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WIMBLEDONJune 24, 2013Monica PuigLONDON, ENGLAND M. PUIG/S. Errani THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You had a very successful French Open. How did you work to build off that for Wimbledon? MONICA PUIG: Well, the French I had a very good run getting to the third round. I had a pretty tough third‑round loss. But I just had to get used to the grass. Obviously it's a different surface, so trying to adjust my game a little bit. But definitely pulling off some big career wins and not being afraid to close out matches, which was my problem at the beginning of the year. Finally just having the confidence to close them out. Q. Where do you think that confidence has come from? MONICA PUIG: I think a lot of hard work. Mentally, physically it just all comes together. Before this year I had a really tough loss to Kerber in Brisbane and wasn't able to close that one out. But obviously losing that match was probably one of the best lessons for me because I ended up learning from it and closed off some pretty big matches. Q. What do you think of Wimbledon? First time here? MONICA PUIG: Well, it's my second time. I came as junior. Obviously my first time as a professional. I just think it's so elegant. All the green courts with the white, it's so special. It's the only Grand Slam that does that, so it's just a wonderful tournament, I think. Q. Could you tell me a little bit about your background coming from Puerto Rico? When did you leave there? MONICA PUIG: I left there relatively early. My dad is a mechanical engineer, so for his business we moved over to Miami. Obviously I never forgot my background. I went to Puerto Rico every single summer; I speak Spanish fluently as well. My grandparents on my mom's side of the family still live over there. My dad's side is Cuban American, so obviously Spanish on that side. It's just great. Being known as one of the only players from Puerto Rico, obviously trying to follow after Gigi Fernandez a little bit more in singles. I've received a lot of support from her and my federation and everybody in Puerto Rico. It's amazing, and it just helps me move forward and progress every day. Q. Will the people of Puerto Rico be aware of this win? MONICA PUIG: Oh, everybody has already‑‑ Direct TV, I think, transmitted the matches, as well as ESPN. Everybody was watching it. Everybody woke up really early. Q. So you're a national hero? MONICA PUIG: Yeah, basically. The big sports over there are basically boxing, baseball, and basketball. Now that I've been doing well, tennis is starting to become bigger as well. Q. Did you have any tennis idol when you were a kid? MONICA PUIG: Yeah, I always looked at Jennifer Capriati, and Serena Williams as well. But now more so I look to the men's circuit because there is so much more consistency. Obviously Serena is starting to become the most consistent player, in my opinion, on the tour, so obviously I try to use her as an example on the court, the way she conducts herself and just the aura that she brings onto the court. She intimidates the opponents, and she is just able to maintain that level through the whole match. That's something that I men do very well, and I think they've had a lot of success doing that. So I just try and take a little bit of the both men's and women's tour. Q. If tennis is a little less popular in Puerto Rico, do how did you get into it? MONICA PUIG: My mom played tennis when she was very young, so she introduced me to tennis. I kind of stuck with it. I didn't really think that I was going to be ‑‑ I was kind of like a late bloomer in the sense I was I wasn't the one who was getting results right away. Once I started to see that things were coming together, I really had a special thing inside for the sport, once everything, all the puzzle pieces started connecting, it was really meant to be. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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