ROLAND GARROS

October 5, 2020

Laura Siegemund

Press Conference

L. SIEGEMUND/P. Badosa Gibert

7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk through today's match and the challenges of it. Sounded like you were saying after the match you were feeling a little bit like stomach wasn't feeling well.

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I think was tough, tough day today. Also for her. I think she was also struggling. I have no idea what she had. She had also problems on her side.

Was really, really cold. Was windy. Yeah, let's say I wasn't feeling my best today, but managed. Happy that I got through anyway.

Q. What was the key in terms of focusing through, tennis-wise, X's and O's, getting through that match?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I think I played very up and down at the beginning of the set, couldn't kind of find my groove and consistency. Her game was good at the beginning. I think she started well, started to serve well. She has a lot of spin in her ball so I kind of needed some time to adjust to her length and spin. It took me a long time to find my groove.

But, you know, I didn't get angry when things weren't going my way, where there would have been a lot of reasons to get angry. I had a lot of chances. I had a lot of errors where I was dominating the point but didn't execute well.

I tried to work it out and I did. She gave me some chances the end of the first set and I took them. Then in the second was a little bit better. I served much better. She didn't serve well any more, I think also some problems probably with the back.

Yeah, I think we were both kind of struggling but I kept it together better.

Q. You were not very complimentary about the food that you had eaten after the match. You described it in very, shall we say, crude terms. What was wrong with the food exactly?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: There are cameras everywhere and you cannot say anything without anybody noticing it. It's fine (laughter).

I had some problems taking food in in the morning. I felt like I'm having a little bit low sugar. It doesn't matter. It's just food that came to me. It's all right.

Q. You might not like to answer, but I have to say you have been my biggest inspiration at Roland Garros so far this year because I am running around all the time trying to get interviews. Sometimes I realize I haven't had anything to eat. But you actually took the time in your match to have what seemed to me to be a sumptuous banquet. What did you have in the middle of the match? You looked at the time like it was delicious.

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Well, if you guys prefer to talk about the food I was eating rather than tennis, that's okay. That's cool with me.

I was trying to get some carbs in. I tried the bar. Couldn't get it down really. I tried. So I asked my physio to bring me something else. I just wanted to get some carb, some potato or rice, whatever. You have to listen to the body. The body kind of tells you what you need.

Yeah, but it doesn't matter. She was taking a medical at that point so I could actually. Probably looks weird having a fork and eating like that, but better than low sugar anyway. I preferred to try to get some energy back in the body.

Q. If you want some advice, rice pots are good. Coming onto the tennis, a lot of seeds are out. Are you feeling relaxed at the minute because a lot of the top names are falling out and you're just playing your own game, feeling quite confident?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I'm relaxed. I'm happy that I got through this difficult day today. I'm not relaxed because the seeds are out. I like to play big names and try to beat them. Yeah, I'm just happy with how I get through.

Yeah, of course there are lots of other players now in this tournament in my position that were a surprise. They got really far. They try to get further, yeah.

Q. How surprised have you been by your performance in Paris? Quarterfinalist first time in your career.

LAURA SIEGEMUND: I mean, it's exciting to come so far. It was always my dream to be in the second week of a slam. We just spoke about it with my boyfriend in the US Open. It was one big goal for me to make it in singles into the second week of a slam. That's where I see myself. That's where I want to be.

I'm glad I'm making that come true now. Clay is my favorite surface. I feel like there's also more in it for me. I want to take it one step at a time. Truly excited to be in the quarters. Also still in the zone. I try to have more than that even.

Q. Speaking of wanting to beat big names, you'll play Petra Kvitova in the next round. Talk about the challenge of playing Petra on the clay. In the event it's under a roof on Chatrier, more controlled conditions, how much does that shift the challenge?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I kind of like to play on Chatrier because you know when you play, apart from maybe matches before you, but you know the conditions a little bit better. Out there it's very different every day. Wind, rain. Also today there were some phases where it rained pretty hard, like almost if it goes more then you would have to stop, all that stuff.

Not unhappy about going into Chatrier and having the roof if we need to.

Petra is a really tough opponent, no question about it. It will be totally different of all the matches I have played here so far. I played also more against clay court players, more with spin and very tactical. She's not like that. She serves very well. There is no second chances in rallies with her.

That will be different and I'm looking forward to it.