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AEGON INTERNATIONALJune 19, 2013Elena BaltachaEASTBOURNE, ENGLAND M. KIRILENKO/E. Baltacha THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You must have been very pleased with the way you played today. ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, very pleased, definitely. I think we obviously spoke about the tactics. I mean, obviously when you are playing someone top 10, I mean, your tactics are going to be quite limited, but we had certain tactics in mind. I think I did that pretty well. That gave me kind of an inroad, and I thought I was going to fight for everything and was going to be very, very hard. But I think I'm different now. You know, my attitude is different now. You know, that was pretty gut wrenching, but I must admit I loved every second of it. I really enjoyed it. There were certain points. Obviously I had the two‑point break points, I think, to go 4‑3‑up in the third. She played the first serve I think was unreturnable, and the second she aced me. There were certain things she did in the match, and I thought, well, yeah, you have had a great year, and I understand why you're top 10 now, definitely, definitely. She's a quality player, and she's got a good game on the grass. She has a massive serve. But I think how I dealt with it, how I played, how I moved and trying to execute the tactics that we discussed before, I think I did a good job of that. Q. First set and a half you must have thought you were going to win it? ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah. I mean, even in the third set I thought, look, you've still got a shot of winning it. Until the last ball is hit, I think you've always got a shot, and that's what you've got to believe, definitely. Yeah, and I just thought, keep going. I think both of us were physically kind of getting a bit flat towards the end. But, yeah, it was a great game, and I think for me to move forwards I think is very exciting. Q. Perfect preparation for next week? ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, definitely. I'm excited about ‑‑ the draw obviously comes out on Friday. There are a couple of players that I'd like to avoid, to be honest, but, yeah, look, whatever my fate is, it is. That's it. But, yeah, definitely ‑‑I think, as well, you know, I think like eight weeks ago if someone would have said to me that you're going to win Nottingham and then you're going to get a shot at Kirilenko second round of Eastbourne, I don't think I would have believed them. I think what I have done in the last two, three months is actually quite amazing, really. Q. If you draw a top‑10 player, I guess you won't be thinking "oh, no," anymore? ELENA BALTACHA: No. I mean, I guess which one it is. There is one of them in there. Q. Except one or two? ELENA BALTACHA: Actually, there are two of them in there that will probably not be quite pleasant. Yeah, look, whatever is going to be will be on Friday. But, no, I'm excited. I couldn't have asked for better prep going into Wimbledon. I think I play well on the grass, and, yeah, hopefully if I get a decent draw, hopefully I can do a bit of damage there hopefully. Q. There will be one or two who won't fancy playing you perhaps? ELENA BALTACHA: That would be nice if they think that. Q. Well, the way you're playing... ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, well, the way I'm playing, yeah, I can be dangerous. Yeah, if I play like this, then I hope. I hope so. Q. Has your confidence sort of risen by the fact your movement is‑‑ you've improved a lot certainly since you have come back. That has played a huge difference? ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, absolutely, big time. I think especially like now when you look at what the difference is between the top players, you know, they all move very well. Their serves are big. That's the other thing I have been working very hard on is my serve. First serve percentages has to be up, and obviously getting more pace on the second serve, doing a little bit more, the variety on it. Obviously the movement, yeah, definitely. I think when you have that, you do feel more confident in what you can do. And obviously with that confidence, you can start experimenting with different shots, so it kind of grows. But definitely we have put in a lot of work, and it's beginning to show now. Q. Do you think you're more ready for this Wimbledon than you ever have been in the past? ELENA BALTACHA: I think there have been a few Wimbledons before where I felt really good. I remember when I won the 100K in Nottingham, I think that was two years ago, obviously I did well. I remember few times doing really well here, qualified, you know, winning a round. I have had certain Wimbledons where I have been ‑‑but I think now my attitude is different, definitely. You know, but I guess it just depends what happens on Friday. You get‑‑ you know, a lot of it does involve the draw. Q. Mentally you're in a better place, though, aren't you? ELENA BALTACHA: Definitely. Because I was saying before that like now I feel like there are two of me, where there is the competitor where, you know, I know I'm ‑‑I know what is expected of me. I know what I expect of myself. It's like the Bali tennis player. And then there is the outside, the little bubble, you know, Bali who‑‑ you know, I think as well with a female, I think when you get older, I think you begin to kind of know more about yourself and you begin to get more comfortable with yourself. I think I'm at that point now where I know what I'm meant to do in tennis, and I treat it for what it is. I don't take it personally. I enjoy, you know, what I like doing outside of tennis. It makes me really happy, and I'm in a really good place now. Q. I certainly think you're better than you were two years ago. ELENA BALTACHA: Definitely. I mean, with that, I think I can still improve. I mean, I think it's still kind of the early parts, as well, at the moment. I mean, obviously like my team is amazing with Nino Severino, my main coach, and Nino made a brilliant decision bringing Louis Cayer on board. And Louis has made a massive difference to me as a player, how I see myself as a player, and kind of using more of my skill, which I've kind of realized I'm more skillful than what I thought I was, helping me, tweaking certain areas like my serve, understanding what I need to do in certain parts on the court, where I recover to, and certain movement patterns, all that kind of stuff. We have been working really hard on that probably for the past three, four months, definitely the last three months. I think there is still a bit more that I can develop and learn and get better. But I think it will be interesting to see this time like next year, I think, because of the way ‑‑ Q. Where you are? ELENA BALTACHA: Definitely. The start of it has been brilliant. You know, as long as I carry on and keep doing that, then I think this time next year will be, you know, will be very, very exciting. Q. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Battle of the Sexes game. Reflect on that. How important has it been on your career? ELENA BALTACHA: The WTA? Q. Yeah. ELENA BALTACHA: The WTA, when you think about what we get, what is kind of around us, we're very fortunate to have the WTA, very, very fortunate. We're very, very lucky. It's, you know, so many great people that are, you know, doing so many things for us. So, yeah, no, just very, very delighted. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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