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WIMBLEDON

June 22, 2011

Laura Robson

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. ROBSON/A. Kerber
4-6, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A big smile.
LAURA ROBSON: I've been smiling for a long time.

Q. What do you think made the difference out there today?
LAURA ROBSON: Basically, you know, I thought I didn't really play my best tennis in the first set, so in the second set I just tried to pump myself up a bit more. I just tried to hang in there, like keep holding serve and everything.
You know, things just went my way after that.

Q. You showed a lot of guts in difficult situations, didn't you?
LAURA ROBSON: Yeah. I think that's what's important. I thought I really played well on the big points, and that's what made the difference.

Q. Did the injury break in the third set knock you off your stride a little bit?
LAURA ROBSON: You know, it's always a little difficult having a stop and start at that point in the match. I didn't feel like it affected me too much, because after 4-3, then I won two games in a row.

Q. No real form coming in here, no coach. What on earth has happened to you?
LAURA ROBSON: You make it sound like I was playing really bad (laughter).
No, you know, I've been happy with my coaching situation for the last week and a bit. Uhm, I always knew that I could play really well. But this year I've been injured quite a lot, so it's been difficult to get a good rhythm all the time.
But now, you know, I'm feeling good. I'm really looking forward to playing Sharapova tomorrow.

Q. What actually is the coaching situation?
LAURA ROBSON: At the moment I'm sort of working with the LTA and with the adidas player development team. That's basically always what I did anyway when I was back in London. I was always working with the LTA, and Sven and the rest of the adidas team have been helping me for years already.

Q. How do you feel physically? You shot up so much. You've had growing pains to go with that?
LAURA ROBSON: Yeah, I'm really tall now. You know, I've grown a lot in the last few months. Not anything I've got any control over. Just have to accept the problems that come with it. I'm pretty happy with my height now. Fingers crossed I don't keep growing.

Q. How tall are you?
LAURA ROBSON: See, when I did it in centimeters last time in Paris, I was 181, which I'm going to say is around 5'11".

Q. And what were you five months ago?
LAURA ROBSON: Compared to when I was here last year, I think like a fair few centimeters shorter (smiling). I haven't actually looked at it. I just know I've grown a lot.

Q. Talk us through the last 12 months in terms of the niggles you've had, your form. How would you assess it all?
LAURA ROBSON: Well, it was really disappointing after Hopman Cup this year to be injured for so long, because at that point I felt I was playing really well.
At the end of the year last year, I had a really good sort of off-season, and I did lots of training then. For me, that was incredibly disappointing to not be able to play in Melbourne.
When I came back, you know, I felt like I wasn't as prepared as I could be. So then that showed in the tournaments that I played immediately after my injury.
But now, you know, I'm happy with how things are going.

Q. When did you last feel you hit the ball as consistently well in a competitive match as you did today?
LAURA ROBSON: I don't know (laughter). I mean, basically I feel like I hit the ball even better in practice. So it was always just a matter of putting that into a match.
And I think, especially, you know, in the second and third sets today, that's what I did. I had a game plan, and I just stuck to it.

Q. Was there any frustration that you took out on your opponent today because you had to wait so long yesterday and never got on court and then changed courts today? Was there any frustration being unleashed?
LAURA ROBSON: I thought I just kind of was normal, like I wasn't angry at her or anything. But I actually thought that the court change today was pretty good, because I was gonna be on Court 18 after two men's matches, so I would have been on even later.
I'm pretty sure Court 16, the first women's match, was the longest women's match I've ever seen in my life. I was happy to get on. I thought the atmosphere was amazing.

Q. Did the intimate atmosphere help you?
LAURA ROBSON: Yeah. I could really hear all the support. I could hear my dad. On one side I had a little fan club, I think, who were really encouraging.

Q. Do you know who they are?
LAURA ROBSON: No, I don't. But I feel like I should go thank them.

Q. How important will it be to completely forget about this match today in terms of the very difficult one you have tomorrow?
LAURA ROBSON: Well, I'm really happy with today, but tomorrow's really important. So I'll have to go get some rest and refocus, think of a new game plan and everything. You know, I'm just really hoping that I play my best.

Q. Good account of yourself her in the past against Jankovic and Hantuchova. Any reason you shouldn't give Sharapova at least a run for her money tomorrow?
LAURA ROBSON: Against Hantuchova and Jankovic I lost.

Q. But you played well in both those matches.
LAURA ROBSON: I played well, but I still lost. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a different outcome.
But, uhm, I'm going to be on Court 1 playing against Sharapova, so I think that's pretty special.

Q. This is only your third Grand Slam main draw match. Do you think even without all the difficulties you've had this year you would still consider that a reasonably good success rate, to win your third main draw Grand Slam match?
LAURA ROBSON: You know, I definitely felt like I had chances in the past, especially against Hantuchova. I've always done reasonably well in quallies, especially at the US Open. So I've made third round quallies there twice and just had a bit of a problem actually winning those matches.
I think the big difference is now, you know, I'm a little bit more confident. I feel happy with how I'm playing. I think that's starting to show on court.

Q. Will it be nice to be back on Court No. 1 where you won the junior title three years ago?
LAURA ROBSON: I think it's just going to be nice to be back on a court with Hawk-Eye. That's going to be really good.

Q. Do you think you can beat Sharapova?
LAURA ROBSON: You know, I don't know. I mean, you've got to be confident going into these matches anyway, otherwise what's the point of going out there? I know I can play really well. Just have to wait and see. Hopefully I can play as well as I know I can tomorrow.

Q. It was long time ago now, but do you have any memories of her winning the title here? Can you remember watching it?
LAURA ROBSON: Uhm, my mum and dad, they kept all the replays and stuff. I think when my mum's a bit bored she watches them, which is a little bit sad, but that's what mums do.
So, you know, I've got so many good memories from that tournament. Basically I'm just really happy with how everything's going at the moment.

Q. I think you misunderstood. The day Maria won the women's title here, were you here or watching?
LAURA ROBSON: You know what, I was actually in Edinburgh at some sort of under-12 tournament. I remember being really, really happy that she won. I think she played Serena in the final, but you can correct me if I'm wrong.
But, yeah, you know, I was really amazed. She was 17 at the time, same age as I am now. She won the whole title. That's really special.

Q. Thinking about your game plan, you're playing a girl 248 places above you in the world rankings, the fifth seed. What sort of game plan do you take against that sort of opposition?
LAURA ROBSON: Well, I don't want to give too much away now, you see. I'm always pretty aggressive with how I play, so I'll just try to do that. I'll try to make as many first serves as I can. I haven't really talked about it with my coach, but we'll see tomorrow.

Q. You've grown physically. I think a lot of people will be pleased with how you've grown in stature mentally. You're sounding very confident. Your supporters will be pleased with that. Do you feel that?
LAURA ROBSON: Well, you know, I'm feeling that I'm really happy with how I'm playing. That definitely translates into more confidence. You know, I did this interview at the WTA party last week, and it was for Radio 1. They said, Chris Miles has picked you as his favorite. I said, That's not a very good choice. So, you know, I'm just trying to take it match by match.

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