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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2010

Katie O'Brien

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

K. O'BRIEN/P. Mayer
6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Must feel like a good job done.
KATIE O'BRIEN: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it was a long wait yesterday. I was hanging around, waiting to play. It was difficult. You got called off late. We didn't know until 10:00 last night we were first on today. A bit tired from doing absolutely nothing.
No, delighted with the performance today. I knew it was a good opportunity. I had a good draw. But I had to go out there and compete, and that's what I did.
I think I dictated the play today, made her do the running. I think I wore her down. It was a good, solid performance.

Q. A lot of breaks in the second set. Did you start to question...
KATIE O'BRIEN: A little bit. I have had issues with my serve in the past, but I think I was serving pretty well during the match. I was seeing she wasn't going to step up and attack it, so I was just going to get my serve in.
There was a point in the second set it got quite sunny from one end. Yeah, I had a few problems with that. But then so did she. I was playing pretty well on my return game, so...
Compared to how I served in the past, it was actually a pretty good serving performance for me.

Q. A victory on foreign soil in a Grand Slam, how gratifying is that for you?
KATIE O'BRIEN: It's great. But, I mean, having said that, I really do feel at home in Melbourne. I've got loads of relatives who I'm staying with this week. My sister is here with me as well.
I've never done so well leading up to Melbourne, but I've always felt good coming here. I always really enjoy myself. I think this is just such a laid back Grand Slam. I just really feel at home here.

Q. Have you worked on your consistency more and more?
KATIE O'BRIEN: I think so. I've always been pretty solid. Because I'm quite fit, I know I can stay out there all day and keep running. I'm trying to add more aggression to my game. There were a few points I was a little disappointed with. Gave more time than I should have. Missed a few easy balls.
I think the first match in a Grand Slam is always tough. I think I settled down quite well. I just stuck at it and it paid off.

Q. This time last year your message kind of was, I know what to do now, I know which way to go. What has happened in the last 12 months? We know the ranking has got better. You were in South Africa just before Christmas.
KATIE O'BRIEN: No, I had a really good training block. I think the off-season 2008, I really got it right. I think I knew what to do this time around as well. I'm a much more confident player now.
I feel, you know, pretty experienced. I mean, this time last year, even though I qualified in the main draw, I was still a little bit like a rabbit in the headlights. No, felt really comfortable on court today.

Q. Looking to your next match, you either have pretty highly ranked seed or Niculescu, who beat you at Wimbledon.
KATIE O'BRIEN: I'm just looking forward to it, whoever it is. Probably will be Jankovic. It's something I really look forward to. Niculescu, I've have problems with her in the past. I'm actually hoping it's Jankovic.

Q. After Elena nipped in and grabbed the No. 1 at the end of the year without you looking, and now she's won her first round match, is the feeling that the two of you are really going head-to-head nicely.
KATIE O'BRIEN: Yeah, definitely. I think we spur each other on nicely. I mean, I didn't see any of her match yesterday, but it was a great effort for her to come through. It gives me a nice boost, as well, to come through mine.

Q. She's talked about nervousness that gave her the cramps, the threat of losing that top hundred place. Was that something also in your mind?
KATIE O'BRIEN: I'm very much aware I have a lot of points to defend the first part of this year. I knew I had to do well here. It's so important to get wins in a Grand Slam, because the way the WTA rankings are, they count like five points if you don't win your first rounds.
It's a big gulf between getting through that first round and beyond and losing first round. So I'll take that at the beginning of the year.
It's great for me to come through my first match. Gives me a lot of confidence going into my next round as well.

Q. Was there a point last year where you thought, I now belong here? I can do this?
KATIE O'BRIEN: Definitely. I had a really good start to the year. Wasn't really playing at this level. I was playing a lot of challenger events, but I was getting a lot of success. That's when I started to think, I can maybe do this, because there's nothing that sets the girls in the top hundred apart from me. I mean, I'm perfectly capable of belonging with them.
When I finally broke into the top 100, I think it was in September, then that gave me an extra push. And, yeah, might have taken me a few more years than most girls, but I'm there. I intend to stick around a lot longer.

Q. Do you think from what you see around the place and looking at younger British players, do you think five years from now a British player winning a Grand Slam would be less of a big deal?
KATIE O'BRIEN: Yeah, I mean, I think Elena and I both had good draws here. We both just went out there and we got the job done.
So I think definitely. I think the British women -- I saw Laura playing in qualifying. She's such an exciting prospect. I think even this year she could start to really break through.
I know at the NTC where I train there's a positive vibe about the place. I think the younger girls look up to Anne, myself, Elena. It's great for them to have role models and knowing we're winning rounds in Grand Slams.
Yeah, I really hope in five years' time there will be loads of us British women around. I'm positive there will be. No, I really think there will be.

Q. Why do you think that is? Has Nigel's influence done it, facilities, quality of people in the regions?
KATIE O'BRIEN: I think the quality of coaching we have. There's a lot of -- there's a lot of chopping and changing before the NTC kind of finally -- you know, we were able to use the facilities and everything.
But now everything is set in stone. Like I say, everything was new a couple of years ago, but I think now we've all used that to our advantage. I think, yeah, everyone knows what direction they're heading in. I think the younger players, I think they're very lucky to be able to take advantage of this at the age they are at.
Because for me, it wasn't until I was 19, 20 that I really kind of understood what it needed to take to be a top player and have the facilities and coaching in order to help me achieve my goals.

Q. Say some experiences that helped you come to that realization.
KATIE O'BRIEN: Uhm, I think it definitely helped when Anne broke through to the top 100. We're pretty good friends. Yeah, that definitely helped.
And also just, I mean, it's been a long, hard slug for me. Every year I felt like I gradually got a little bit better. Definitely the training facilities I've had, the trainer I've had, they've all given me the best advice they can.
Yeah, I just want to use it to the best I can. I don't want to be like slugging it out on the challenger circuit for years on end. I'm pretty capable academically as well. I could have easily gone to university.
But I absolutely love what I do and I wouldn't change it for the world. I think I'm actually passionate about tennis.

Q. Why do you think the work ethic amongst the girls is different to what's happening amongst the men at the moment?
KATIE O'BRIEN: I don't know. No, I think the work ethic among the British women is world class at the moment. We're all absolutely working our socks off day in and day out.
I think the men, the younger guys, are getting there. I think there's definitely more professional attitude among the men. But I don't know. Women tend to be a bit more conscientious as it is anyway.

Q. The perception is that you lot don't take it for granted.
KATIE O'BRIEN: I can only speak for the British women. But I think I'm sure things will change on the men's side as well in a few year's time.

Q. You were saying you feel at home here, I suppose you haven't packed any baked beans or tuna or anything in your bag.
KATIE O'BRIEN: No, I haven't. No, I haven't got any Marmite. I'll have to make do with the Vegemite. I think I prefer Marmite.

Q. What relatives do you have here?
KATIE O'BRIEN: My dad is one of eight, so he has four sisters to emigrated to Australia a long time ago. They obviously got married and got kids here. I have two aunts with their family and six cousins over here, as well.
Yeah, first time in Australia as well for my sister.

Q. How old is she?
KATIE O'BRIEN: She's 28. She's the eldest. Then there's my brother who is in the middle.

Q. You started with a new coach. How has that gone?
KATIE O'BRIEN: Yeah, it was a little bit awkward situation for me, because things didn't work out with my old coach. Billy was lined up to join the LTA at the end of last year, but he had a few problems with his working Visa, so he wasn't able to come out until Sydney.
But I did know him before. We'd been in contact obviously over Christmas. No, he's really great. I mean, he's got a lot of experience in the women's tour. He's helped a lot of the girls. He knows all of the opponents inside out. He gave me a pretty clear game plan going into this match. I'm really confident that things will work well with him.

End of FastScripts

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