you're not supposed to be able to do what she's doing? Why is she able to accomplish this at 37, for a tennis player a very advanced age?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: She's amazing at it. To be honest, I am not sure actually also. I'm 33, and I'm getting to the end, as well. I feel my body. But maybe also she doesn't play as many tournaments as others, and that helps her to recover her body. Maybe it also helps her to motivate herself.

She has so many Grand Slams wins that she wants to look at it like now the statistics, like the history. Maybe that drives her to do that. Yeah, I just have a respect for her.

Q. Are you amazed at this age, even if she competes in fewer tournaments, she's able to play at this level?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: Yeah, I think it took her some time to play a level like she did today. You need some matches, some tournaments to play. It's amazing that she can drive her to play like this like today.

I think if she's playing like that, she can do that, she can win this title.

Q. Are you planning to go ahead to play more tennis in the future? You would like to reach 37 years old on tennis courts or not?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: I'm not sure if I want to reach 37. There is also some other things I want to do in life than just chasing a yellow ball.

Q. 34, 35?
BARBORA STRYCOVA: I'm not sure. I just see this year and then we will see how it goes, how I feel.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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