|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
U.S. OPENSeptember 1, 2012Bob BryanKim ClijstersNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK MAKAROVA‑SAORES/Clijsters‑Bryan THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Some of these match points, hit some amazing shots. It was electric and fun.  In your mind were you thinking in any way, This is so much fun, why wouldn't I want to keep doing it? KIM CLIJSTERS: It's not always that fun. Unfortunately, no. I just didn't want to miss or hit a bad shot on match point and let that be my last professional point ever. So I think that was probably going through my mind. I just wanted to go through it, even though when I was playing against the guy, I wanted to go for it. Luckily it worked a couple times. Q. Were the emotions any different with this match than the singles or doubles? KIM CLIJSTERS: Of course. It was a lot more relaxed obviously than my singles. In my singles, I was still so focused. Even afterwards, I knew that my singles career was over, but I was really focused on trying to do well in doubles and mixed. There was no partying yet or anything. I kind of stayed in my same routine as usual. Now when I was in the shower, I was like, it really felt like, whew, like a big release. It feels right, so... Q. We saw Jada in the crowd. Was she aware that you were going to be retiring soon? KIM CLIJSTERS: I've been telling her I'm going to be home a lot when this tournament is completely done. I don't think she understands the meaning of the word 'retirement.' But she'll, you know, go to school next week, then she'll realize that we're probably not going to be traveling as much as these last few years. Q. Bob, you had a record‑setting performance here with Martina. You played with Serena. I'm guessing you played with Lindsay and many other superstars, and now Kim. What is the art of playing mixed doubles with incredible icons? BOB BRYAN: Yeah, I mean, I've been lucky to play with a lot of great champions. Kim is no exception. She's a legend. You know, the fans out there, you could see how much love they have for her, you know. I didn't know 2800 people could be so loud. They just didn't want her to stop. They kept willing her. KIM CLIJSTERS: It helped. BOB BRYAN: I was just blown away. I was just trying to stay out, not mess the point up, let her do all the beautiful stuff. But, yeah, I mean, it's really an honor for her to even ask me to play mixed doubles. I was nervous. Like I said, I didn't want to let her down and let all her millions of fans around the world down. But it was a lot of fun. We had some great laughs, had a couple chest bumps. I'll leave this tournament‑‑ this is really the highlight of the tournament. Even if we win the doubles, this is the highlight, playing with Kim. Q. Our sport has so many wonderful figures. Is Kim something else? What makes her so special? BOB BRYAN: I mean, her character's never once kind of faltered on the court. Everyone has so much respect for her, so much love for her. I think when all your peers in the locker room look up to you and love you, that's something very different. You know, you could feel the fans. But the people in the locker room, when they love you and they respect you that much, that's true character. That's what Kim has. Q. Kim, how do you want to be remembered as a tennis player? KIM CLIJSTERS: I don't think about that. I mean, that's not important to me. You know, I always tried to give my best, even from when I was eight years old until this last match, I always tried to give my best in everything that I did, whether it was sitting here, on the practice court. You know, maybe for that. Maybe that's something that I would like to be remembered for. Q. I don't know how full the locker room is at this hour. When you were in there, did you have reaction from people that were there? KIM CLIJSTERS: It was actually really quiet. It was nice. I was able to just take it all in. Like I said, just walk to the shower. Just be like, Last time. Q. Did you see any players? KIM CLIJSTERS: I saw my friend, Kirsten Flipkens. She came in with a drink. I was like, Give me a sip. But then I realized I still had to do press. I couldn't sit up here drunk (laughter). No, I mean, yeah, it was nice to kind of have the quiet. I spoke to our opponent a little bit. So that was fun. The female, of course, in the locker room. Q. Kim, what was your main emotion? Are you relieved? Exhausted? Upset? KIM CLIJSTERS: No, not exhausted at all. Not upset. Happy. I don't know. Do you want me to say I'm like shattered that we lost? BOB BRYAN: (Smiling). KIM CLIJSTERS: It feels right. I can't describe it in any other way. It feels right. It's surprising that I've kept it dry, I haven't been crying. I think that's just another sign that it's the right choice. Q. Now that it's over, if you go back and play with any player you've never played with in the past for the fun of it, who would you enjoy playing with? KIM CLIJSTERS: That's hard. I actually just got a really nice message after my match from Julia Georges. We practiced together a couple days before the tournament started. She wrote that it was really nice that we were able to hit together. We got along really well. It's nice to hear those kind of stories from other players. I don't know who I would like to. I think I've probably played everybody on tour. Not the youngsters, not all of the youngsters. I mean, obviously for me, a dream that came true for me was playing Steffi Graf at Wimbledon when I was I think 16. So that, to me, was like my biggest 'wow factor' on the tour. Q. Kim, we haven't seen you on Twitter in a while. Everyone has said responses have been like a senior yearbook. KIM CLIJSTERS: I don't have my Twitter anymore. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|