	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2008

Casey Dellacqua

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Casey, did you see the papers this morning? Did it sort of sink in when you saw the front page of all the papers of what you had done last night?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I kind of woke up this morning and had to pinch myself a little bit, I think, and just make sure it wasn't a dream.
But, yeah, I had -- I've looked at all the papers, and it's quite a buzz seeing my photo on the front page of the Herald and The Age. It's quite surreal, but, yeah, it's fantastic and it's exciting.

Q. Your mom and grandma have become just as famous as you, too.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I spoke to my nan, and she was like a little bit, Oh, I don't like this. Because she's not really used to anything like this before. We're just a family from Perth.
But, yeah, obviously, they were super excited to be there, and I'm so happy that everyone was able to be there. My brother from Perth, he flew over, and I'm just glad that I had my whole support team right there behind me throughout the whole match.
Yeah, I think, it really got me through there in the end.

Q. Your grandma was really excited last week. You could only imagine what things will be like if you go even further.
CASEY DELLACQUA: I don't know if she'd survive. She'd probably have a heart attack, I think. Yeah, she's a great nan, and ever since I've been a little girl, I've always been close with my nan. I used to always walk over to her house in the next suburb and hang out with her.
She came to the US Open and got to watch me play Maria Sharapova, all that. I think this is a whole new experience, and they're really enjoying it. I'm a bit sad my pop is back in Perth, but he's been able to watch it on TV. Yeah, everyone's just buzzing at the moment.

Q. How many text messages did you have when you got back in the dressing rooms?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I didn't even look at my phone, and then like half an hour after I looked and it was like 54, I think. So I've gone through every one of them. I want to thank everyone for the support and all the text messages. I'm sorry I can't reply to every one of them.
But, yeah, I really thank everyone for all the support. It's been huge and it's been fantastic.

Q. How hard is it to come back down after something like last night?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I think it's key. Especially for my next match, is try and keep the emotions intact and trying to really make sure that mentally and physically I'm prepared for that next match against Jankovic.
The tournament for me hasn't finished yet, and I have got another match tomorrow. I know it's all really exciting, but I still want to put on a good show tomorrow as well and keep up on the good form that I've been in again tomorrow.

Q. How do you match up against Jankovic, do you think?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, as I said, I've played her in Bali, so I've had a bit of experience playing against her and seen her play a fair bit. I think I'm going to try and stick with what works well for me and concentrate a lot on what I've been doing and keep working on the things that have been working well.
Then obviously go through with my coaches about her game and just try and put it all together. And, yeah, I guess hopefully it will be a great match.

Q. Brent, how proud are you and the rest of the crew of Casey?
BRENT LARKHAM: It's been fantastic success story for Casey. I remember actually having -- we had about one year ago today I think it was, I think we were in the restaurant. I was trying to convince Casey to come into the program, actually, and we've done that.
Everything she's achieved so far this year is down to her. She's done unbelievable job. She's worked extremely hard and taken a lot of new things on board. I don't think it's -- I'm not that shocked that she's done something like this, because we knew how good she was from the start.
It's just taken a bit of time for her potential to come through. I'm sure there's more to come. Like Casey said, this tournament isn't finished yet.

Q. What are some of the things you've worked on over the last 356 days?
BRENT LARKHAM: We keep about as much of that stuff to ourselves, if you don't mind that one. Across the board, technically, tactically, physically, mentally, I mean, she's made great gains in absolutely everything.
So, you know, she's shown what she can do in the last two days. The tournament is not over yet. I believe she can win this next match, and we'll see how it goes.

Q. How has your heart been for the ride so far?
BRENT LARKHAM: Yeah, it's pretty exciting obviously. Everybody, the whole team, the whole AIS program, tennis Australia, you know, everyone was in the stands yesterday, in the office cheering, carrying on.
So, you know, you play every point as a coach, and sometimes it's harder sitting on the side than it is playing.

Q. Casey, one of the things that's come out of it is you've got a lot more exposure, obviously, and the great sponsorship you're wearing. I guess that's one of the perks, and hopefully you can get couple other deals if you get more and more exposure.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, obviously I appreciate the support, and Target, as I said, I've always been a huge fan of them. It's great to know that they've come on board. All the support has been amazing for me over the years.
I guess I've never been involved in any sort of sponsorship or anything like that. So for me, all this is really new and it's all really exciting, and, yeah, it's great.

Q. I was going to say, it must be a really new experience and very different for you to all of a sudden have lots of people asking you questions at the press conferences, stuff like that. How is that? Are you coping with it?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah I think I'm doing well. I'm just obviously trying to keep my feet on the ground and keep trying to concentrate and keep going back to the tennis side of it. That's what I'm here for.
Yeah, all of this is really exciting for me. I have played at the second tier level for so many years at tournaments. As I said, in Kalgooly, Dendy Park. You get rarely very few people out there to even watch.
For me to play here at the Australian Open with all these people behind me and to have all these people interested in me and my tennis and my game and how I'm doing, it's different.
But I'm really enjoying it. It's exciting, and I'm just really appreciative all the supportive been given. I'm really glad all of Australia has enjoyed watching me play, and I hope I can give them more.

Q. What junior club did you play for?
CASEY DELLACQUA: I started -- I was born and bred in Woodvale, and I still live there. I started my career at the local Kingsley Tennis Club just around the corner. That's where my mom use today play, so I just went down there. My next door neighbor played, so we used to go down and have a bash.
Then, yeah, just progressively I came through the WTA ranks and then obviously further and further.

Q. Have you thought anymore about the Monaro? If you get to the next round it will be six figures.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, that Monaro, it's on my list for sure. It's something that, I mean, I've always been passionate about. I spoke with my dad about it again last night. My dad's like, Yeah, we'll look into it. But, yeah, that Monaro, that would be huge.
But, I mean, I still like my '91 Commodore. It's probably not something I'd probably sell anyway. I I've had it since I got my license straightaway. Yeah, I quite love that still. I might just keep hold of that one, as well.

Q. On a scale, if a year ago Casey was a 1 and you'd like her to be a 10 in the end, where along that scale, how far do you think she's come?
BRENT LARKHAM: Probably 7ish, I think. I think there's still fair bit of upside with Casey. I'm not going to put a ranking goal on her. I think there are still things within your game that you know you can improve, you know you can get better in, across the board on different sides of things.
I think Casey is getting matches up well in female tennis with the way she plays. She's got great backhand, and she's set up to play around that a little bit. I really think there's more to come, and I think the state of women's tennis in Australia is pretty exciting.
Got a few girls. I think Casey can be top 50, if she's not already. I haven't checked the rankings. Sam's top 50 player. I think Alicia can be top 50 player.
There's also Jarmila Gajosova is that good, as is Jess. Jess Moore is just a little bit younger than Casey. She's getting the right help and the right support. I don't think it's going to be too long before she's up here as well.
It's pretty positive. Like I said, there's more to come. It's all pretty exciting for Casey at the moment in the press conference and things, but she's got to focus on this next match. There's a lot of people that believe she can get a good performance.

Q. There's been a little bit said about the letdown factor. Is that something that you need to guard against?
BRENT LARKHAM: No, I think the crowd, when she gets out there tomorrow, you know, there's going to be a great crowd. It's been -- hopefully Lleyton wins tonight, but at the moment, Casey -- there's one Aussie still in it. I think they're going to get behind her. I think there won't be any letdown tomorrow tonight.
CASEY DELLACQUA: No.

Q. What aspects of Casey's game should Jelena Jankovic fear?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Don't tell the secrets away.
BRENT LARKHAM: I'm not going to talk about that.

Q. Well, what does she do best?
BRENT LARKHAM: What does Casey do best? I mean, as you could see last night, I think Mauresmo tried to change her game because she couldn't cope with Casey. That's what I saw. Amélie started coming to the net because I think she was running out of ideas from the back of the court.
I think Casey's got to be positive enough to not fear anybody. She can take anybody on. She's a great ball striker. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297