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WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2007

Marion Bartoli

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How much did the rain delays affect the quality of your game, and did it prove you were mentally stronger in the end?
MARION BARTOLI: I think it doesn't affect the way of my game because I think I was playing much better after the rain delay than before. So I think I was coming back stronger than before the rain delay.
But overall, of course, you have to be really focusing when you get on because you have to be right away into the points, into the match. Especially at 5-All in the second set. I knew I have to come in strong because it should be maybe the end of the match.
So overall I'm very satisfied with my performance today.

Q. Big surprise for you to be in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. What do you think about your next opponent?
MARION BARTOLI: It's not a big surprise for me. I'm a top 20 player. I'm not 200 in the world. I think I could be in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. Not that big surprise.
Of course, I will have a quarterfinal I can play against. It's not a top five player. But I knew we have to be really focusing tomorrow because I never play against her and she won some great matches. So I know I have to be really focusing tomorrow.

Q. What do you know about her?
MARION BARTOLI: Not at all. Nothing. I never play against her. I never saw her play.

Q. You looked really tired at the end of the match. Were you exhausted when you were closing out your victory?
MARION BARTOLI: I think, you know, when the pressure goes off you feel a little more tired than when you're in the match and you're focusing.
But I think at the end I was a little stronger physically than her. She looked a little tired. She doesn't know what really was the tactic against me at the end is what I felt.
She was playing just the ball. Doesn't really know what she was doing. And I think this game at 4-3, Love-40, when I hold my serve, it was really the key of the match.

Q. Did you tweak a hamstring?
MARION BARTOLI: Not strain, but I have a little tightness on both hamstrings. During the rain delay I get some treatment from the physios. After that, it was much better.

Q. You're okay now?
MARION BARTOLI: Yes, I'm fine. I still have the doubles to play.

Q. Is that the best result of your career? How do you rank it?
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I think quarterfinal for Grand Slam is, of course, one of my best results. I won some tournaments, but it's not the same. I mean, reaching the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam, of course, is a big achievement for me.

Q. At the end of the match you looked happy but not sensationally happy.
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, well, you know, I've not won already Wimbledon. Maybe if I won it, I will be more happy than this. I think, you know, I just -- I think it was a great match overall. I think I play great. I was really focusing. I win this match.
I was happy, but not overhappy. It's normal for me to win some matches at this stage. That's what I'm working for. That's why I'm working like this 16 years to be on that stage, on big courts with the crowd really happy to see me I think on the court and to win against some top players.
That's what I'm working every day for. So, yeah, I think it was quite normal at the end.

Q. Can we still see a French champion this year?
MARION BARTOLI: I don't know. First of all I need to play a quarterfinal tomorrow, and then if I'm a semifinal, maybe I will think about the final. But step after step.

Q. Are you friendly with Amélie at all?
MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I was really disappointed she lost this match. I didn't know at all the score. I was trying to follow a little bit during the changeover when they were putting the score on the scoreboard.
But maybe I think when she get to one set all she should win it. But I don't know. I didn't see even one point so I cannot judge on this match.
But, of course, it's a big disappointment. She was defending her title. But I'm sure she will win more Grand Slam.

Q. If they call you to play in Fed Cup against Italy, will you go?
MARION BARTOLI: That's what you want to know, right, if I'm going or not. For the moment, I didn't see the selection. I don't know the selection at all.

Q. If they do select you?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, I will see. I will see how I finish this tournament: If I'm tired, if I'm not tired, if I'm injury, if I'm not injury. I will think about the Fed Cup. First of all I have this tournament, Wimbledon, to finish. Then I will think about it.
If I'm in the team and we have a chance to beat you, yes, then I will go (laughter).

Q. You played Jelena at the same stage of the French Open and managed to take only two games from her. What was the difference today? The surface or are you playing better?
MARION BARTOLI: Well, you know, in the French Open I get injured in the second game of the first set. Of course, it was a different story. Today I think on grass it's a better surface for me than clay, even if I play better on clay this year. Grass is still one of my favorites surface.
And because in the French Open I didn't play against her since a while, I didn't know the way she was playing. To play against her in the French Open, even if was not 100% healthy, I knew a little bit how she was directing the game and the way she was playing.

Q. Are you one of the French players who's been able to go to the British Embassy in Paris to practice?
MARION BARTOLI: No. I'm living in Geneva, Switzerland. I don't live in Paris at all. I'll tell you the story. After the French Open, because I get injury, I was laying on bed for four days, not able to bend my knees at all and my legs, so I didn't hit one tennis ball for four days.
I came straight to Birmingham and I beginning to practice there. So I didn't go to the British Embassy, no.

Q. In practice you seem to have a very intensive fitness regime. Have you always had that, or did you start it at a specific stage?
MARION BARTOLI: Where did you see me?

Q. Zurich.
MARION BARTOLI: This was a while go. Since Zurich, I think I'm changing the way I'm practicing. I still practice very intensely, but maybe shorter in the time. I try to shorten a lot more my practice session. Doesn't go more than one hour on the court, even if it's very intense, I don't go for more than one hour. And I think it's a good performance because my level is increasing very much.
So I think since Zurich, since that time, I was practicing much more than now.

Q. How did you keep focused during the rain breaks?
MARION BARTOLI: I was laughing with some friends in the locker room, talking with my doubles partner, that maybe we'll play the doubles the third week of Wimbledon.
No, I don't want to stay too much focusing each minute because you never know how long it's going to be, if it's going to be for five minutes, ten minutes, one hour, half an hour, when they're going to uncover the court.
I really get into the match when they uncover the court, put the net on and I'm walking to the courts. It's a long way from the locker room to Court 1, so I get ready during that period.

Q. Were you irritated when Jelena was messing with her contact lens?
MARION BARTOLI: If I was irritated? No, not at all. If you have a problem, she has a problem. Not at all.

Q. It seemed to affect your concentration.
MARION BARTOLI: Not at all. No, I don't think so. I was leading 5-2 in the second set, so I don't think it affect my concentration, no.

Q. Your friends in the locker room that you were laughing, what kind of things were you talking about?
MARION BARTOLI: We were talking about the Fed Cup, all the problems they have in the other countries, in USA and stuff. Yeah, about different thing. But really doesn't focusing on my match at all. Just try to forget for a little bit and come back into the match after.

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