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SONY OPEN TENNISMarch 31, 2013Lisa RaymondLaura RobsonMIAMI, FLORIDA PETROVA‑SREBOTNIK/Raymond‑Robson
Q. For a first‑time outing, despite the loss today, you have to feel pretty good. Beginner's luck playing together? LISA RAYMOND: Absolutely. It's funny how life works itself out. Two weeks ago I was in a dire situation as far as doubles partners and didn't even know if I was going to play here because of the situation with Sam and her pulling out with the calf. You know, fortunately, you know, we're represented by the same management company, so our agents kind of got together. We got together. The tournament gave us a wildcard. It's been a phenomenal, you know, two weeks. You know, I think you could call it beginner's luck, but I just think it's a team that plays really well together, and I think we have proven that this week. Q. Why? What is it about your games that you... LISA RAYMOND: Well, I think we just match up very well. She's just got unbelievable groundstrokes, and, you know, power game and big serve, lefty. You've got me all over the net, which today, you know, I think I could have done a better job of. I don't think ‑‑there was a few times, big points where she hit these unbelievable returns, and I probably could have gone a little bit more. But her net game in the past two weeks has improved, you know, tenfold. It's just a matter of time before she gets even more comfortable moving forward, you know, maybe serving and volleying a little bit here and there. But, you know, again, I think it's just ‑‑this could just be the beginning. Q. Is that IMG that you both... LISA RAYMOND: No, Octagon. Q. Laura, you talked about the freedom about playing doubles throughout this tournament. Were there any nerves about being in the final when you came out? LAURA ROBSON: Yeah, for sure. I think everyone gets a bit nervous in finals, but, you know, unfortunately we didn't play to our best today, but, you know, we have so many more tournaments in the future to look forward to. You know, I think if we had started the match the way that we finished it, then it would have been very close. And, you know, they were a very solid team today. It was a tough opponent but very good week for us, I think. Q. You said when you played Errani and Vinci, maybe they didn't have the pace on the ball from the back of the court. Today were they hitting it harder? LAURA ROBSON: Yeah, for sure. I thought they both served really well today, which always makes it tough. Especially if they go in I formation, you really have to pick your spots. You know, that's something that I was kind of struggling with today. When you have both of them at the net, you know, they are both very tall girls. It's tough to do any sort of passing. Q. Lisa, a little bad for a Gator? LISA RAYMOND: Oh, I didn't see the result. LAURA ROBSON: Oh, is this March Madness? LISA RAYMOND: It's amazing. Like, the other day I won, Gators won. She's an honorary Gator now. LAURA ROBSON: I'm going to clap like this all the time now. (Indicating the Gator applause.) Q. I'm sure you both noticed after the epic singles match there was a dropoff in attendance. Would you have preferred you would have played at 10:00 in the morning instead and having a bigger audience than what you had? LAURA ROBSON: I think we were both happy to be in the final, like we'll play whenever, really. I'll play at 3:00 in the morning if I have to. But I thought, you know, a fair few people stuck around. LISA RAYMOND: Yeah, I think, in general... LAURA ROBSON: The majority which were Gators fans. LISA RAYMOND: Exactly. I kind of do think the tournament should put the doubles first. If anything, it's like an opening act for the crowds, and it gets them involved. And then sometimes, you know, like you have a match like today where it's a packed stadium, and it's a phenomenal singles match, and then people go out, and obviously it's Easter Sunday. You know, they're going to dinners or they have had a long day at the tennis so they may not stick around. So I have always been a fan of starting the doubles before the singles. Q. Have you actually spoken about what your next tournament together might be? LISA RAYMOND: Well, we're definitely planning on, you know, hooking up and playing more. I just need to talk to some, you know, the people that I was supposed to be playing with possibly. LAURA ROBSON: Lisa is in such demand. LISA RAYMOND: Yeah. LAURA ROBSON: I just play whenever she wants me to. LISA RAYMOND: You know, I think it's a partnership that can only get better. I think the more time you spend together on the practice court or just, you know, on the match court‑‑ and it's been great with Laura. She's been willing to get out on the practice court, which you don't see with singles players. So, you know, it's great for me to see her being so eager, and her willingness to learn and get better at doubles. So looking forward to it. Q. I hate to bring up the 20‑year age difference, but off the court do you have much in common or much to talk about, or is it all about tennis? LISA RAYMOND: We find things to talk about. LAURA ROBSON: We both have a mutual love of horror movies. LISA RAYMOND: We talked about that for a while. LAURA ROBSON: The Human Centipede. She has to watch it. I have seen it. Q. That's an Academy Award winner? LAURA ROBSON: But there are so many old ones I haven't watched. So I will give her a list, and she's going to give me a list. I think our favorite is Wolf Creek. Have you seen that? Wolf Creek, that's an Australianmovie. Horror movies, '80s music. LISA RAYMOND: Today she did ask me what my favorite club song was, and I had no idea what she was talking about. LAURA ROBSON: Everyone has to have a club song. LISA RAYMOND: There was the age gap for about five minutes. LAURA ROBSON: You had one. LISA RAYMOND: If you call a club song something like Pitbull or something maybe. LAURA ROBSON: You can pick anything. You can pick any genre. LISA RAYMOND: Zora Love Triangle? Q. Are you planning to play tennis well into your 40s? LISA RAYMOND: Let's just get through next week, and then I have no idea. You know, I have always said that... LAURA ROBSON: She's more injury‑free than I am. LISA RAYMOND: Knock on wood. I have said I will stay out here if I feel like I can compete at a high level, whether it's No. 1 in the world with Grand Slams... LAURA ROBSON: Make finals. LISA RAYMOND: Make finals, win tournaments. Q. It's always hard to compare tennis eras, but I think you're the only player on the court that remembers playing Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova, Steffi, and Serena. Do you feel like any one of them is greater than the other, or do you feel they have all had... LISA RAYMOND: It just depended on the era. Steffi was phenomenal. I idolized Steffi. My game was ‑‑I played singles and tried to beat her. I mean, Serena is probably the greatest, you know, female tennis player that ever played. But, you know, because, you know, the games changed so much, so much more power and technology. You have to remember all of those things, talking present day and comparing to the past. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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