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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2003

Samantha Stosur

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.
Q. Was that easier than you'd expected?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I sort of made it a bit easier on myself I guess with the way I played, and I played pretty well today. But we played each other last week and I lost so I knew it was going to be hard. She obviously had one up on me. I was sort of going in there just trying to play my best.

Q. What was the score?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: 7-6, 7-5.

Q. Where was that?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: In Canberra.

Q. Did you change anything around from that or did you learn anything from that that came in to play today?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I mean, last week I didn't play near as well I did play today. I missed a lot of balls last week. Today I just tried to be more tight with my game and serve better and just be aggressive in coming to the net whenever I could. I just tried to eliminate my errors but still staying aggressive.

Q. You just mentioned your serve. Your first serve percentage this time wasn't the greatest. Have you been working on your serve? Your action looks a little bit different than it did.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I haven't really changed my action. I've been just trying to get a high percentage, like today it was hard because it was pretty breezy down there. The wind was sort of swirling around a bit. In my first round I served pretty well and had a high percentage. It's just something that I've continually got to work on and try and get better at.

Q. I guess you earned the fruits of your labor, playing a player as good as Conchita to get a qualifier in the second round. The next round, of course you've got a very difficult player.

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Uh-hmm.

Q. How do you approach? With confidence?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I'm just going to approach it exactly the same as I have my last two rounds. This is all a new occasion to me. I've never been in a second round of a Grand Slam, let alone a third round. I've never played someone in the Top 10 either, so I'm just gonna go in and think about what I've got to do and just try and -- just stay as relaxed as I can I think.

Q. Will it be difficult? Speaking to Todd Larkham before, he said when he played Pete Sampras, how nervous he was and how that destroyed his chances. Is it difficult for you to control nerves?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, so far the last two matches I haven't really been nervous at all, which I think is a little bit of a surprise for me. Last year I was really nervous before I played my first round. Obviously, I don't know what court I'm going to be on yet but I'm sure it will be a pretty big one. I think that will sort of make me a little more nervous than what I have been the last two games.

Q. Crowd-wise, was that as many people you've played in front of?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I'm sure that's the biggest, yeah.

Q. You'll get bigger than that the next round?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I guess it's going one step at a time with the crowd size, so it's all right.

Q. Mom and dad are here?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Mom and dad and my older brother are here, and I've been working with Craig Morris (ph), he's sort of my coach now, and Chris Knight (ph), he's a fitness coach, he's been with me the whole time, the last few weeks. I've got quite a few friends here anyway, so I've got quite a decent group I think around me.

Q. The wrap around your wrist, is that precautionary?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I don't know what I've done to it. I hurt it last week in Canberra. It's just a precaution I think.

Q. Not on your mind during the matches?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Doesn't bother me during the match. Yesterday I was a little bit sore after my first round, but today, no problem.

Q. Seems to be a good push in the girls at the moment. We haven't had three women through to the third round for ten years or something. Good to be part of?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, it's great to be part of. I think we've done really well here. The guys are also doing really well, so, I mean, if we can all get through to the third round then obviously we've got a great chance of someone going further than that. We just got to keep playing well and taking it one step at a time. I think we're, yeah, if this is the best we've done in a while, then I'm really happy to be part of it.

Q. Have you calculated what third round means in terms of rankings and ability to get into other tournaments?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: I have no idea, no.

Q. Will you be looking to play full-time this year, get into the other Grand Slams?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure now I'll be in all the qualifying of all the Grand Slams for the rest of the year. So I don't know. I'll just see where -- well, where I end up in the tournament and work it all out. I'm sure I'll get a nice surprise where I end up.

Q. What about prize money, a good boost?

SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, well, I just found out it's like nearly the total amount of my career that I've made, I've made in my singles here. So that's a nice boost.

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

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