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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2019

Angelique Kerber

Wimbledon, London, England

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've had the experience of defending a Grand Slam title before. What have you learned and how is it different this time?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I think it's completely different here because you're coming back as a member the first time, so it's really special for me. A lot of emotions and a lot of memories from last year, of course.

Yeah, it's nice to being back on this special place here for me. It's a completely new year. Everything starts from zero. Yeah, it is great to being back, but for me right now it's, again, to focusing on my first round, on the tournament. And of course trying to enjoying every moment on and off court.

But, yeah, the tournament starts tomorrow, so this is the focus for me for the moment, to focusing on the tournament again.

Q. What is the standout snapshot moment in your mind when you think about last year here?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's the match point, I think, when I really won the last point here. Holding the trophy up. I think this is the moment when I'm looking back for last year where I played the amazing final. So this is for me the Wimbledon moment.

Q. Not the dancing at the party?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: The dancing was the second one (laughter).

Q. Are you feeling confident on the grass after Eastbourne and Mallorca?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I'm feeling good. That was the goal, to have a lot of matches, especially after Paris, coming to the grass court season to feeling the grass again.

I'm feeling good. I played good matches against good opponents. I get my rhythm back, the match rhythm. That's important for me to have, you know, the confidence when I played the matches.

But, you know, Wimbledon, Grand Slams, are always completely different tournaments. Yeah, the focus is now to hit a little bit balls here. I just arrived. So, yeah, then getting ready for my first match.

Q. Since you won Wimbledon last year, seems like the kids have taken over the Grand Slams. There's not been a really young winner of Wimbledon I think since Maria Sharapova. Is there something special playing on grass that suits a more experienced player?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think right now it's, like, really open, the draw. Of course, a lot of young players are coming. I think that Wimbledon is more, of course, also like mentally, also experience-wise to playing a lot of matches, playing on grass, which is completely different to the other surfaces.

Here you feel a completely different energy. When you come here, you have, yeah, pressure, the nerves are much higher than usual. I mean, also for me every year I'm coming back, I feel you're getting nervous when you coming here. You really would like to play your best tennis. I think everyone is feeling the same.

Q. Why is that? Surely if you're not British, a Grand Slam is just a Grand Slam.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, it's just a Grand Slam, you're right. But the Grand Slams are the special ones. Especially here in Wimbledon, I mean, it's a traditional tournament. Everybody knows the tournament. This is the tournament you are really looking forward to playing your best tournament. That's the goal for the year, to really being here, performing well, playing against the best players in the world, competing well.

I think that's why it is so tough to be here, to play good, and handle your nerves, as well.

Q. The woman you played in your last match here is here again. She has struggled a little bit this year, a lot of questions about her. In light of so many other players, new champions coming along, do you see her as just another woman to beat or is there something special about her because of her career and accomplishments?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: About Serena?

Q. Yes.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, for me, Serena is one of the best players in the world. She's a champion. To see how she is still competing and trying to coming back, trying to play her best tennis, she's one of the toughest opponents to beat still. Also with her experience, how she tries to play always her best tennis.

Of course, young players are coming, next generation is coming, this is just normal. But still, I mean, for me she is, yeah, one of the best ones.

Q. Serena isn't the only big obstacle in your section of the draw. Are you aware your section of the draw has been described as the group of death?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's nothing new for me, to be honest. It is right now the first round that's important. What's in the second, third, fourth, whatever, it doesn't matter right now.

For me it's the most important thing to play the first round, then looking ahead day by day. I mean, everything can happen, especially in the Grand Slams. We will see.

Of course, there are always tough opponents. You have to beat everyone if you would like to win a Grand Slam. Yeah, this is also here.

Q. Are you literally unaware who is in your quarter of the draw?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: A little bit, but not everyone. I just know Serena is there. Heard it all the time already. The first round is the important one.

Q. When you talk about the experience you gained playing at this tournament year after year after year, at what point do you remember, which year, maybe a specific match, that it clicked with you grass and how you had to play on grass to be successful?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It was just a process, I think. When I played juniors already here, I remember I was feeling very well to play on grass. Then when I reach my semis here, of course, the finals once, then playing always every year good tennis. So this gives me always the confidence when I came back that I can play on grass.

It feels just natural for me to walking on the grass court, playing my tennis, my style. It was just a process, I think. It was not really one match that made the click. It was over the years.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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