PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 16, 2024

Tatjana Maria

Press Conference

E. MERTENS/T. Maria

6-1, 4-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Tatjana, obviously not the result you wanted tonight. It was a battle, especially in that second set. Just talk us through your thoughts on the match.

TATJANA MARIA: Yes, of course I'm disappointed that I could not win this match, but on the other side, I mean, I'm glad I came back in the second set. I went in the third, and she was super-aggressive in the third set, and I had the feeling my power went a little bit off.

Yeah, so that's why, I guess, it went like this.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. You also were getting quite frustrated mostly with yourself, a couple of mistimed shots?

TATJANA MARIA: Yes, because, I mean, it's a mix after, when you start to feel tired and you start to see the ball slower or, you know, you react sometimes a little bit slower, and then you make some mistakes what normally you should not make.

You get a little bit disappointed in this moment, and I guess it's normal. I mean, I was tired at the end, so I guess when you are not 100%, you get a little bit more disappointed. But still, yeah, I tried my best till the end.

Q. It seemed to me a bit more on the backhand side than the forehand side. At least that's how it seemed to me, that there were a few mistimed shots. I don't know if that's normal for you or if that was something a bit different. And also tell us what it's like to play in front of a German crowd, as well.

TATJANA MARIA: No, I mean, that's why of course we knew, everybody knew that it will be tough for us coming from Brazil to play right away two days later here in Stuttgart, but, I mean, I love this tournament. I love to play in front of the home crowd. That's why I did it also, because there is nothing more special than playing at home.

I tried my best to recover. Of course there were some mistakes today what maybe normally I would not do, but still, I was fighting. I mean, she's a great player. She's playing super-solid tennis. She has her good results almost every week. I mean, that's also for a reason.

Yeah, that's why today it was not enough.