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WIMBLEDON

June 22, 2010

Anne Keothavong

LONDON, ENGLAND

A. RODIONOVA/A. Keothavong
3-6, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What went wrong today?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I think nerves just got the better of me, to be honest. You know, I really fought my heart out out there. You know, she held her nerve better than I did. She's the one who walks off the court with a win.

Q. Did it cloud your mind the fact there was no British winner yesterday?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: That had nothing to do about when I was on court. On court, I was fully focused on what was going on, on my own game, you know, what I had to do.

Q. Elena was in a similar situation yesterday, serving for the match in the second set. She went on to lose. Do you think British players have a temperament problem?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: A temperament problem?

Q. Yes.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No, not at all. You know, there's so much pressure on all of us here. All of us, there's nothing more we'd love to do than play good tennis and win here.
It just didn't happen. It's unfortunate. But, you know, life goes on. Nobody's died.

Q. When you got tight, how do you try to dig yourself out of a position like that?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: You just try to take deep breaths. You know, I put a lot of pressure on myself, of course. You know, there's nothing more I would want than to win that match today. You know, I could feel like the momentum was with me at 4-Love in the final set. Just closing it out was hard.
You know, it happens to lots of other tennis players. You know, I'm not the only person who has been in this position. You know, like I said, you just got to find a way and move on. It's one tournament. There are more tournaments ahead.

Q. This isn't your first Wimbledon. Are you disappointed that your nerve didn't hold a bit better?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, you know, this past year has been a tough road for me. I'm coming back from a second knee surgery, so there's lots of positives for me coming into this Wimbledon. I'm just grateful for being able to do a job that I love, that I'm fit and healthy. You know, six months ago, I was limping around still.
But, yeah, it's just one of those things. And, uhm, life goes on.

Q. Was it difficult to keep your focus when your opponent was losing her head?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, I mean, it was tough. I mean, you know, she's what she is. She's kind of renowned for some of her antics. But you just have to focus on yourself and get on with the match.

Q. This time last year when you exited, you obviously were very upset. Do you feel similar emotions this time?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah. I'm completely gone about it, yeah. I don't know how to describe the emotions. As a British player, you just want to do so well here.
You know, I felt like I was playing good tennis. Like I said, I'm fit, I'm healthy. It just didn't happen for me today. Of course, it's disappointing.
But, you know, it's Wimbledon, and hopefully I'll have another opportunity next year.

Q. In some ways is the feeling worse, because in the third set you did have a great chance, didn't you?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, I know I was in a winning position and I didn't close it out. No one's to blame apart from myself.

Q. What did you think when that dead net cord dropped to give her the breakpoint?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, I don't know. It happened. But to be honest right now, the match is a bit of a blur. Yeah, I think I got lucky early in the third set. She had her chance then. That's part of tennis.

Q. Do you think she should have been warned for her temperament? It started to be excessive.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, you know, I don't want to speak badly about other players. That's just the way she kind of deals with her emotions.
But, like I said, I've got to stay focused and just get on with what I can control.

Q. At what point did the nerves set in? Did you look up at the scoreboard, see you were 4-0 ahead? Is that when it started?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: You know, as a tennis player out there, it's difficult to describe just, you know, how much I wanted to win that match.
You know, like I said, I'm coming back from knee surgery for the second time. I've worked so hard just to get myself into this position. You know, I had my whole team there. It would have made me really happy had I won, but it wasn't to be.

Q. Obviously you're disappointed on a personal level. How depressed are you on a more general level that once again we talk about a British failure for British tennis at Wimbledon?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: It's disappointing right now, but I'm not going to send myself into depression mode. I've got to find a way, pick myself up. In another few weeks, I'll have another opportunity to compete at a high level. It won't be Wimbledon, but you just have to move on.
You know, all of us girls, we're working hard in each of our own ways. You know, Wimbledon's important. Sure, we all want to do well here as British players, but that's not the be-all and end-all.

Q. Are British players under too much pressure to perform at Wimbledon?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No, it's no kind of fault of anyone. I think it's just the way it is. British players just want to do well here at Wimbledon. You know, we've had so much stick in the past for not doing well. So obviously you're aware of that.
But, you know, we just want to do the best that we can. It's not like anyone's walked on court and wants to lose a match. Everyone wants to win when they're out there. It's just finding a way when it's tough.

Q. In the Mirror today, you were pictured putting a custard pie in the face of one of the paper's reporters. Do you feel like doing that again?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Is he here? Where is he?

Q. He's coming tomorrow.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No, not at all (laughter). You know, unless you're kind of involved in tennis day in and day out, you know, if you could witness what we do, we train really hard. We put ourselves through a lot. It's unfortunate that we get judged on just one tournament.
But I can tell you, you know, just to get myself fit, you know, in a position to compete here with the world's best players, you know, I was working so hard. I was in the gym with physios, fitness trainers, last year learning again to walk properly. You know, you guys don't see that. So it's just that.

Q. What about the crowd today? You've been critical of crowds at Wimbledon in the past.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I've never been critical of the crowds. I've been misquoted in the past.
They were incredible today. They really got behind me. I can't thank the people out there enough. Yeah, it's just a shame I couldn't win. But, you know, they really helped me. You know, hopefully I'll get that kind of support again next year.

Q. What about the umpiring? You got a couple of fairly dodgey calls in the second set, a couple of glares to the umpire.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: I think everyone makes mistakes. There were some tough calls out there. We don't have Hawk-Eye on Court 12. But, yeah, some people, I don't know, maybe the sun got to them. I don't know.
But there were some bad calls. But, you know, that's tennis. You just have to accept it and move on.

Q. You were disappointed to see that line judge moved for the third set?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: You know, I didn't even notice. I was just kind of in my own little world.

Q. It's obviously been another emotional defeat. Is it the sort of thing that will make you shed a tear in private, in the locker room, or when you go home tonight?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, you know, it's been emotionally hard, obviously. But, you know, there are 64 other players in the same boat as me. I don't think I'll be the only one shedding a few tears.

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