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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPENAugust 19, 2012Angelique KerberCINCINNATI, OHIO N. LI/A. Kerber THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You made the final here. Are you pretty happy with your form? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, for sure I'm very happy that I was in the final. Today I think Na Li was better than me. In the third set I give all I can, but, yeah, she hit the balls better and make not so many mistakes than I do. So well done for her. Q. Second straight match in which you won the first set 6‑1 and lost the second set. What do you think you were able to do in the semifinal to keep yourself in that one that you weren't able to do today? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I mean, today of course every day it's a new day and new match. So, yeah, yesterday I won the third set; today I lost the third set. That's tennis. I mean, there is just one loser and one winner. Today she won. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I tried to give my best. Until the last point I was fighting. Like I say, she was better in the third set so I couldn't do nothing. Q. You seemed to be getting quite emotional during the stretch she was winning all the games. Were you getting angry with yourself a little bit? ANGELIQUE KERBER: A little bit, but she was playing so well in this moment, so I tried to hit the ball deep. She was bringing back every ball and also playing back the ball so deep, so, yeah, I couldn't do nothing. But I try. I mean, I can just say I give all what I can do today. Yeah, but it was not enough to win. Q. Physically were you all right or was there anything... ANGELIQUE KERBER: For sure it was a tough week for me also with the matches against Serena; Petra was not easy. Yeah, I mean, I think I'm all right. I will go now to Dallas and, yeah, have some more matches before New York. But I think I will be all right to play. Q. Is your ankle okay? Seemed like you grabbed it at the end of the second set. ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, I'm fine. It was just the taping going off. Q. You mentioned getting more matches in Dallas. Do you feel like you need more matches this close to the US Open with how many you got in Cincinnati? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I had for sure a lot right now, but maybe if I get one or two more will be okay. So maybe more. We will see. Yeah, that was the plan before the tour, so, yeah, now I take more matches. Q. Would you prefer to take next week off if you could? ANGELIQUE KERBER: That's a tough question. I don't know. I mean, maybe, maybe not. I don't know. Q. It was in Dallas last year I think some of your good form started. Compare where you were this time a year ago, ranked in the 90s, and where you are now. ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think one year ago I was everywhere. (Smiling.) I mean, I was just in the hundreds, I don't know, like 90, 100, and play quallies at this time in Dallas last year. Now here in the finals, so there are so many things that change in the last year. So I prefer actually this year than the last year. (Laughter.) Q. Is there one major thing that changed to make this huge rise possible? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think there are maybe a lot of things. I think the first one is that I improve a lot in my fitness, and I have a coach right now to travel with me and had a better team. They are supporting me, it doesn't matter what's happen. I think that's change, yeah. Q. Yesterday when we talked I ask what are the tactics for the match with Li Na, what do you have to do to beat her. You said, I don't know yet because I have to talk with coach. Obviously you had tactics. The plan was not good enough to beat her or the execution of the plan was not proper today? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I had the plan to play aggressive; I think in the first set I do it good. But also she was playing better and better. In the third set I tried to do my plan, but, yeah, she was better. I couldn't do nothing. Q. Physically you were okay or you were struggling? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes. No, I'm okay. Q. You beat Serena and Petra here. That's such a high. Is it hard going into a final to still be all really excited after coming from so much excitement? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think every match is different and every day is different. For sure I had a lot of confidence beating Serena and Petra, and I'm going out there just know that I feel very well here and I have nothing to lose. But, yeah, Na Li, she played better today. For sure it was not easy to go out there with this so good wins and be ready, but I think I do everything I could. It's okay. Q. She won 11 of the last 12 games. Did you try to change something in that stretch? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, I tried to change, and also some of the games was close. In the important moments she hit the balls and make the winners. I tried to change something, but doesn't matter what I do she had the right answer. Yeah, I couldn't do nothing then. Q. Looks like on Monday you'll go up to a career‑high No. 6. ANGELIQUE KERBER: Really? Q. If I read the WTA's notes correctly. What are your thoughts on that? That's pretty incredible. ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, it's for sure amazing to reach now No. 6 in the world. I mean, last year I was 106 I think and right now I'm 6. It's unbelievable. But it's actually just a number before my name. I am not looking how many points I have to defend or how many points I get. It's just amazing to be there. But I still improved and I am having fun on the tour, and I hope I will continue my good game plan. Q. You seem like a person who is able to focus on match by match, point by point, week by week. Doesn't look like you look forward too much. Is that something you've had to learn? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, for sure. I think like some years ago I was with my mind like actually not here. I was like two days forward. So right now I really try to be here, focus on what I'm doing right now, and I think that helps me also to play so good. Yeah. Q. How? Did you work with someone or just on your own you're managing it? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I don't know. I think that that's come with my win also where I reach the semis in New York. I realized that I can beat top players also not playing good matches against them. So I think, yeah, I learn it in the last months really to be here right now and focus on that what I'm doing now. Q. Do you think Li Na is doing anything obviously better since the last time you played her? ANGELIQUE KERBER: I knew that she is a great player and she can do everything. I mean, she has the great serve and also a very great return. So I don't know. I mean, she can do everything, so today she played very well. I don't know what she do better. I think everything. (Smiling.) Q. Talk a little bit more about the time you spent with Andrea Petkovic last year training. Where were you? What happened during those three weeks? What did you work on? ANGELIQUE KERBER: We just working together on the fitness a lot. I do like three weeks with her fitness. Also we're playing tennis, but the most what we are doing is fitness. She's a very fit player, I think maybe the fittest on the tour. She was supporting me a lot. I mean, she was telling me like, Come on, you can do it. She was supporting me, and then I feel actually better because I knew that we are actually on the same level. I also was like hundred with her on the tennis, but like in the fitness I had no chance against her. She was supporting me and we had a great time and we are still in contact like every week. So, yeah, she's a really close friend for me. Q. Have you been giving her encouragement? Has she needed it this year as she's been struggling with injury? ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I mean, she had a tough months and tough year right now, but I think she will be back stronger than ever for sure. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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