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U.S. OPENAugust 29, 2013Christina McHaleNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK C. McHALE/E. Svitolina THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You looked pretty ecstatic after that win. To think back on the last year, to get back to this place, get your best win before getting diagnosed and everything. CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, it's definitely really exciting. I mean, especially with the way this year has gone, I mean, if I could have chosen one tournament to have some wins at, it definitely would have been the US Open. I'm really excited to be on to the third round. Q. Looks like your confidence is back. Have you been able to regain that? CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I think with each match I feel like I'm hitting the ball better, I'm serving better. I think, yeah, I'm starting to build a little bit more momentum in the matches. So hopefully I can keep building on that for the next one. Q. Is it possible to put into words how you felt last year in the third set compared to what you were able to do in the third set today? CHRISTINA McHALE: Last year around this time is when I got sick. I remember playing that match, feeling really low in energy. Even though we were having really long rallies and it was a long match, I felt physically fine. It's really nice that I feel like I'm back to where I was physically before I got sick. Q. What would you say you learned about yourself, if anything, across the year? CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I've had to learn to be patient a little bit and not try and press so much to get results. I've just been really focused on these couple months just working hard every single day, focusing on the things I have control over, and not trying to look too far ahead. Yeah, just not press too much, just try and let things happen. Q. You trained with the USTA coaches for a very long time. Now that there's so many more young Americans training in New York, how much do you think it's helped that you're all together? Do you push each other every day in practice, see the wins the others have? CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I definitely think we push each other, especially more at tournaments. I practice with a lot of the other American girls. Yeah, it's really good to have that practice and then at the same time, yeah, if you see the other results, you want to be doing well, too. So I think it's a healthy, like, competitiveness that the Americans have going. Q. The first match point you had that you put into the net, you smiled afterwards. In years past you may have been a little bit harder on yourself than you were. Is that also a result of what you've been through? CHRISTINA McHALE: Uhm, yeah. I mean, I was a bit more in shock that I missed that ball a little bit. But I think I did a really good job of just staying calm, not panicking a little bit after having that shot that I could have put away. So I think, uhm, that has helped me. And, yeah, I was just so relieved at the end, I think it was a lob over my head. At first I thought it was going way out, and then it got really close. I was just so relieved when finally I saw it out. Q. You were pretty thankful to the crowd. You went to your family box. CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah. I love that court, Grandstand. You really feel how close the crowd is. I mean, I've played a couple matches now a couple years on that court. I've always felt a tremendous amount of support from the crowd. Yeah, it was a special touch at the end. The box was so close I could go over and hug my family and friends. Q.  Did you hear the marriage proposal? CHRISTINA McHALE: No, I didn't. Q. Does it surprise you around here? CHRISTINA McHALE: Some of the fans say some crazy things. Q. How did you not get down on yourself? You were up a break in the second set, she broke back. How did you stay composed? CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I mean, it was tough giving up that lead in the second 'cause I felt I was playing really well, felt I was in control of the second. Then, uhm, I think I started making a few more mistakes, and it gave her the confidence where she started serving really well, I thought. So, yeah, I mean, even though I lost the second set, I didn't feel like I was out of the match now. So I was just trying to really fight as hard as I could, yeah. Just thrilled at the way it turned out. Q. Can you talk a little bit about how your partnership with Alisa came about? CHRISTINA McHALE: I think we were in Cincinnati. She asked me if I wanted to play. I was just, yeah, really excited to play with her. I mean, I think her story's amazing, what she's been able to come back from. Yeah, I know she's had really great results. I mean, unfortunately we drew a tough team, we didn't get through the first round. But it was so great to play with her. I just think it's amazing that she's back playing. Q. Did you know her from before? Were you locker room buddies? CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, we didn't really know each other that well. But she's really good friends with Vania King. I'm really good friends with Vania. That's how we got introduced and started talking a bit. She's really nice. Hopefully I'll get a chance to play with her again. Q. How would you describe her general vibe? CHRISTINA McHALE: She's really positive. To be able to come back from what she went through, she'd have to be a super positive person. It was fun playing with her. Q. Ivanovic in the next round. Thoughts on that match? CHRISTINA McHALE: It's going to be another tough match. I think I'm going to need to, uhm, you know, play consistent like the way I've been playing. Hopefully get a lot of first serves in. I think that will be another key part. Q. Can you allow yourself to think about what it would mean to get through the third round here? CHRISTINA McHALE: I'm not thinking that far ahead, no. I'm going to enjoy this win tonight and then just focus on what I'm going to do for that match. Not looking that far ahead. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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