WIMBLEDON

June 22, 2004

Jane O'Donoghue

Q. Success story today and yesterday for the British women. Pleasant change.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: Yeah, I was chatting to my friend in the changing room, Anne, she said in the press interview yesterday somebody said to her she would be the only British girl left in by tomorrow. It's a nice change, it really is. The girls are doing well. Let's keep the flag flying.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: I don't know about that. But that is an incentive, for sure. Yeah, I mean, it would be nice to get that. But one match at a time. Let's not get carried away.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: I think that's got to be right up there. I mean, the last two times I've played here, the first time when I played Venus, it was a big occasion for me. Last year I had a great opportunity. I felt I didn't quite deliver, whereas this year I've really gone out and I believed in my ability and I've come off the court thinking, yeah, you know, you can play this game and match these girls. I'll be looking forward to my next match now.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: After the first set, I actually remember sitting down at the change of ends, saying last year it hurt me so badly to lose that match, that there was no way I was going to lose this year. So I just stamped down my authority, starting playing aggressive, started going for it, getting pumped up, which is when my personality comes out. In the end, I loved every minute of it.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: I think everybody's behind each other. I mean, we've all said to each other in the changing room, "Come on." I remember today before I went on the court, chatting with Baltacha, saying, "Come on, let's get out there." The other two went out there yesterday, "Let's make this four wins today." And so, yeah, there is. Everybody is backing each other. It's nice that we're getting out there, getting the business done. The four of us now are into the second round. I mean, you have to look back a long time since that last happened.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: No, we don't go to the pub together. But we are friends. Afterwards, I think we all keep ourselves to ourselves. But we all get on very well. I mean, Fed Cup earlier on in the year, myself, Baltacha, we all get on very well. There's a nice -- not a team atmosphere, but everybody is backing each other it's nice to see everybody do well.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: I've just been putting hours and hours in the court -- on the court, sorry, and off the court, as well. My coach, Nick, has just been backing me, "Come on. Believe, believe, believe." And I've shown today, I've gone out -- I was a set down, and I did believe. And I've come out feeling (inaudible) between the matches instead of sat in the locker room now losing 6-3 in the third. It's a nice feeling.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: Yeah, definitely. I think this will take me inside 200 now in the rankings, and that was a bit of a barrier for me. And now that I'll break through into the 200s, I feel there's no stopping me. We can all push each other and hopefully have a couple of girls inside the top hundred in the next couple years.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: Yes.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: My parents and my two brothers. Nice for them, too.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: No, I've not seen anybody. I've not seen my coach either. Looking forward to seeing them.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: I'm afraid I did exactly the same (smiling). It's very emotional for all of us because to play in Wimbledon, you know, it's the ultimate tournament, especially being British, as well, and winning here. For me, it was my third time here without winning a match. I was so pumped, you know, to win the match. Actually when I actually put my bag down in the changing room, I saw a friend of mine. That was it for me. It's nice, you know. We're crying happy, we're happy, not sad. I just got to get out there now next match and look forward to it. Got nothing to lose. Anything can happen.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: He was on the next court to me. The crowd were pretty loud. But it's nice. One day I hope the crowd are cheering for me out on Court 1. You know, on Centre Court, because I played on there now. I've had the experience and I -- having played on Centre Court, there's no place like it. I'd love to get back out there again.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: I think it got me fired up more. But then, yeah, the umpires, at the end of the day, I wouldn't like to be calling the balls because the ball's going so fast and it's very tough on a grass court to call the balls. At the end of the day, I think they did a pretty good job. I probably just got a bit excited there, so.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: Yeah, definitely. I've had pretty much my best wins on grass, and also on clay, which sounds a bit odd. But I seem to be the only British girl that loves to play on the clay, as well. Yeah, I like grass or clay or hard. I think my game can adapt to any of it. Yeah, whichever surface I'm put on, I'm always confident to win.

JANE O'DONOGHUE: A lot of my best wins have come against left-handed players. I'll be looking forward to her. I practiced with her up in Birmingham, just a couple of points. She's tricky, very tricky, very experienced player. But like I say, now I'm in the tournament. A big weight off my shoulder. I won my first match here. I'll be looking to win another.