THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2021

Angelique Kerber

Press Conference

A. BARTY/A. Kerber

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In regards to Ash, what was it about her game that you found the most difficult to counter?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think she played really well today. I think we both played on a good and high level. I think we both give everything we could on court today.

I was trying to playing my game. But she had always a good answer. I think that her game suits to grass court really well. Yeah, she played great in important moments. I think that was the key at the end.

Q. I thought you played brilliantly in the first half of the second set. Obviously something changed. You served at 5-3 and she broke you. Can you put your finger on what she changed or what you changed in the other direction?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it was at the end just only two, three points which change the game. But also, like, the match, I mean, she was able to go for it. Yeah, she risk it in the important moments when she was down.

I was not able in this moment to, yeah, play my game. I know that you have to play until the last point. Also when she came back I fought and I tried my best to still win the second set. But, yeah, in the tiebreak she played well and I make too many mistakes, especially, yeah, in the tiebreak at the beginning.

Q. Could you talk about the variety of shots and weapons she brings to the game, her movement, slice backhand, good serve.

ANGELIQUE KERBER: She is really intelligent player and she knows how to play also with her slice, and then she's going forward with her forehand. She really served well today.

You see that she has a lot of confidence, that she played a lot of big matches, that she's the No. 1 player in the world right now. But for me it was important to give everything I had on court. Yeah, like I said, she had always, like in the important moment, the better answer.

Q. After match point, as you were walking to the net, you seemed to smile a little bit to yourself. As you were walking off, as well. What was going through your mind in that moment? What has this two weeks meant for you, even including three weeks with what you did in Bad Hamburg?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: That was in my mind, that I really came back after such a long time, that I was able to turn around everything, that I won the tournament at home in Germany, that I played here unbelievable tennis, that I put so many emotions and my heart on court. I was really fighting for every single point starting from the first round here to playing same as here, that means also a lot to me after the last few months.

If you go out and you have the standing ovation at the Centre Court in Wimbledon, I mean, that's the best feeling you can have even you lost.

I tried everything. I put everything on court today. Ash is a great opponent. She deserved to win today. For me it was just, you know, the fight that I put the last few weeks in my tennis, that's actually what counts for me right now.

Q. Despite the loss, if you compare your level of tennis now and three years ago, what would you say?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it's really tough to compare, like, three years and this year because a lot of things happened in the last three years. For me it's more that I still have the passion for the sport, that I played well, that I played great matches against the best players in the world, that I really enjoyed to staying there, playing in front of the crowd.

I know that I also improved my game in few things. But still I have my game style. I think it's similar to 2018.

Q. The eighth game of the second set when you had a couple of breakpoints, would you say that was really the crucial game of the match when you didn't break her? Ash went up 5-3 and then broke you in the next game. Was that really the crunch game of the match for you?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know if that was the game. I think it was more the game when I couldn't -- yeah, I was not able to serve from my serve to serve the second set. I think that was the key that she came back.

Then also the tiebreak. I mean, I was not starting so good the first few points, then I was just trying to coming back. But, yeah, she was too much ahead in the tiebreak. I think she played really well in the important moments.

Q. What is your schedule now? In view of the announcement today about no supporters at the Tokyo Olympics, I wondered if that sort of changed your opinion about the event and your enthusiasm for playing there?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: Actually I don't know yet nothing because I was really focusing on today. I mean, I'm still with a lot of emotions from my game. I will, yeah, sit down tonight with my team and then we will talk about the schedule for the next few weeks.

Q. On the game, your ability to level up your game the last few weeks, what does that tell you about kind of going forward, what you need to do to maintain this level and to continue to get this level of results obviously with the Olympics but also US Open, which you've won as well? What do you think was the key to getting to this level and what is the key to holding it?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it's important now that I really take the confidence with me from the last three weeks. I knew that I'm on the right way. I know how it is to worked hard and now to continue my play. I think this will be the challenge to stay on this level, playing good matches again on hard court, yeah, just going forward and, yeah, to continue this.