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AEGON CLASSICJune 11, 2014Alison RiskeBIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND A. RISKE/N. Kichenok THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Welcome back to Birmingham. How does it feel to be back here and at a tournament that you just kind of own in a lot of ways? ALISON RISKE: (Smiling.) Oh, goodness. I don't know if I can consider it owning it if I haven't won it. But I'm always happy to be back in Birmingham. I love everyone here. It's just like reuniting with family. Obviously I'm playing on grass, which I love, so it's a very comfortable place. Q. Players talk about coming back to a tournament they've played well at and they say, Oh, immediately you feel comfortable and you're confident. Can you articulate why going back to a place that you've played well at, where that confidence comes from? Is it just familiarity? Is it just knowing that the results have always come, how that helps your game, that sort of thing? ALISON RISKE: Yeah, I think basically, you know, having just done well here once before, I feel like that confidence from the comfort level here carries over to the years to come, regardless if you ever do as well as you did before or not. Yeah, it's just feeling comfortable. When I come here, like I walk through the doors and I just feel like immediately calm. I feel like at a lot of tournaments that's not the case. There is a lot going on. Things are hectic and busy. I just feel like here you're just able to kind of focus on tennis and just playing on the courts. Q. You're probably not going to get any Christmas cards from the Kichenok family this year. Was it a very similar game playing... ALISON RISKE: They actually do play extremely similar, and their games are great for grass‑‑ any surface, but grass especially.  They have great serves and they look to take the ball early. Yeah, I'm kind of glad I don't have another one to play. (Laughing.) Q. Last year you mentioned that you had some superstitions, one of which you didn't change the clothes you slept in. Are there any superstitions you can tell us about this year? ALISON RISKE: Well, I'm still doing that. I probably shouldn't say that. I was going to say, I don't remember the last time I washed my PJs. But, no I'm kidding. Like maybe a week ago. Gosh, I don't know. I don't know if I should divulge any more. Q. You play Sloane in the next round. I don't think you've played her before. ALISON RISKE: No. Q. Obviously you know each other. ALISON RISKE: Yeah. Q. What's your view of that? ALISON RISKE: Obviously she's an amazing player. She's been top 15 in the world for some time now. She has a lot of experience behind her. Yeah, I'm just going to look to kind of play my game and do the best that I can really, so we'll see how it goes. Q. Is it fair to say that since you were last here in 2013 you've actually kicked on, where in previous years you maybe didn't? ALISON RISKE: Yeah, definitely. I followed up last year's result in Birmingham with a couple wins at Wimbledon, which were my first wins in a Grand Slam ever. That was huge for me, and it's been great because I have kind of carried it on, which, you know, definitely helps the confidence. Yeah, I don't plan on stopping any time soon, so hopefully it keeps that way. Q.  You've had a couple injuries this season, have you, is that right? ALISON RISKE: I just had a bit of a back problem for a couple months, so luckily I've been able to keep it at bay. Q. No anxiety about that, any niggles? ALISON RISKE: Yeah, I think it was more of a fluke thing than anything else. I took all the precautions, and I'm still taking them. I haven't really worried about it at all. Q. It's not every week you get to play twins back to back. (Indiscernible.) ALISON RISKE: Gosh, I don't think so. I can't say that anything that weird‑‑ not that that is weird, but... I haven't played the Bryan brothers or tour. That would be more wired. I don't know what to say. Q. How long of a trip is this for you? Have you been home since the clay at all? How long have you been here in Europe? ALISON RISKE: This is actually‑‑ I believe I counted that this was my eighth week. So I have been back since like a week before Madrid, five days before Madrid. This is the first time I've ever done this. Once I come to England it's pretty much smooth sailing from there. It's worked out great. I think I would obviously do this again for sure. Q. What's been the toughest part about having such a long stretch away from home for you? ALISON RISKE: Honestly, I love it. I really wouldn't change it. I love traveling and I love kind of everything that it entails. The only challenge is if you lose early in the week you kind of have to figure out where you're going to go, when you're going to go. That's the trickiest part. Other than that‑‑ that's all part of it. I enjoy being on the road. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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