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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPSFebruary 21, 2014Alize CornetDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES A. CORNET/S. Williams THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How does it feel to beat the top player in the world? ALIZE CORNET: I don't know. I don't realize it, I think. It's going to be a short night again. I didn't sleep so much tonight. I was so excited about this match coming up to tonight, and now that I beat Serena, it's a dream comes true. It's definitely the biggest win of my career. I did it in such a good way, such a good match. Very, very strong and smart till the end. I didn't try to be more powerful than her, because, anyway, it's impossible. I just tried to play with my weapon. Wow, 6‑4, 6‑4. I didn't expect that definitely, and I'm really, really happy and proud of myself. Q. How difficult was it to close the match out against such a great player? ALIZE CORNET: Really easy, you see, Love, 40‑Love (laughter). No, it was tough because I had four match points the game before, and on the four match points she played unbelievable. So I was like, Okay, maybe she's going to put a little bit more on the important points. I just tried to relax and breathe and pass my first serve at 5‑4. That's what I did, pretty well. And then, you know, she was tight like me. I mean, she can be No. 1, but we all have the same feelings, so I really tried to stay focused into my match, and when the last ball came out, I was like, Oh, that's it? That's done? Oh, I did it? Then I was full of emotion of everything. Q. Did think you would win in two groups? ALIZE CORNET: In two sets, you mean? Q. Two sets. ALIZE CORNET: Well, no, definitely not. I didn't think I would win, first of all. I mean, I believed in my chances 100%, but when you play against a No. 1 in the world you have more chances to lose than to win. And in two sets, even less. I mean, it's unbelievable. When I win the match I was a little bit better on some points. As I said, I played smart and, wow, what a win for me. It's great. I'm so happy I can play one more match here, because it's such a great tournament, and the crowd, they even did the ola, it was like, oh, it's amazing. I'm so happy to be in the final. Q. You looked right from the start as if you believed you could win. You looked very confident and positive. ALIZE CORNET: Yeah, I mean, if you don't pretend to be confident against Serena, she just works on you. I mean, when I won the first set I was 2‑Love up in the second, and then I felt that she wanted to put more pressure on me, to impress myself a little bit, and she started to scream louder on the shots and to hit harder. And at one point I looked at my coach. I was like, She want to impress me, but it's got going to be like that. I'm going to put some more myself, too. And that's what I did. I broke her after. I just didn't let myself, you know, beaten by Serena. From the beginning, I just tried to follow the tactic I did with my coach before. And like a robot, just following the tactic. That's it. Don't think about anything else. Q. You made semis in Paris. Now a final here. Have you been doing anything differently? ALIZE CORNET: I just kept working. I did a good offseason. I think I improved my game, I improved my physical condition. No, nothing changed really. Maybe my mentality a little bit more. I believe more in myself. I trust myself more. And so at the end of the match, when I have to finish the match, I'm less nervous, because I trust myself more and that changes a lot of things. Yeah, I would say that maybe the spirit change a little bit, but, wow, what a difference. In two months I did such great result, and I really hope I can ‑‑I will keep going the whole year. I will stop to say I hope; I will. Q. There was a screaming contest there, the second set? ALIZE CORNET: At the end a little bit, yeah. Well, I know her, and I know she's very strong player. She feels the moment when she has to, you know, put more into make the opponent feel that she's still here. That's what she did. But I did it, too. I showed her that I would be there till the end. So when she was screaming louder, I was screaming louder. She was hitting harder, I was hitting harder. Running, running, and in the second set the level was even better than in the first set. And I'm happy I just hold it. Q. Thoughts on Venus Williams? ALIZE CORNET: Yeah, yeah. Before this match, I was telling my coach that she impress me the whole week, Venus. She's, wow, she's back to her top level. I think she feels a little bit at home here in Dubai because she won twice, and I lost against her here in 2009, so it's going to be the revenge, and, wow, I can't wait for it. I don't know what time is the final tomorrow, but I can't wait to be there and just try to win the title. I mean, not a lot of French players won here. I think Amélie won and that's it. I hope to be the next one. Q. A lot of players can have a problem with such a big win coming back the next day. ALIZE CORNET: Yeah. Q. How do you think you're going to combat that? ALIZE CORNET: I don't know. I never beat a No. 1 in the world, so I don't know my reaction. But I know that I will stay in the same kind of spirit, just following the tactic that we do with my coach every day. It's never easy to play a final. I know that. Venus is for sure more used to it than me. But I played great the whole week, as well, and I have the same chance as her, so I will just to calm down tonight, try to sleep a little bit, and then be in good shape tomorrow and we will see how it goes. Q. Does it please you ‑‑ she was here. She was impressed with your performance tonight. ALIZE CORNET: Who? Q. Serena. ALIZE CORNET: That's nice, nice. Q. Does it please you? ALIZE CORNET: Yeah, of course. I mean, for me, I said it yesterday, she's one or maybe "the" biggest champion of history, and, wow, just thinking that I beat her today and I'm very pleased that she liked my game. I mean, it's tough for her she lost, but I think I played a little bit better. That's the rule of the sport, the best one, and it's very pleasing for me to hear that she was impressed. Q. A lot of players have a big win and have trouble following it up. How are you going to avoid having a letdown after this? ALIZE CORNET: You had the same question, no? So I don't know. I said that I don't know. I will see tomorrow. There is two things. I just beat the No. 1, and I have to play final tomorrow, so it's, you know, double thing. So I think I can handle it, you know. I have ‑‑I'm 24 years old. I have a lot of experience now on the tour, so hopefully I can just manage everything and make it work tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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