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WIMBLEDON

June 24, 2008

Anne Keothavong

LONDON, ENGLAND

A. KEOTHAVONG/V. King
4-6, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Anne.

Q. Another good step forward for you.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, I'm pleased obviously to get through today's match. It was incredibly tight in the first set. Yeah, it was a horrible kind of feeling. But, you know, I managed to regroup and I managed to turn the match around, and I'm pleased about it.

Q. You seemed to come back refreshed in the second set.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, you know, I needed the toilet. I had to regroup. To be honest, I was in the toilets there and I was shaking because I was just so annoyed with myself. You know, just frustrated about the performance I'd just given in that first set.
But, like I said, you know, I felt I showed tremendous courage to just get myself out of that mess and win the match.

Q. Was it nerves that you played so badly in the first set?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, it was. It was nerves. It was kind of the expectations I had of myself. You know, I put quite a bit of pressure on myself to win and it wasn't quite happening, but I managed to find a way.

Q. Did you actually feel different coming in because you came in on your ranking?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, maybe a little bit, yeah.

Q. Do you feel in any way a kind of inspiration to the other players doing well behind you?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I hope so. You know, I think it's great that the other girls -- we're all pushing one another. Hopefully, you know, we can do a good job to set a good example to the younger girls coming through.
You know, it will be great, yeah, if someone can say in the next 10 years if they looked up to myself or one of the other girls. Yeah, that's a nice feeling.

Q. What are your thoughts on facing Venus Williams, and how will you prepare?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, I'm really excited about it. You know, it's kind of what you play tennis for, to play these big matches. You know, she's defending champion. She's won God knows how many Grand Slams. You know, I'm going to go out there. I've got nothing to lose. I'm looking forward to it.
You know, I'll just carry on doing what I'm doing.

Q. What is the key for you to do as well as you can against her, do you think?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Well, like I said, I've got nothing to lose. So, you know, I played against her in doubles here last year. You know, I'll just go out there and try my best.

Q. Will you watch a tape perhaps of your countrywoman's match today?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I'll probably see it a little bit later.

Q. And maybe discuss it with her?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: With Naomi? Yeah, I'm sure I'll speak to Naomi later today about it. I heard she put up a good fight in the first set.

Q. Playing Venus at Wimbledon is the good thing about your job. You also have been through some difficult times this year. Can you talk about what happened when you won the tournament in Lebanon.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, it was an adventure, to say the least. It was an experience I never thought I'd have to kind of go through. Obviously, I won the tournament. I got out of the country safely.
But there were times during that week where a lot of us, you know, we didn't know what was going on, so there was a bit of panic. But we managed to get out and everything was fine.

Q. Were you afraid for your safety while you were there?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, there was a period where there was a bit of panic. But then once we understood what was going on, I felt pretty safe. We were escorted out of the country to the border. Once we were in Syria, it was fine.

Q. How can you keep your concentration and go on and win the tournament?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: In those kinds of situations, there's not really a lot you could do. I couldn't leave the country. I thought, The only thing I can do here is play tennis. I was on my own out there, as well. Yeah, I got a bit freaked out, but it was fine in the end.

Q. On a lighter note, it seems you have a shopping problem. Just wondering, after a result like today, would you go out tomorrow and have a little spending spree.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No, haven't had time to, to be honest. I've asked my sister to get me a few things the last couple of weeks because I just haven't had time to make it to the shops.
I don't really have loads of cash to spend, so... But I enjoy window shopping.

Q. Anything you're looking forward to buying if you do progress and get a bit of extra crash?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I don't know. We'll see what's out there.

Q. You're the best Britain has, yet we still seem to be some way behind the rest of the world. Do you have any thoughts on what needs to be done to bridge that gap?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I think right now we just need to encourage as many girls as possible to take up the game - not just girls, boys as well. You know, tennis isn't all about these two weeks.
People forget what goes on the rest of the year. You know, it's a tough life and you really have to give everything to it. You can't do it half-heartedly. You know, people have got to go into it and expect a tough ride.

Q. What will be your focus once Wimbledon is over? Will you be looking to progress in the US Open, the Olympics?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I'm not -- I don't think I've made the cut for the Olympics. I think I've made the cut to be main draw at the US Open at least. I'm looking forward to, yeah, spending pretty much the whole summer out in the States playing on the hard courts.

Q. How high do you think you could get in the rankings ultimately?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I don't think you can put a limit to it. I've cracked the top hundred. It's been a goal of mine for so long. Next step will be 75 and then obviously 50. I'm just going to keep going. I don't think you can really put a limit to it.

Q. Do you think you can get yourself onto the main tour?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Definitely. That's what I'm going to do. That's what I'm looking forward to all this summer, playing all the tour events. It's something I haven't been able to do in the past, so that's something different for me. Yeah, I hopefully I can do well.

Q. It's taken you quite a long time to get to this stage. Did you ever think you weren't going to make it?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No, never. You know, I've had a lot of setbacks. You know, I'm only 24 years old, but I think, you know, I've been through a lot. I don't talk publicly about those things I've been through.
So, you know, those who are close to me, my family and close friends, know exactly what I've been through to be where I'm at. I think they're very proud of me, and I'm proud of it myself.

Q. Is there one factor this year that's helped you progress to your highest ever ranking?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I've just been plugging away, and I've always believed I could do it. It was just a matter of time. You know, I believe I can climb the rankings even higher.
You know, it's just been hard work and determination.

Q. Before this year I think you'd only won one match in the main draw. Do you have any sympathy for Alex Bogdanovic who has lost every time he's come here?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: It's different. It's Wimbledon. As a Brit, you have so many expectations. This is the one place, you know, you really want to perform and have people behind you.
You know, yeah, I can sympathize with Alex a little bit, yeah.

Q. Does the crowd sometimes put pressure on you? Does it hinder as much as help playing here as a Brit?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I think it's just the pressure you put on yourself. The crowd help, you know. I found the support really -- you know, it was great today and I really enjoyed it. Hopefully they'll get behind me again in my next match.

Q. How might that affect your thinking as you play Venus, having the crowd behind you?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: It's only a good thing to have the crowd behind me. You know, I think all the help they can give me, the better.

Q. Would you prefer to play on Centre Court or would you prefer somewhere more intimate?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I'd love to play on Centre Court. I don't think I've ever played a match on Centre Court. To play Venus Williams on Centre Court, you know, it's a dream of mine.

Q. Usually at a tennis tournament you have to worry about your opponent's backhand. In Lebanon, what happened? You said there was a touch of panic. What occurred?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: It was all happening in Beirut. We weren't too far. We were 15, 20 minutes away from Beirut. I was in Jounieh. To be honest, if somebody hadn't told me, I wouldn't have any idea of the fighting and everything that was going on. Where we were, it was perfectly safe. I was walking around the streets. It was absolutely fine. It was just the thought, you know, the fear of the fighting spreading, that we didn't know.

Q. The fear of the unknown, what would occur?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah. You know, you can just freak yourself out by thinking about it too much. But it's not really anything you can control. So it was just one of those things.

Q. But you were glad to get to Syria?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yes, I was.

Q. What will your preparations be now? Can you get any time to relax and maybe switch off a little bit?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Well, later today. I think Mel South and I will probably play doubles tomorrow. It's just constant. You're always getting ready for the next match.

Q. Can you beat Venus?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: There's not a lot of point in me going on the court if I didn't think I was going to win. You know, you have to believe something.

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