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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 12, 2013Samantha StosurMELBOURNE, VICTORIA THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. After not playing so well, at a certain point, does it start to go the other way, say the hell with it, maybe that helps you play better? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, yeah. I mean, I think for sure I can play better here. That's obviously what I'm trying to do this year. The results so far obviously haven't been favorable. I'm hopeful I can turn it around. Sometimes things in tennis can change very quickly. I think it's a matter of keeping at it, keep practicing, doing whatever you can to try to get that good result. Q. Do you think a lot of people don't appreciate how well you played in losing your last match? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Look, I'm much happier with the loss in Sydney than what I was in Brisbane. There were quite a few improvements which I was happy with and which made me able to sleep a bit better that night knowing that I was able to make improvements. But unfortunately you see that loss on the scoreboard. Yeah, you don't watch the match, you just assume it was not so good, it's another loss, she's struggling. But, yeah, I have to say I was happier with that. I think that's going to hopefully, yeah, give me something to keep pushing for for this week. Q. Is there any stress or element playing in Australia for you personally? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Look, I think all the slams are quite similar in their own way. For sure things are different here. I wouldn't say it's worse or better or anything, it's just different. I think this year I do feel better about things. I don't feel as probably uptight or stressed or anything like that than last year. I think last year I didn't handle it so well. I do feel better about things at the moment. I need to try to play a bit better than what I have been. With all the practice and preparation I've been doing these last two weeks and before it, hopefully it's all going to come together this week for me. Q. How do you feel physically compared to this time last year? SAMANTHA STOSUR: A little bit different. I feel pretty good now. But things were delayed a few weeks, I guess, at the start of my pre‑season compared to normal. Last pre‑season I was playing great, hitting really well with still a couple weeks before the tournaments came around. Still didn't get the desired results I wanted to. So this year has been a little bit different. I'm hoping I can turn it around. I guess it's just one of those things. You don't always have the most ideal preparation, and even if you do, it doesn't mean you'll have the most ideal results. Q. What do you know about your first‑round opponent? SAMANTHA STOSUR: We actually played in Osaka at the end of last year. I lost 7‑6 in the third. Pretty long, tight one. Certainly look back on that match and try to remember a few things, work out what I want to do a little bit differently. She hits the ball pretty flat. She was having a very good day, hit lots of winners. I think that week she won two or three matches 6 in the third. She found something good enough that week to get through. I'll certainly have to be ready for it. Having played not too long ago, we'll have things pretty fresh in our minds and keep doing whatever we need to do. Q. Have you seen the Sam Stosur versus Ovas video? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yes. Q. What did you think? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Pretty funny. Never seen anything like that before. Thought it was pretty cool. Q. You're not near any Ovas in the draw. Does that disappoint you? SAMANTHA STOSUR: No. But to be honest, I haven't seen the draw. I have no idea who is near me. At the end of the day, it is what it is. I know there's a lot of Ovas around. Q. You are not looking ahead to matches, you're focusing solely on this first‑round match? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Absolutely. I think the first round is the most important hurdle for me at the moment. I want to try to get through that. If I do, I'll certainly be ready for whatever comes next. At the moment it's just that first run. Q. Walking away from this tournament, what would make you feel happy? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, just to have a good performance and play well, play to the way I know I'm capable of. I think if I can do that, I can have a good result. I'm not setting a particular round or anything. I don't do that here or anywhere. I can only control the things I can control. That's what I'm trying to do. Q. Sam, Martina Navratilova came out and said she doesn't feel that your kick serve and your weapons trouble the other girls on the tour as much. Maybe the surprise factor has gone out of your game. What do you think of those statements? Do you agree with her? SAMANTHA STOSUR: To be honest, I haven't read anything that she said.  That's all new to me. Look, I think any players who have been around for a long time, other players start to work things out, then start to be able to do things against you that maybe they couldn't the first few years you were around. I still think my kick serve is a big weapon of mine. Still wins me a lot of points. Maybe you just need to keep working on the element of surprise. I'm always trying to improve all parts of my game. It's not a shot that I'm going to stop using by any means. Q. How important is it playing in front of the home crowd? Does it spur you on, make you perform better? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I mean, I do love playing here. It's always a nice feeling walking out on court, having the crowd cheering for you between games, whatever it is. Me and the other Australians I think are very lucky to have a Grand Slam in our home country that we can really soak it all up and all that. It means you want to do extra well here because you are at home and you know you have all that support. Yeah, I think it's a really nice time of the year for all of us to be playing here. Q. You won a Grand Slam on hard courts a couple years ago. How different do you think the conditions are here compared to that? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think these courts, I mean, they're definitely different to the US Open. The balls, all of it put together, is quite different. Things seem to be a little bit slower, heavier here. In New York I feel like I can get the bounce off the court, really use that and get the ball jumping out and all that pretty easily, whereas here I feel like I have to work for that a bit harder. If it's not hot and sunny, it's even harder again because the balls can get pretty heavy. It's part of how we play on different surfaces all year round. Another thing you have to try to work out, do other things to make it easier for you out there. Q. Are you planning on doubles or mixed? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I am playing doubles with Julia Goerges. Q. No mixed? SAMANTHA STOSUR: No. Q. (Indiscernible)? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Not really. There's a lot of focus, but it's not all focus for me. I try to block all that out. Like I said before, do what I can do, try to go out there and play as well as what I can play. Last year I lost first round. Yeah, it really sucked for a few days watching the rest of the tournament. I bounced back and still had a pretty good year. I think that's one thing I can remember: If it doesn't all go well here, it doesn't mean that everything else is a disaster. I don't want that to happen. I'm going to try my best to have a good result. Q. Last year's result, is that a little bit of a help this year? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I wouldn't say it's a help (laughter). Again, it is what it is. I lost first round last year. I certainly don't want to go out first round this year. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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