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U.S. OPEN

September 3, 2011

Andrea Petkovic

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

A. PETKOVIC/R. Vinci
6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said it was excruciatingly hot but you appeared to handle it quite well.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah, I think it wasn't really hot. Actually today in the warmup, I was already -- I was really tired after 20 minutes, and I told my coaches, What is happening here? They said, It's really hot.
I think I am one of the fittest players on tour. I work really hard and I practice a lot. If I know that I'm tired, I know that the other one is probably almost dying. So that's okay.

Q. Was your fitness the biggest factor in today's match?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Oh, I think there were a lot of factors today. I started off a little nervously because I didn't know her -- I knew how she was playing but I didn't play her before. I knew she plays differently.
She plays more like a man, a lot of slice, trying to get into the net. So I was a little nervous, but once I found my rhythm, I think I played a solid match.
I tried to put more topspin on the balls because she plays a lot of slice, and I think it's tougher to play slice when somebody gives topspin on the ball.
So that's what I tried to do. I think it went fine.

Q. Other than topspin, did you have more of a game plan? Seemed like you were attacking her second serve fairly well and trying to cut off those angles.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Actually, I had two things I was really focused on: attacking the serves and putting more spin on the ball just to, you know, have more margin over the net because she plays the slice so deep and so flat.
I tried to open up the angles, because then it's tougher with the one-handed slice to control it. So that's what I tried to do basically.
In the beginning I was missing a little bit more, and once I found my rhythm I think everything came together pretty well. So I was satisfied with the way I played.

Q. You made a name of yourself pretty much -- I mean, you had a name before, but last year at the US Open, between then and now what's changed?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, I really think the main factor is the experience that I gained, because last year I was a good player already, but, you know, I used to crumble under pressure.
I used to play well until a certain point, and then just -- well, didn't take my chances at all. Now this year with all the experience of the tough matches and all these close key moments that I went through I'm just calmer.
I know what to do in the important moments. Not always. Still happens to me, but I think that happens to everybody. I just have more margin in my game. I play a little bit more spin and I play a little bit safer so then when you get nervous it doesn't affect your game that much.
I think that's been a big difference. I just feel very confident in myself now.

Q. Now that you're getting deeper in the slams more regularly, is it still as much fun for you, or do you go in with more expectations?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, it's a balance between both things, because Grand Slams are very stressful. I think any player that you ask, and if he answers honestly, it's a lot of stress.
After Grand Slams I think I sleep for three or four days straight because it's just a lot of stress. But on the other hand I don't enjoy any match on the tour as much as I do the Grand Slam, even if they are tough.
Even the match against Zheng, I enjoyed it so much because the crowd gets really into it. I think there is just more emotion in the Grand Slams, because obviously for each and every player the matches are somehow more important.
Especially in New York I think the crowd really gets into the matches and there is just so much action going on. So I managed to balance it until now, but definitely the further I get in the Grand Slams, the more stressed, the more expectations, the more pressure.
But I seem to be handling it quite well so far. Wimbledon I didn't handle it well at all, for example. It's always, you know, type of getting used to it, adapting, and I think I'm adapting to it. I don't feel it that much anymore.

Q. Do you think you're ready to become a Grand Slam champion and lift that trophy?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Oh, I think that's still far away. I think we can start talking about that once I reach semis and finals. Because I reach two quarters, I reached fourth round, and I think that's been pretty good. But I think to win a Grand Slam is a different story. I think I will start talking about winning Grand Slams once I reach semi and finals.

Q. To see Petra win Wimbledon, did that help you in any way to see a younger player sort of finally win a slam?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, yeah. I think, you know, the thing is with these players, it's just -- with Petra and also with Victoria Azarenka, for example, the way they play I always feel like, okay, they can beat everybody.
But everything coming together for two weeks and seven matches straight is a different story, and Petra showed that it's possible.
I think it gave, strangely, more confidence to all the other young players, because I think the last Grand Slams before Wimbledon showed more that the experience used to win, you know, with Schiavone winning, Na Li winning, Kim Clijsters winning. So the other players had more advantage.
But now with Petra, you know, an up and coming player and playing the final the way she played just so tough and just without any nervousness, it seemed, I think it gave a lot of confidence to all of us up-and-coming players that it's possible.
If you do it, it's a different story, on the other hand. But still, I was really impressed with how Petra handled everything.

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