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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 12, 2011

Christina McHale

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

C. McHALE/S. Kuznetsova
6-7, 6-7

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. This has got to be the biggest win of your career.
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, it's definitely I think the biggest win, and I'm so excited right now.

Q. How did you hang in there?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Um, I mean, yeah, I just told myself to keep fighting. Every point had been playing well, so I just, yeah, tried not to think about the score. Especially when I was down in the tiebreak in the second set just, you know, keep playing the way I was playing.
Yeah, when that last shot finally missed, I couldn't believe it.

Q. Pure joy?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah.

Q. So going on court, she's a two-time Grand Slam champion, you know, former top 5 player. You're thinking, Yeah, I can stay in there?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I was just gonna play my game and just try not to focus too much on who I was playing and just, yeah, play my tennis.

Q. When you're playing the ball, you know, after a while you're thinking, Yeah, I can do something with the ball, something with my shot, she's not just gonna blow me off the court?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I mean, I just tried to focus on the things that I could control and my game. So, yeah, I didn't want to get caught up in, oh, my gosh, I'm playing Kuznetsova. Yeah.

Q. Were you able to feel comfortable out there? Obviously it's a big match against a top-rated player. Were you able to get comfortable in the match without a struggle tonight?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Um, yeah, I mean, at times, you know, I was feeling good. You know, overall, I mean, I think I played really well. I would not have beaten her if I didn't, so, yeah...

Q. In terms of nerves and...
CHRISTINA McHALE: Oh, well, definitely yeah, I had nerves. You know, to like close out the first set I was up, I was up 5-4, 40-15 and then went back. So, yeah, just really happy, relieved to pull that one out.

Q. Any thoughts on now you're the last American left in the field. Any thoughts about being the last one out there?
CHRISTINA McHALE: I didn't actually know that. Yeah, I'm just going to keep playing my game and not think about things like that too much.

Q. You were saying the other day that when you were working out at the USTA facility you were trying to get a bit back to your base. Did that come through tonight?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah. Yeah, to set up the points more and try and use my forehand more. I think, yeah, that's what I was trying to do out there.

Q. Do you remember the last time you actually were in a big occasion where you actually got very nervous?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Um, I mean, I think each match has its moments where you feel nerves. So, yeah, I wouldn't pick one in particular.

Q. What will this win do for your game and your confidence?
CHRISTINA McHALE: I mean, for sure it feels amazing right now to beat an amazing player like that. So, yeah, right now I'm just enjoying it.

Q. Do you remember seeing her win the US Open? Do you recall that?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, for sure. I mean, she -- growing up she was one of the ones I was always watching. I still can't believe it right now (Smiling).

Q. It says in the media guide that you speak Mandarin. I'm curious, how did you learn Chinese?
CHRISTINA McHALE: I speak very basic. But I used to live in Hong Kong, so at my school they taught it a little bit every day. But I speak very basic.

Q. American International School?
CHRISTINA McHALE: The Hong Kong International School, yeah.

Q. What were you doing there?
CHRISTINA McHALE: My dad's job got transferred over there; the company that he worked for has a base there.

Q. So what are your goals? I mean, for the year, what do you hope to do with your game and your ranking?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Just to keep competing the way I did today. Yeah, I don't really have any specific ranking goals or results. Just to keep competing the way I did.

Q. Would you like to make the Fed Cup team pretty soon? Is that something that you aspire to?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Well, for sure. I mean, if I'm asked to play I would love to. I mean, that's a huge honor.

Q. Have you played Petrova?
CHRISTINA McHALE: I did. I played her in Cincinnati last year.

Q. And lost?
CHRISTINA McHALE: No, I won that.

Q. Oh, you did?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah.

Q. So you have a lot of confidence going into the next round?
CHRISTINA McHALE: No, I mean, Petrova, you know, she's one of the top players. She plays really well, and I'm just, yeah, again, trying to focus on my game and not too much on who I'm playing.

Q. So what did you take out of that match when you beat her? Just talk a little bit about what happened during the match and how you managed to pull through it.
CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I mean, it was a really tough match, and, you know, I just competed really well. Yeah, that's...

Q. So Oudin took out about 500 Russians at the US Open a couple years ago. Do you think you're on a Russian run?
CHRISTINA McHALE: I'm just taking one match at a time. That's all. Yeah.

Q. Who is the first person who called you?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Um, I spoke to my dad right after.

Q. Was he able to watch it or was he just watching the scoreboard?
CHRISTINA McHALE: I didn't even ask him that. He was just congratulating me. It was only for a couple seconds. I spoke to my dad and my sister.

Q. Growing up, who were your tennis heros? Who did you look up to?
CHRISTINA McHALE: Um, well, I mean, my sister and I, we both play tennis, so we looked up to Venus and Serena, Clijsters, and all the Americans, like Davenport. All of them. The American players and the other ones, too. No one really particular.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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