US OPEN

August 30, 2021

Garbine Muguruza

Press Conference

G. MUGURUZA/D. Vekic

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Can you just give us a sense of your thoughts on the match, how you played, and looking ahead to round 2.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, it was a very tough first round. I think Donna, probably seeded player in recent years, so having to play her in first round was, you know, difficult and I could see it on court. I knew it was two close sets that I was happy to close in the tiebreak, which can go any way at that point.

Yeah, excited to get this win and to be able to be in round 2, which if you're kind to not talk about my next opponent, I'd rather not know yet, if that's okay.

Q. A great celebration from you on match point. I know it was such a tough match and she did well to come back in that second set, as well. Wondering what was going through your mind on match point and how much this win meant for you right now.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: It was a very good win. It's just, you know, a slam that, you know, historically it's not my strongest. I was so pumped to go out there and I saw the time when we were playing in the second set, it was, like, two hours-something, and we were still in the second set, you know. I was, like, Okay, it's a good moment to close the match (smiling).

So, yeah, it was a tough match. I had a lot of emotion and it was a good celebration. Yeah, I'm happy with the way I played.

Q. How would you describe your history at the US Open and your thoughts about the tournament at this point in your career.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I feel like I have always came super prepared and for whatever reason, I don't know, my game didn't click. But I don't think about that now. Every year I come, I'm like, You know what? That doesn't matter. It's a new year. Nobody remembers, nobody cares what happened in the past.

I guess I just have to go through the first rounds, which I didn't manage to do before, I guess, and then get the confidence in playing in these courts.

Q. When you see Naomi Osaka and her game on hard court, what impresses you most about the way she plays on this surface?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, I think she has a good game for hard court, very strong strokes, big serve. I feel like here in the US Open, the courts are also fast.

Yeah, I mean, if she hits the ball well, she's of course, you know, very good player.

Q. In the lead-up to the Open, a lot of times, and I think you did it this year, we'll see top players practicing with other top players at slams, not just the US Open, obviously. But I'm curious what that's like. Is it like any other practice? Does it feel a little bit edgier because, you know, you both are trying to refine your games, you know, ahead of a major? Is it relaxing? How do you approach that?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Like every other tournament, I feel like I shouldn't do anything different. I shouldn't give, I don't know, major importance to this preparation. I feel like I have to do the same thing I have always been doing that I think it works.

You know, it's not relaxing. Of course you're heading to a Grand Slam, so you're kind of focused, trying to put the puzzle together, training maybe more than less.

But, you know, yeah, just excited. At the end it's very exciting to train for the Grand Slam, and that's what I feel.

Q. You obviously have a Roland Garros and Wimbledon title. It's been this interesting trend recently, at least Simona has a similar thing, Ash also has won her first two on those, but all three of you are incredible hard court players as well but the Australian Open and the US Open always end up being challenging. Do you have any theory as to why that is? You've been able to get that success on two of the slams that people think are the hardest ones to win in a way but these two ones remain the tougher ones to get.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: You know, I don't think they are the hardest ones. They are all hard. I don't have a theory. I think everybody plays well on hard court, it's more equal. So I feel like there can be more winners.

The other ones you need to have something in your game. You have to be more than just hitting the ball and hitting hard. I feel you need that X factor that clay court brings and grass courts are unpredictable. I don't know. It's tricky.

But in hard court everybody plays well, so there is no theory really. It's just funny that three players just happened that.

Q. I just wanted to see if over the years you have changed your approach to playing in New York? In other words, it's kind of a stressful environment and a little bit tricky for some players. Is that something you have had to work on over the years, just to be more relaxed about playing in New York?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yes, I think that's my approach. At the beginning it took a lot of energy for me just to be in New York and handling everything. And with the years, I don't know, I learned a little bit more. I learned how to enjoy this event, which is, try to stay in a positive way, not only see what's the things that might bother me.

But, yeah, I'm definitely different now than when I played the first couple of times. I don't know if that's gonna mean that it's gonna go well, but I at least suffer less being in New York now than when I was 18 (smiling).