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FEDCUP WORLD GROUP FIRST ROUND: ITALY v U.S.A.February 8, 2014Mary Joe FernandezMadison KeysCLEVELAND, OHIO C. GIORGI/M. Keys THE MODERATOR: Questions, please, for Madison and Mary Joe. Q. Madison, did you just feel like she got on top of you rather quickly and you couldn't get into it at that point? MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I mean, all credit to her. She was playing amazingly. I felt like every time I was trying to get back into a point, hit a good shot, she was hitting another really good one right back at me. I tried to do my best. I thought I fought to the very end. I can only control so many things. Great job to her today. Q. You played her before? MADISON KEYS: Once before, a couple years ago. Q. Was it a lot different? MADISON KEYS: Yeah, I mean, she played really, really well today. It's just kind of one of those matches where you try to stay in it, you try to do the best that you can. I could have done some things better. Going to go work on that and try to be better tomorrow. But, I mean, I just tried to do the best that I could today. Q. How much of it or any of it was first‑time jitters of Fed Cup or not applicable? MADISON KEYS: Maybe at the beginning a little bit just getting used to the crowd and all that. I mean, at the same time it's a lot like first Grand Slam: you're somewhat used to some of the feelings. I mean, I don't think it was too much of that. Q. Were you surprised how well she returned? MADISON KEYS: Surprised, no. But, I mean, at the same time it would have been nice to have a couple more balls to be able to do something with. Q. Usually you get some more free points on your first serve. MADISON KEYS: Yeah, she was playing really well today. There's not much I can do when someone's playing like that. Q. Obviously, Mary Joe, not where you'd like to be at the end of today. Talk a little bit about what you do. CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: The good news is we're still in it. I told the team before we started today, I really feel like we can win every match. Now the pressure's on. We have to win all three tomorrow. We start with Madison. It's back to work trying to do the right things. I was really proud of Madison and her attitude, the way she held herself, because things were going fast. For someone for the first time playing for your country, it could have been overwhelming, you could get down on yourself. She didn't. She was fighting till the very end. Tomorrow is a new day. We start from the very first match to try to get that point on the board and go from there. Q. Do you see any big differences in Camila's game versus Karin, different strategy for tomorrow? CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: I think they're both very aggressive. I feel Camila takes the ball earlier than Karin. But it's similar. I mean, they both like to dictate as much as possible. Q. Do you think that Christina McHale will play more aggressively the whole match? Second set today she was coming to the net more. CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: That was the goal, trying to get her to dictate for her to be in charge. It's always a give‑and‑take when you have two players trying to do the same thing out there. Christina likes to have a little more time. She was getting rushed, as well. She did do a great job to get back into it. I felt the momentum was on her side starting the third. That first game I think would have been big to break and keep it going. It's important for Christina to always look for her forehands and be as aggressive as possible. Q.  Mary Joe, what do you tell Madison when she's facing a player playing like that? How do you keep her motivated? CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: We try to change things up. Madison was trying to jam her a little bit more on serves. I mean, that really stood out, how well she was returning. First and second serves, the ball was back at Madison before Madison finished serving. Trying to disrupt the timing and rhythm she had wasn't easy. There were a couple times, like Madison said, it seemed like she was going to get an opening. It quite didn't happen, trying to absorb her pace, how early she was taking it. The key is to just keep plugging away. That's the good thing about our sport, is you never know when things can turn around. That's what I was most proud of, is Madison kept trying, plugging away and fighting. She would have been ready had that opportunity presented itself. Q. Obviously the result was different with Camila than the match you played last year. What kind of difference did you notice in Camila's game today compared to last time? MADISON KEYS: I think she played very well today. I mean, she just wasn't missing today. She was going for her shots. She could keep going for them because she kept making them. She really was playing with no pressure and just going for it. I mean, she was hitting second serves over 100 miles an hour. All credit to her. She was just playing really, really well today. Q. Madison, I met a fan who was decked out in red, white and blue. Said he was here to see you today. There were a lot of local fans who got to see you the first time today. How did you feel about the crowd support? MADISON KEYS: It's so great being at home being able to play Fed Cup, having everyone supporting us. They were completely behind me until the very last ball. I mean, I was out there and I was trying my best. It was really appreciated. Q. Was the court fast today? MADISON KEYS: I don't think it was fast. CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: She was playing fast (laughter). MADISON KEYS: She was playing fast. CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: It's a medium‑paced court. Q. There were times when you served, it seemed like you were coming down and the ball was back on your feet. MADISON KEYS: She was inside the baseline on first serves. There's not much you can do on days like that. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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