|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
WIMBLEDONJune 25, 2013Samantha StosurLONDON, ENGLAND S. STOSUR/A. Schmiedlova THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. What did you make of your performance? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I was really pleased with the way I played. I thought I came out and started really well to get that break of serve. Then I thought I served well throughout the whole match. Even those few service games where I got down Love‑30 or kind of lost that first point, I didn't let that roll on to be a bad game in the end. So overall really pleased. Q. One of your better matches on grass? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I think so. Yeah, probably one of my better ones. That's obviously a good feeling. Yeah, hopefully a good sign. Q. Good opponent for you in a way. She wasn't going to beat you but made you work. SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I mean, I didn't know too much about her. But I did know a few little things which I tried to kind of take advantage of early in that match. Then once I felt like I was, you know, in control of what I was doing, what was kind of going on, you know, tried a few serve‑volleys, kept trying to move forward, keep, you know, playing the way I want to keep playing on grass. I guess those little things probably allowed me to keep trying to do that as the match went on. Q. Do things feel any different to previous years? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I probably feel pretty good going into the next round. Even before today I felt like I was playing well. I felt like I've been moving better, just overall feel probably a little bit more clear, clarity, when I'm out on the court. I mean, I obviously don't know what that's going to equate to, but hopefully it's going to mean a decent tournament for me, because I do feel like I've been playing a lot more confidently on the grass at the moment this time around. Q. Do you know much about Pushkova? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I think we practiced maybe one warmup or something at the Australian Open. I don't know that much. I know she hits the ball pretty hard and flat. On this surface I've got to definitely be ready to be down low and preparing early for each shot. But, yeah, I don't know a helluva lot at the moment, but I'm sure we'll try and find some things. Q. I heard you trained at Sutton Tennis Academy, not very far from here. SAMANTHA STOSUR: I've been there a couple of times to practice. It's not a training base or anything like that. Q. Can you describe the academy? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Well, I don't know anything about the academy. I just know the center. It was a good center to go and practice at when I needed to, you know, the last couple years, maybe when I've been here and it's been raining. It's not somewhere I've spent a lot of time. Q. You mentioned you're playing with a bit more clarity on grass. Does that come down to experience or... SAMANTHA STOSUR: It's probably a point where I've been trying to get to for a long time. I don't know why. For whatever reason this year it feels a little bit better. Maybe I've had a little bit more time, was able to get over the French Open, actually forget about that and move on, not still bring that onto the grass. Yeah, whatever the case, I do feel like I've been practicing probably better than what I have in previous years and able to then at least make some gains and feel like I know what I'm doing and I'm not panicked. I'm not stressed about what I'm trying to do out there. Q. Without revealing obviously tactics, et cetera, there one or two different things you're trying to do this year? SAMANTHA STOSUR: Not necessarily differently. Maybe just happier doing it. I know I've got to flatten‑‑ not flatten out, but use a bit more slice on my serve. I can't always hit a kick serve second serve. Hit through the ball. You can't always come up and hit a heavy topspin on your forehand. There are things that probably anyone with my game style would be trying to do on this surface, but, you know, I find it quite difficult to make those adjustments. So it's a matter of knowing, okay, yes, this is what I want to do, I'm going to do it, I'm going to continually try to push through and do it even when it doesn't feel comfortable, because I know that's the way I've got to play to move forward and hopefully, you know, get a decent result. Q. In a sense be less predictable? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know whether it's less predictable. I mean, I don't know, yeah, probably not try and think, Okay, these are my patterns, this is what I do on every other surface. One ball here, one ball there. You just have to react what's coming at you. That's probably what I'm trying to do a little bit better. Q. I was reading somewhere this is the first time in over 60 years there's only been one woman in the Open singles. Does that put extra pressure on you? Can you talk about why you're the only one. SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, I don't feel extra pressure because I'm the only woman in the draw. It's unfortunate, obviously, with the way the history that we've got in Australia with tennis, especially probably here at Wimbledon. It is disappointing that I'm the only one. There's a bunch in the quallies. Unfortunately they weren't able to get through. But, you know, maybe next year we'll see those girls that were in quallies eventually push their way up, and maybe next year we will have four or five, it won't be such an issue. I think it's unfortunately where it is at the moment. But I'm sure in years to come it won't be this way. Q. So do you feel that you're kind of the elder statesman of female tennis in Australia? Do you think there needs to be a pathway for some of the younger ones? SAMANTHA STOSUR: I'm for sure one of the older ones. I'm 29. I've been out here for a long time. No, I don't think there's anything wrong with the pathway. I think there's good things in place. If players want to work hard and do it, they're going to get there. That's going to happen whether there's a pathway or not. At the moment I don't think it's through lack of trying. I just think it's where it's at. Rankings can change quickly. You win a few rounds in the next couple weeks, and there will be main draw in US Open and hopefully be able to continue that until Wimbledon next year. 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
|