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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 14, 2008

Casey Dellacqua

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Six years, through to the second round. Emotions must be high.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah. I really, really wanted it really badly, the win today. Yeah, to get the monkey off my back is a huge hurdle for me in the next step in my career.

Q. Any thoughts of 2006 when you played Lindsay on Rod Laver?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, not necessarily that. I just -- I actually felt really, really nervous out there today and I didn't actually feel like, especially at the beginning of the match, I didn't feel like I played my best tennis. And I probably for the whole match didn't feel like I played my best tennis.
But for me out there today, it wasn't so much about the tennis. I think it was more of a mental challenge, as such. And I was really able to kind of settle down a little bit and overcome that and really stay positive when I needed to be, and back to myself when I needed to be, which I've learnt from over the last couple of weeks.
And, yeah, it really paid off today.

Q. So what is the overriding emotion then?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Uhm, now? How I'm feeling?

Q. Yes.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Just super excited. I feel -- yeah, it's just an awesome feeling. The crowd was so good out there. And I absolutely loved playing on that court. It wasn't too big; it wasn't too small. It just felt really great. Yeah, and everyone was -- it was just such a great atmosphere. I really got the adrenaline going there in the third set. After the match, I couldn't stop shaking. It took me actually a little bit to settle down. I just had a shower, being able to calm down a little bit.
So, yeah, I'm just super excited.

Q. Groundstrokes seemed to come and loosen up a little through that second set. Did you start to feel a bit more confident from then on?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I really felt like I wasn't swinging out. I felt like I was holding back. I kind of said to myself, Look, I didn't want to walk off the court with any regrets. I said, I just have to start going for it and I really started to swing at it.
It was actually really difficult out there with the wind because it was really swirly. Especially down one end, it was really hard to hold serve. You had to really swing hard to get the ball through the wind.

Q. Bottom end?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, more the city side end. The other end it was a lot easier to hold serve and return serve.
So, yeah, I think that played a bit of havoc. But once I settled in a bit and I think got used to it a little bit. But, yeah, it was actually quite windy out there as well.

Q. Because it was so tough in that last set, did you feel yourself tightening up given what's happened in the past here?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah -- no, I felt like I did well on backing myself today. I know she chucked in a couple of double-faults in the end. I knew her serve was breaking down. I knew on a second serve I had to back myself because I did it with Vaidisova at the Gold Coast. I didn't back myself. Today I felt like I did that.
As soon as I let her have no time, I was in control. And, uhm, I think I did that really well towards the end of the third set then.

Q. Third set, you would break her, then drop your own serve. You served twice for the match. How much can your game improve? Where are we at with your game?
CASEY DELLACQUA: I think I need to improve my serve. I didn't think I served fantastic today. I'm not sure what my first-serve percentage was, but I think I really need to increase that. And I think my whole game in general, there's always room for improvement. But, as I said, today was more of a mental challenge.
But actually I'm not even sure who I play next. Whoever I do play next --

Q. Patty Schnyder.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Another lefty. I've obviously watched a lot of her play, being a lefty myself. So, uhm, yeah, I'm going to work on things, clean up a few things tomorrow. I've probably got nothing to lose in the next match, and I can really feel like I can go out swinging and definitely play the way I know I can play.
And that's probably at a better level than I actually played today. But today, for me, to get through that match is a huge hurdle.

Q. Been a lot of questions on Australian women's tennis. Jessica Moore after winning today said she's ready to bring a bit of respect back to it. After the win, do you feel that as well?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Absolutely. Jessica is another good young WA girl. Being a WA girl myself, we're pretty good friends. I've been encouraging her a lot and she's been great to hit with for me, as well.
I think, yeah, I think Australian women's tennis is heading in the right direction. We work really hard. We're really putting in. We're getting the right support back. And it's been a great year for me being involved with the Australian Institute of Sport and the Tennis Australia Pro Tour program. I couldn't have asked for a better year for me personally, being involved in that program.

Q. Are you going to watch Alicia tonight?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, if I finish all of this stuff (laughter). But, yeah, I mean, how good would that be to have three females in the next round after the first day?
I think we've still got a couple more to play tomorrow. I'm not sure how the other girls went today.
Yeah, I've obviously watched a lot of Alicia play. I've looked up to Alicia. She's a top 10 player. She's been so encouraging with me at Fed Cup ties. All the Australian girls are. I think there's a really good atmosphere and a really good camaraderie between all of us Australian girls.
It's obviously paying off. We've got more work to do, but I think we're on the right track.

Q. Are the Australian girls far off the top seeds?
CASEY DELLACQUA: In terms of...

Q. In getting back in the upper echelon.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, Sam Stosur, prior to her illness, was 28 in the world, getting seeded at Grand Slams. Alicia is top 10. I think it's going to come, keep doing the right things, doing what we're doing.
Yeah, hopefully we're all going to be up at that high level, top 50 level, where I think we should be.

Q. You have quarterfinals at Hobart, second round here. You probably will get your career high singles ranking. Will that change your schedule a bit this year?
CASEY DELLACQUA: No, probably not -- no, probably not necessarily. I'll probably still stick -- might just get me into a few more main draw tournaments rather than having to go through qualifying. I will stick with heading to the States or play Fed Cup, playing in Pattaya, then head after that for Indian Wells, Miami.
Yeah, I didn't have any points to defend. You don't want to think about that too much when you're coming into tournaments like this because it can kind of play on your mind a little bit.
I didn't want to have to worry about that too much, kind of let that take care of itself. Obviously it's a huge thing, huge points, huge for my ranking, huge for my confidence.

End of FastScripts

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