US OPEN

August 31, 2020

Angelique Kerber

Press Conference

A. KERBER/A. Tomljanovic

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. We know there is a lack of fans and that makes a big difference in what you're hearing and seeing. In what other important ways is it different out there, ways that make it feel very different from any other tournament?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, of course it's a little bit weird to play without fans and without the support and the atmosphere on the center courts, but it's kind of a little bit the feeling when you play, like, practice matches against the players, but of course you know it's like a serious game.

It is more, for me today, it was more also mentally to prepare for the match that I know we play without fans and all the situation. Yeah, it was not so easy at the beginning, but then, yeah, you get used to it a little bit.

Q. Can you just talk about what the preparation has been like and what your last, you know, six months has been like in the quarantine and everything. And also just, if you could, talk about the decision to reunite with Torben and how that's gone with respect to your preparation for the US Open.

ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, of course, after Australia I had the long break where I was, yeah, just at home and trying to relaxing a little bit. After Australia I was a little bit injured, so, yeah, this is also fine now, like, after six months now already, but the last few weeks I was working hard. We practice a lot and playing a lot of tennis. We did a lot of gym stuff.

Yeah, returning to Torben, it's actually nice again to have someone who I really know, which knows me, how my game is working, and he knows how to, yeah, how to improve my game, as well.

So we are speaking the same language. He knows me since I'm, I don't know, 16, 17. So this is actually what is nice to have on my side right now.

Yeah, I'm really happy that I have now a good team around me. We had a lot of fun in the last few weeks also during our preparation. And, yeah, I just try to enjoy as much as I can, like, the tennis right now.

Q. I wonder if you can think back to 2008. You had lost your first three matches in main draws and you came through in Australian Open with your first win. And then maybe a little bit about beating Petko here for your first US Open win. Do you remember these wins? Were they very important for your career and for your confidence moving forward?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: Of course. Of course I remember the first matches when I played Grand Slams. I lost few of the first rounds in that years, but also I remember the wins. That gives me a lot of confidence then for the next years that, you know, you can win first, second rounds in the Grand Slams and then going farther and farther, improving yourself.

You know, for me it's special situation. I played my last match at the Australian Open, and now few months later we are here in New York. That's my next match, actually. So this is the same, like, it's also important match that I played today, because you don't really have expectation on yourself. You don't know where you are and how you can make the transition now to the match courts, which is always a little bit different than just practicing.

I think right now it's, for me, it's important, you know, not really looking too much back. It's more like to being now in the moment here and trying to also taking all the experience from all the years that I have already on my belt.