![](images/spacer.gif) |
Browse by Sport |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
Find us on |
![ASAP sports on Facebook](images/fb_icon.gif) |
![ASAP sports on Twitter](images/twitter_icon.png) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
August 14, 2013
PARKER, COLORADO
THE MODERATOR: Anna Nordqvist, Giulia Sergas, Karine Icher, thank you very much for joining us. First of all, like to pose a question to Giulia, who is a rookie on the team this year. So do you feel like a rookie?
GIULIA SERGAS: Yeah, in a way, I do. I am. So I definitely do feel like a rookie. But I have great teammates that give me their support. Anna has been really helpful and I think it's just exciting. It's very exciting.
THE MODERATOR: Anna and Karine, you both played on teams before. So, Anna, what does it feel like to return after winning in Ireland two years ago?
ANNA NORDQVIST: It definitely feels special. This will be my third Solheim Cup and I think we have a great team. We have a very young team here and it's just so exciting when you get to play as a team and everyone comes together and just the team spirit has been really great this week.
THE MODERATOR: Karine, you played in 2002, so how different does it feel now 11 years later to be back on the team again?
KARINE ICHER: I feel like a rookie again.
(Laughter.)
But, no, it's fun to have this kind of team. Everybody plays on the LPGA, except Charley, but she's going to adapt very well. And everybody's friends and compared to the other years that we had players from Europe, LET, and players from LPGA, it was like we were able to make a team like that.
This year everybody plays together, so it makes it easier.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?
Q. For the two girls who played before and especially for Anna, I guess, what you can bring from the experience at Killeen Castle that could help you here to try and achieve a first victory on American soil.
ANNA NORDQVIST: I think that Killeen Castle showed, not only us, but just never ever give up and you never know what's going to happen and just fight until the last point or into the last match.
I think Suzann stepped up there really making the last couple groups believe in themselves and believe they could win their points and that we could win as a team. So I think that just believing we can win and obviously coming off with that win in Ireland means a lot to the team.
THE MODERATOR: Obviously Mile High City here in Colorado. Does that make a difference? Can you talk about the difficulties or the differences playing here compared to.
GIULIA SERGAS: I live in the mountains so for me it's a big advantage. It's the same altitude. So because I train in high altitude and it does make a difference on your body at the beginning, but I like it. I love it.
THE MODERATOR: Whereabouts do you live?
GIULIA SERGAS: In the Alps. In Cortina.
THE MODERATOR: Do you have any differences compared to playing?
KARINE ICHER: Yeah, maybe one club difference on the flight.
THE MODERATOR: The fitness? Any difference on the physical fitness?
KARINE ICHER: I definitely think the more fit you are, the better it's going to be. This course is pretty hilly, so if you are going to end up playing a lot of matches, it's going to be a lot of walking, not only for you, but for your caddie.
Q. For Anna, Liselotte has sort of looked to you as one of the great Swedes who really broke through on the LPGA tour. I just wonder how much of an inspiration she was to you and what it's like to have her as a captain.
ANNA NORDQVIST: I obviously looked up to Lotta, she was my assistant captain when I came out as a rookie in 2009. And I played my first Solheim Cup and she's always been a huge support.
But she's always in a good mood, she's always positive. She makes you believe in yourself. And this week she's really stepped up and make us believe in ourself and make us believe in us as a team.
Q. You have quite an experienced team coming to the Solheim Cup, six rookies, how much of an influence will the more experienced player on the team have on you. I guess that's a question for you.
GIULIA SERGAS: Yeah, it's, you know, it's six rookies, but six really good rookies. So let's remember that.
(Laughter.)
I think it's how you take it. I don't know how I'm going to feel, but I guess it's just going to be really great. It's just going to be fun. And just live the moment and see what happens.
You know your game, you know how you play, so we have been playing in America, all of us, for a long time. So it's a big advantage, you know, maybe it's a good thing because you are more excited, you have more energy, sometimes you give your best then.
Q. Thinking about the altitude and the hilly course and maybe some heat in the weekend. Can you see anyone playing five matches?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Well definitely I think you could play five matches, but you're going to be pretty tired coming Sunday. But whatever Lotta decides is best for the team, I think anyone is willing to do it.
But match play takes a lot out of you. It's going to be a lot of tough matches out there. So sometimes it's actually good to get a match off somewhere during this week just to get energized and be pumped up and ready to go for your next match.
Q. Lotta was talking about how she has stats for even your practice rounds here and that you guys were out with four‑ball matches. Can you talk about how the practice sessions, is the intensity even up for that and how does that prepare you?
KARINE ICHER: It's important to play like ‑‑ to try some pairings during practice rounds. We tried yesterday today different possibilities, it gave us more ideas of what the strategy and what we're going to decide for the foursome and four‑balls.
Nothing is decided yet, so we still have to try maybe again tomorrow and try a different possibilities, try different teams. But it's very strategic. It's a strategic week. The main thing is to pair the good players together.  So this is Lotta's job, best job to do this week.
Q. We saw in practice this morning some Lotta masks on some of the staff and some of your bags. Whose idea was that and what the team bond behind the captain's like right now?
ANNA NORDQVIST: Well we had this little quiz last night and whoever lost had to wear the mask showing up to the first tee today.
THE MODERATOR: Anything you can expand on that. What was the quiz about?
GIULIA SERGAS: Well, whatever happens in the team room will stay in the team room.
(Laughter.)
ANNA NORDQVIST: Amen.
THE MODERATOR: Okay. Thank you for joining us.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |