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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2010

Casey Dellacqua

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

V. WILLIAMS/C. Dellacqua
6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had a few break chances out there today.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I had a few chances in the first and some breakpoints at different times. Probably didn't play the biggest points as well as Venus did.
Yeah, few chances.

Q. You were pretty proud of way you played I imagine. Looked like you were starting to get a real feel for it after six weeks of full training.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, honestly 11 months right after my shoulder surgery I wasn't sure where I was gonna be at or how I was gonna go or do, really. Yeah, I'm stoked with where I'm at. Obviously I'm improving every day and I've got a lot a long way to go to be playing my best tennis.
It's nice knowing I can compete and hold my own with girls like that after only really hitting solid tennis balls for the last, yeah, six or so weeks. Yeah, it's a positive and I guess a good start to the year.

Q. You had two pretty long matches leading up. Did you feel a little bit tired today as well?
CASEY DELLACQUA: No. I felt really good actually. Yeah, no, I felt good out there. It was good. Yeah.

Q. What about specifics in your game? Your serve has shown improvement at times. Maybe not stepping in to the ball at the perfect times as much as you like.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I've got a lot of things in my game that I want to keep getting better. One of those things is being more aggressive and moving forward into the court and not being pushed back too far and trying to, yeah, compete. That's what the top girls do.
When I was playing a lot of tennis and matches, sometimes that just comes naturally. You get used to doing all that. I'm sure the more matches I play and the more practice I do and the more balls I hit, that'll only get better. So, yeah, that's one thing I'll definitely look to keep working on.

Q. What generally has it sort of given you this week? You've got a fair bit of tennis this week. You've got to be happy with that?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, my goal through the summer was almost to win a match and get through injury-free. I've been able to do those things. Yeah, I'm happy that -- I'm stoked that I'm injury-free. It's great to be back playing tennis.
It was just an absolute great experience again to be back out on Rod Laver and playing with the top girls. Just to be back playing, yeah, it's just what I do and what I've known for my whole life really. Just nice to be back out there playing.

Q. You mentioned Venus playing the bigger points better today. Is that something that as you play more tennis you hope will come back to your game, handling those moments?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I didn't probably -- I had a few breakpoints in the first set, and just at different times throughout the match had opportunity to, I guess, step up. Yeah, didn't play those big points so good.
Yeah, I think the more tennis I play and the more matches I get, that'll come with that, I guess.
Yeah, hopefully that's improve over the next couple months and as I get into more tournament play.

Q. What's it like to face Venus Williams' serve?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I've played Venus and Serena in doubles, so I kind of know what to expect. In terms of the women's game, she does have one of the best serves in the world. It's pretty hard to read. She can go both ways. She can hit fast, slash. She can do it all.
So, um, yeah, I was just trying to stay up in the court and kind of pick it. I think she served really well. Yeah, it's a hard ball to face. But, yeah, you just got to kind of stand your ground and try and pick it and just be confident with it.

Q. What's next, Casey? Have you got a schedule mapped out for the next couple months, bearing in mind that you had the injury? Have you got something planned for future tournaments?
CASEY DELLACQUA: I guess my next thing will be Fed Cup in Adelaide. Then I'm actually gonna play some 25,000's. I'm going to play some lower level tournaments and play in Mildura. I think there's one in Sydney.
I need to get heaps of matches. Alicia did it last year. Yeah, it's great. I'm really just starting out. I don't know what my ranking is. I want to keep improving that. Yeah, I'll probably just play some lower level tournaments and look to use my protected ranking throughout the year and keep my body injury-free.
So, yeah, just set out a schedule based on this week and do that.

Q. How will you use that protected ranking? How do you plan to use it?
CASEY DELLACQUA: I guess just at tournaments where I've maybe done well before, tournaments where I feel comfortable, where it suits me, the courts and all that. Probably a couple in the States, couple through Europe.

Q. How many do you get?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Eight tournaments plus one Grand Slam. So I'd like to use that for maybe Wimbledon. Yeah, just mix it up and, then also mis in some ITF tournaments as well. So I'll probably just, yeah, mix in some WTAs, some ITFs, and just try and play as much as I can.
But, also -- yeah, just do it that way.

Q. You said you got nervous in the first couple games. Has the sort of last three games done well for your confidence?
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, like obviously I haven't played all year. I wasn't really sure where I was at. Yeah, I have been out of the game for a good 11 months or so.
So, yeah, I wasn't sure, but I really do feel like I belong. I know that I can compete with these girls. It's just a matter of, yeah, me chipping away every day and trying to do something every day to become better and better.
That's what I've done since I've been able to come back and start hitting. I know I'm a bit way off, but if I can get back to where I was and keep improving, that's my long-term goal. But I want to get back inside 100 first and see what happens.
I definitely feel like I can compete with these girls.

Q. The male choir was in good voice today. Did you listen to what...
CASEY DELLACQUA: I actually couldn't hear them. I was trying to listen.

Q. It was the theme to Jersey Boys.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Oh, okay. I couldn't actually hear what they were saying, but I could see them and I looked up and.
Yeah, the crowd's been great. Every match I've played the crowd's been fantastic. Yeah, couldn't actually understand what they were singing. They sounded like they were in good tune.

Q. The last one was funny. Even though Venus goes Ah, she can't be Dellacqua.
CASEY DELLACQUA: Yeah, I couldn't understand them quite. Yeah, they sounded good.

End of FastScripts

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