WIMBLEDON

June 28, 2004

Tatiana Golovin

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Uh-hmm.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: I'm already very excited to be in the fourth round. Playing Serena is going to be amazing. It's my second time playing against somebody in the Top 10. I'm just really excited. I'm happy about my match today. It was definitely very tough considering we had to stop yesterday. So, you know, the night was kind of rough. So it was tough mentally, but I got through it. I'm excited to go play Serena tomorrow.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: I don't know how I managed to sleep. You know, definitely had the same thing happen to me in the French Open. We had to stop at 5-All in the second. So I think, you know, I've had one experience. It probably helped me today.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Actually, pretty well. You know, I played well in Juniors here. I played very well last week in Birmingham. This surface suits my game, so it's going well.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Yeah, I was born in Russia. When I was eight months, we moved to Paris, to France. And then when I was seven years old we went to practice at Bollettieri's for seven years.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Yeah. That's why we moved to France.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: My mom follows me. My dad works. But, yeah, my sisters come to tournaments when they can.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: No, he's into business now. Yeah, he stopped.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: You know, we try to stay focused. But, you know, I hope first of all that people come to watch the tennis. Then, you know, if the physical... You know, that's their choice. But I really hope that they come, first of all, for the tennis.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: No, I don't have a boyfriend. I'm waiting for Prince William (laughing).

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Being in England, yeah.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Definitely. I'll be waiting for him, sitting in the stands (laughing).

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Exactly. And especially there's so many, you know, younger players like Maria and a lot of younger players coming to play. So get some younger people to come and watch.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Well, the good thing about stopping, you know, at 3-All from yesterday is you can kind of step back and look at the mistakes you made, the good points she made, and, you know, kind of think through that. But, otherwise, it's just very tough mentally because you don't get enough rest, because you think about the match, and then you come on court and it's already 3-All in the third. So you don't have that much, you know, time to really readjust to the game. I think it was more tougher for both of us today than it was yesterday.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Definitely, yeah. He's been actually going to watch -- he came to watch all my matches. He's somebody I respect a lot. He's helped me a lot in the past. He still helps me now.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: I think it's just him being there, him believing in me, you know. It's just him encouraging me all the time. I think that's what really helped me the most. Of course he knows so much about the game, he's got so much experience. So it's always great to have him behind me.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: She was at Bollettieri's when I was seven. She was there one year before me. Through 14 years old we practiced a lot, we played together. So definitely when I was little I lost to her all the time Love and Love and 1 and 1. She always played a lot better than me when I was little. But I think now I'm catching up. I'm playing well. We both have our own games. Birmingham proved it, that I could hang in there. Just made a few mistakes, made a few wrong choices. But in the end, I'm getting closer and closer, and I hope to get better and get the ranking up.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Yes, yes.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Very -- a lot. I'm so excited. I really can't think how it could get any better.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Yes.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Definitely, yeah. I grew up there.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: A little bit, yeah. I was born in Russia but I was eight months when I moved, and I never went back. Florida was just to practice tennis, really. But I really feel French.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Yeah.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: Of course. During tournaments, maybe practice in the winter a couple times there. It's still a place that I love.

TATIANA GOLOVIN: I played Dementieva earlier in the year.