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January 12, 2009

Casey Dellacqua

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

S. Errani/C. Dellacqua
6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What went wrong for you out there today?
CASEY DELLACQUA: A lot of things.

Q. Yeah.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Nothing went really right. So, yeah, bit disappointing obviously. But, yeah, few too many errors trying to be aggressive. But, yeah, just not finding the court.
Yeah, I guess it's a match that I'd kind of rather forget, to be honest with you.

Q. Did you struggle to adjust from indoors to outdoors coming from Hopman Cup?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, it was a little bit different actually. I had a few days though, so I had enough practice under my belt. So, yeah, that was -- not really. Didn't really affect the way I played, though.

Q. Just before the Australian Open last year, how did you sort of feel going into that tournament, and can you compare the feeling now to that?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Completely different feelings. I think I've probably even the last couple weeks put a little bit too much pressure on myself. Probably set too high of standards for myself.
Today I didn't really feel myself out there purely because I think I put way too much pressure on myself and my expectations, and I just didn't cope with the situation well.
Yeah, like last year obviously I had nothing to lose and I could go out there and swing. I did that for a lot of last year actually, for 2008. I played some great tennis and played the way I know that I can play.
This year, obviously I'm going in with a little bit more expectation and pressure. I have to learn to deal with that as best I can in the next week leading up to the Australian Open.

Q. How do you go about doing that in the space of a week?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I'm going to have to I guess not do what I've done over the last few weeks. Find another strategy and something that's going to help me to be able to get out there and feel myself.
To be honest, I don't really think there's anything wrong with the way I'm hitting the ball. I know I made a lot of errors and there are things on my serve I can improve on and obviously other aspects of my game. But I just think there's a lot of other areas in my game I need to improve before I play my first match at the Australian Open.

Q. Is it just a matter of the trying too much?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, kind of. I guess that's the way you can kind of look at it. Like I said, I put a fair bit of pressure on myself. Probably too much that I just couldn't play the way that I wanted to play.
Yeah, like I said, I just want to forget about the match and move on and try and focus on and get ready as best I can for next week.

Q. Was there any one particular thing in today's game, or just did nothing sort of work for you?
CASEY DELLACQUA: I hit a few good volleys, I think, when I came to the net. And other than that, nothing really went right. Yeah, didn't really construct the points well. My forehand went off.
Usually when I put a little bit too much pressure on myself the forehand is the thing that breaks down a little bit, but I've been hitting my forehand great. Yeah, those are, I guess, a few things.
But it's good. I go to doubles now, and I just want to get out on the court and relax and play some doubles and feel the court, have some fun, and just relax and play some tennis that I know I can play.

Q. You get a win in the Hopman Cup. Did that sort of make you feel perhaps things were starting to come right and start play better tennis?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, it was good for my confidence, because over there in Perth it was, again, a pretty overwhelming experience playing in my hometown.
Yeah, I played some good tennis. Didn't get over the line against Lisicki in that first match. Cibulkova played some great tennis. Then to get that win was really good for my confidence leading into here.
Then I guess I set my standards quite high, because I had been improving and playing some great tennis, and then when I got out there today I just -- I was pretty worked up and just didn't settle and feel myself out there at all today, so...

Q. Going into the game today, did you sort of have a feeling you might not be quite right?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I think like I felt pretty relaxed, but maybe I wasn't until I got out there and realized that had probably subconsciously I was pretty worked up before I walked out there.
Again, that's something that I need to figure out how to deal with before I walk out on the court before the Australian Open. To know that when I get out there, whatever I have to do, I have to find something that's going to make me feel relaxed so that I can play.

Q. Is there someone that you go to for advice in that situation, whether it be a sports psychologist or a past player?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, there will be a few people I guess I'll be seeking some advice from. Maybe someone that's been in a similar situation to me before like a past player.
Obviously I'll sit down with my coach. I communicate with her fantastically. She's great. Everything we do on the court is fantastic.
But, yeah, I'll be talking, I guess, to a lot of people that, I guess, I'm relaxed around. Maybe find some things to do in the next week that make me relaxed. Go have dinner with friends and just, I guess, try not to think about it too much or put too much pressure on myself.
Yeah, just find things that are just going to make me chill out a little bit.

Q. Do you think the doubles matches might help in a less-pressure atmosphere to rediscover the fun of being out there on the tennis court without sort of worrying too much?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I think so. Obviously there's a lot of pressure on me, so I think I love playing with Nathalie. We played some great tennis at Wimbledon. It's great when you have a match like that that I want to forget about to get out and play another match.
I could sit around and be miserable about it, but it's better to get out on the court and play some doubles and swing out and, yeah, hit some more good volleys.

Q. Finding your mindset.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Exactly. Just getting out there and having fun with Nat and being able to relax, but still be hitting some more tennis balls and forget about the match.

End of FastScripts

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