Eastbourne AEGON International. June 15 2011 Vera Zvonareva

V. ZVONAREVA/S. Williams

           

3‑6, 7‑6, 7‑5

        

        

VERA ZVONAREVA

        

            THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

            Q.  Are you more happy or more tired?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Actually, I'm not that tired at the moment.  I feel pretty good, so definitely happy that, you know, I played a tough match today and happy that I won it.

            Q.  Tough to close out, though, wasn't it?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Um, yeah.  It is never easy against Serena.  She's a great fighter, and, you know, she came out with some great shots and some ‑‑ she played some good points at the very important moments.

            But that's how good players do, so nothing bad.  I kept fighting and I'm really happy that I won it.

            Q.  She has a reputation for coming back from the dead and winning matches that she's almost lost.  Was that a thought on your mind?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Not at all.  I think, you know, right now it's such a tough competition in women's tennis, and you see those kind of matches.  Everyone is coming back every tournament from any score.

            You have to play from the first ball till the last ball right now.  You have to fight.  There are so many matches; there are so many comebacks.  That's not something you focus on.  When you're on the court, you try to focus on the one point at a time.  You try to fight from the first ball to the last no matter what.

            Q.  The second match back after nearly a year, how do you assess her game?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Well, I think Serena is a great champion, and I have a lot of respect for her because I think she's done a great job coming back and playing some great tennis today.

            It is never easy, but that is something that you can expect from Serena because she's one of few players out there that are capable of doing that.

            Q.  How do you think she's playing compared to the Wimbledon final last year?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Well, you know, I never look back.  I think Serena is Serena.  She can have some better days, some worse days.

            But she's a great player no matter what.  I never try to compare any matches because they're different.  Every single day is a new day, and you have to play and think about your game.

            But overall I think she's doing a great job after not playing for one year, coming back, and, you know, spending over three hours on the court and fighting for every ball.

            Q.  What's the longest break that you've had injury‑wise, and how long did it take you after coming back after that break to feel yourself again?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Well, I had some, you know, six‑month breaks couple of times.  Actually, surprisingly I was playing well after I was coming back.

            Straightaway I won a lot of matches, even ‑‑ yeah.  I was playing pretty good, so I know that sometimes that's how it goes.

            You know, you prepare yourself.  You try to practice.  You train to come back, and then when you feel that you are ready, you're coming back.

            I've done it couple of times, and I was ‑‑ it took me only couple of weeks, and I was playing very good.

            Q.  What did you like and what didn't you like in your match today?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  I think I liked the way I fought for every ball.  I kept my concentration, and that's something you need to do against Serena.  You have to, you know, try to hold your serve, try to break hers.

            The unforced errors a little bit inconsistent throughout the match, especially a few mistakes in that first set that costed me a set.  But then I was able to, you know, play a little bit cleaner in the second and the third set.

            But also I started making a little bit better decisions on the court.  Sometimes, you know, I wasn't taking advantage of some short balls, and you have to use it more on the grass.

            Sometimes I was maybe playing a little bit too aggressive from the situations where it was too risky, and sometimes I was playing too passive in situations where I had to take risks.  Just, you know, few little choices that I didn't make right.  Otherwise I think the game was pretty good.

            Q.  You've obviously trained, had a big coaching change.  What's been the difference between before what you're doing off court and now?

            VERA ZVONAREVA:  Not much.  I think ‑‑ you know, I'm established player already.  I'm experienced player.  I know, you know, how I want to play and I know what I need to do on the court.

            It's not about ‑‑ I don't know.  It's tough to say.  It's just a little bit ‑‑ maybe everyone can bring a little bit different, look a little bit different approach to how you train and just give you right support.  That's what it matters at that level.

            You know, nobody's gonna come there and tell me, Oh, you have to play different game and change me, because it is impossible.  I'm still going to be myself on the court, and I still have to make my own choices when I'm on the court.

            Maybe just few different things that we work on.  Yeah, just the right support.  That's probably the biggest change.

                       

Eastbourne AEGON International. June 15 2011 Serena Williams

V. ZVONAREVA/S. Williams

           

3‑6, 7‑6, 7‑5

        

        

SERENA WILLIAMS

        

            THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

            Q.  Do you think that five hours of grass court tennis is still plenty enough to go into Wimbledon with?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I definitely think so.  It was a good two matches for me.  I couldn't be happier with the amount of tennis that I've played.

            So it's good.  You know, just keep going.

            Q.  You looked a little bit delicate as you sat down.  Is that because of your three hours of running around on the grass?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  You know, I haven't played in almost a year, so I'm a little sore.

            Grass always gets you a little sore.  It's good I'm sore now, because hopefully next week I won't be as sore.

            Q.  It's the kind of soreness which happens ‑‑ it's not anything to do with any of your injuries?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  You know, every time I come back and play or I take some time ‑‑ usually in Australia I get sore, or usually on the grass court the grass is just different on your body, and it just like makes your body work harder because there is so much stopping and quick stops.

            It's definitely, for me ‑‑ I don't know about for anyone else ‑‑ but for me it's a little different.

            Q.  Your foot is holding up well?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  It is.  I'm so happy about that, too, because that is so scary.  But it is.  It's holding up really well.

            I'm just really, really excited about that.  I'm like, Yes.

            Q.  Are you happy with the way your game is at the moment?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  No, I'm never happy.  (Smiling.)

I definitely think I can do better, but that's what's so comforting is the fact that I know I can do so much better and I can improve, and I'm so close to being, you know, being there.  It's good.

            Q.  And you were serving for the match against the No. 3 in the world for the moment.

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, and I actually ‑‑ one or two points, I could have won the match.  I think that's just me not playing and not actually even holding a racquet for over eight months and then finally picking one up and being able to do that.

            So it's not overly disappointing.  It's just the fact that, Okay, Serena, make that short ball.  I mean, I had so many of those that I just kept missing and just, you know, not enough experience with those shots.

            Q.  What are your plans for the rest of the week now?  What are you going to do?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I'm just going to keep working out.  I'm feeling pretty good about my fitness.

            I feel like I was able to stay out there two hours yesterday and come right back and do a pretty tough three hours today.

            So I definitely am going to keep working on that and maybe hit a little later tomorrow and have a sleep‑in.  And support Venus.  I should have said that first.  (Laughter.)

            Q.  Are you looking forward to the challenge of Wimbledon?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  I am.  I'm always looking forward to a challenge.  I'm just ‑‑ I'm just excited that everything is working and that I'm walking.  And I'm really excited that I'm, you know, going to be there.

            Like I said, I'm not preparing just for Wimbledon.  Like I'm just happy to be here and the weeks after that and weeks after that and, you know, for the rest of my career.

            Q.  Any thoughts of the seeding you've been given for Wimbledon?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I heard I was No. 8.  I was, you know ‑‑ listen, I don't ask for much.  I would have been happy with 25, because I'm going to be in there fighting for every point and for everything.  It doesn't matter where I'm seeded.

            I'm just going to give 200% like everyone else in the draw is, as well.

            Q.  Are you saddened a little that Kim Clijsters can't play, and the litany of injuries that players are suffering these days never seems to show much sign of abating?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  No, I literally just found that out.  So, you know, she's obviously been doing so well.

            She always does well on the hard court tour, as well.  So maybe she will probably want to focus on that.

            Q.  I know you said you'll be happy wherever you've been seeded, but are you a little surprised Venus hasn't been seeded higher?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't know where she's seeded.

            Q.  24.

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Look, I don't know.  I'm just ‑‑ I would have been happy with my little ranking of 25 or whatever I am.  If I'd have been seeded that, that's fine.  Higher, that's fine.  Doesn't matter.

            I'm just ‑‑ I'm just there to compete and so is she.  I pray that I don't have to play her very soon, because that's a tough, tough person to have to play in probably like the third round.

            Q.  In terms of excitement levels going back to Wimbledon, where's the rating of excitement, the thought of playing there again, defending a title?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  I'm excited; I really am.  I'm excited to get in my new dress.  I'm excited to be on the grass and be on the white and just be at Wimbledon.  To me, there's nothing like being at Wimbledon.

            I love it, and I'm excited to play better.  I'm actually determined to play better there.

            Q.  Have you enjoyed the whole Eastbourne experience?  Not one of the biggest towns of the tour visits.

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  Every time I come here I enjoy it.  I think it's a beautiful city on the water.  It's so pretty.

            I look out and I see the amazing water and rocks.  I want to get in, but it seems really cold.  We don't like cold water.

            Q.  When you first picked up your racquet, did you think it would take longer than two matches to get back playing top 10, top 5 tennis?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  I honestly thought I would do better, to be honest.  I didn't expect to go out ‑‑ I'm more or less going on physically how I feel, because I know my game is going to be up there.

            I have been doing this for 15 years, so, you know, I should be able to do it now.

            Q.  How do you feel physically?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Physically I feel good.  Like I said, I'm a little sore but that's expected.

            I'm really ‑‑ that's why I wanted to play here, because I thought, okay, going back, you're gonna be sore.  Once you get to this point, you get here and there's no way you can go higher.

            So I'm at that peak and I know my body is gonna kind of adjust.  I'm going to be good from here on out.

            Q.  All the whites now for preparation for Wimbledon?  I presume dominantly white?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  I kind of like purple for Wimbledon, because it's kind of like purple and green, kind of cool colors.  I might play around with those colors.

            Q.  You'll be a bookmaker's favorite for Wimbledon.  Would you bet on yourself?

            SERENA WILLIAMS:  Really?  Listen, I always am a bookmaker's ‑‑ look, I don't bet.  It's against the rules.  And really I just don't bet in general.  It's not my thing.  I'll flip a coin, heads or tails.  (Laughter.)

Eastbourne AEGON International. June 15 2011 Venus Williams

V. WILLIAMS/A. Ivanovic

           

6‑3, 6‑2

        

VENUS WILLIAMS

        

  

            Q.  How do you feel about that one?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  Today, you know, I felt ‑‑ obviously it's great, no breaks of serve.  That's ideal for me in the match.  To get a double break at the end just feels awesome.

            I was really happy to have those clean service games and not a lot of errors.  To be honest, I thought she played really well.  When she had a chance to strike the ball she was hitting the corners.

            I felt good to be able to get on top of her today.

            Q.  Do you feel like this is still a work in progress?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I'm focusing on all the positives, and I think there's a lot of positives, because especially taking the amount of time off I have taken, it's so important to focus on those positives.  It's so easy to focus on, oh, I was this, that, and the other, you know, when I was in the game before, few months ago.

            Right now I feel that I'm playing very tough, and I'm playing well on big points.  I just need to continue.  These matches have been huge and crucial for me to just get back in the swing of ‑‑ literally the swing of things.

            Q.  Has it gone as well as you expected it to?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I was just hoping not to be injured, honestly.  The first match was definitely kind of nerve‑wracking, hoping to come off the court on two legs. That was the first goal.

            Then to win a match is the ultimate goal.  Just to have the opportunity to play another match is a great start.  I'm starting to have a couple of dominos on some of my goals here.

            I'm excited to be able to play a third match.  I just need matches.

            Q.  What have you made of Eastbourne these last few days?  It's obviously a bit different to New York or London or Paris.

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  Absolutely.  But when the sun shines, it's gorgeous.  I don't remember too much from when I was ‑‑ from back in the days.  I remember it rained a lot, so we were forced to stay in.  We didn't really get to do anything, just kind of waiting to practice, waiting to play a match.

            This year I have had opportunity to go out a little bit more.  I quite like it, actually.

            Q.  What have you been doing?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I took a walk around town a little bit.  I had a couple karaoke spots, but I didn't get a chance to go.

            Q.  When you come back like this, does the freshness of returning to tennis almost make up for the fact you haven't been playing week in and week out?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  I think definitely a lot of it, I definitely ‑‑ I have to make sure I stay focused.

            I think when I was playing before, I was so used to being focused and concentrated on every point that I really have to remind myself out there, Stay focused, stay in the moment, and not to let anything wander around my mind and technique.

            All the opponents I'm playing are very tough.  This draw is tough.  I can't get away from that in a moment.  Hopefully being fresh will help me.

            Q.  Is it harder to get focused after a break?  Do you find it...

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  No, not really.  The moment you lose focus, you see a ball go by you, so I'm right back in.

            Everyone is playing so well, everyone is serving well, returning well, playing focused.  There is no room to lose it.

            Q.  I don't know if you know the Wimbledon seedings from today?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  No, I don't.

            Q.  Serena has been seeded 8; you have been seeded 24.  Did you hope you'd be seeded higher?  You have won it five times.

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  No, I didn't hope anything at all.  I just hoped to be able to play.  That's it.

            Q.  You're not worried about where you're seeded?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  No, not at all.  I just want to be in the draw.

            Q.  Potentially if you and Serena have those seedings, you could play as early as round 3 if you both win early matches.

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I mean, I'm still in this tournament, so that's pretty much my focus.  I mean, for me, a seeding is not a big deal.

            Q.  You can still win it anyway, can't you, wherever you are in the draw?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I'll do my best to win each and every match.  I know that.

            Q.  It looks like Kim Clijsters is injured for a couple of weeks.  Is that important that she will not compete at Wimbledon?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  I have had my own issues.  I most certainly can't focus on anyone else's.

            I wish everyone luck with their injuries, but I'm really trying to do me.  I'm just trying to get there myself.

            Q.  How are you physically now?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I feel good.  I'm really taking a lot of extra precautions on and off the court.  So that way I can continue to rise in my form with each match.

            But so far, so good.  I feel better than I expected.

            Q.  Could you sort of elaborate on what the precautions are?  Extra stretching?  Is it painkillers?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  It's extra of everything.  Extra, extra with everything, strawberries and cream on top.  (Laughter.)

            Q.  Why do you still keep doing it?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  You see, I love this game, so plus, you know, I really have no say when I get injured.  It just happens.  It's not something that I could control, so definitely I want to be in control of my career, my destiny.

            Q.  You came out to support Serena yesterday.  What did you make of her performance?

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  I thought her opponent played just stellar.  She was just going for it, and it's a tough match in the first match back.  I thought she really showed a lot of fight and concentration to win that match.

            That wasn't an easy one, especially after the first set, because her opponent's shots were just landing everywhere.  I thought she did a great job.

            Q.  Quite unusual for her to lose a set 6‑1.  Doesn't happen for her often.

            VENUS WILLIAMS:  No, it doesn't.  A year off, it's probably ‑‑ you'd probably expect to have a couple of cobwebs and figure things out.  She's a champion.  Champions adjust.

                       

V. AZARENKA/E. Baltacha

           

6‑1, 7‑6

        

        

ELENA BALTACHA

        

   

            Q.  It looked like you turned it around at the start of the second set, didn't it?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  I went 5‑3 up ‑‑ well, I went 3‑Love up, and then she got straight back into it.  And then 5‑3 and she got straight back into it again.

            She was always on me, always.  I had to produce something really good.  She was very solid today mentally in how she was delivering, and she made it really difficult.

            But it was a great experience.  I couldn't ask for better prep, you know, winning last week Nottingham and playing, you know, someone in top 5 going into Wimbledon, so it was great prep.

            Q.  Looked like it was a good match to learn some stuff from.

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, definitely, definitely.  I think the serve can get better, no doubt about it.

            And I think as well it's slightly different when someone is pretty much breathing down your neck and you know if you're going to miss the first serve that you need to do something a little bit bigger on the second serve.  I think that's an area I can get better at, because a lot of the top girls, they have a big second serve, which is more flat or they spin it.  It's not always a kick serve.  That's definitely an area I can improve on and get better.

            I think, as well, that the strike can get hard, as well.  But I felt like I stayed in there with her.  Like even the first set I didn't feel like she was winning the games to love.  I felt that it was just like the 30‑Alls, or, you know, the kind of the key points, I just ‑‑ either I didn't make her play enough or she came up with something good.  I always kind of felt like I was in it.

            For me, that's the exciting thing because she played a very good game today.

            Q.  You have had a lot of encouraging results this year, and the second set must be very encouraging?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Absolutely, and I'm playing very well.  There's still ‑‑ you know, like later on after this we're going to sit down with Nino and talk about what can get better, and there are still things I can get better on.

            For me, that's the most important thing, that I know I'm still developing; you know, I can still develop.  I haven't peaked out.  That is very, very encouraging.

            Q.  The draw is going to be quite big for you because the form you're in, you don't really want to draw a really huge name in the first round?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Of course.  I'd like a kind draw, but I think everyone says that going into a Grand Slam.

            You know, unfortunately someone has to get the top seeds.  I'm just hoping it's not going to be me.  If it is me, then I've got to deal with it and I've got to go out there and give it everything I have, you know, because if you don't, then what's the point going on court?  Hopefully it won't be me.

            Q.  Would it be fair to say you're not really afraid of anybody?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah.  Yeah, I'm not afraid of anyone.

            I'm willing to give it a pop even, you know, against the big players.  You know, I'm very happy.  I'm very happy right now with everything.  I think I'm in great form.  It just ‑‑ it really excites me.  You know, a match like this today, I've got absolutely nothing to lose.

            I think it's just very important for me just to see where my tennis was at.  Even though I lost, I'm very delighted.

            Q.  Do you think some younger players will look at you and sort of see what can be achieved with real hard work and sticking at it?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah.  I mean, you look at the juniors that are coming up now in Britain, and I think that when they look at me they think, do you know what?  If she can do that, well, why can't I do that?

            I think that is what they need to be thinking about.  Because if you do work hard and you really believe in yourself, you know, anything is possible.  You don't know what's around the corner.

            Yeah, I think that's ‑‑ but it's very important that they do work very hard.  That's the most important thing.

            Q.  Because it's not always the case, is it?  Youngsters in tennis...

            ELENA BALTACHA:  I think sometimes the youngsters don't quite understand, and I think because they don't have that experience, they don't quite understand what it would take.

            But that's why it's so important to have a good team around you, you know, that they guide you in the right direction. 

            Q.  How would you say the state of women's tennis is now?  Seems to be going on the...

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, definitely getting better.  Heather is on the scene, and that will encourage more players, you know, to work much harder and to really fight for it.

            Q.  What are your thoughts and maybe advice on Laura, who seems to have stalled a little bit at the moment?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  I think Laura has been injured.  I think the other thing that probably hasn't helped her is she's still limited by how many tournaments she plays because she's still quite young.

            But, you know, I think once Laura becomes fully fit and, you know, less injury, kind of injury‑free, then I think she needs to just play tournament after tournament and go through the ITF and then, you know, kind of make her way through that.

            But she needs to be playing more and more tournaments.  But I think the problem was she was injured a lot.

            Q.  There is a lot to be learned about how not to get injured, as well, is it not?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Well, I think it's very individual, isn't it?  Because obviously I went through a lot of kind of injuries myself.

            Again, you need the right people around you, you know, to be doing the right stuff.  I think that will come with experience.  Obviously she's ‑‑ you know, she's a very tall girl and she's been ‑‑ I was reading that she was going through a growth, kind of, spurt.

            You know, but she'll have to see what works best for her, because everyone is very individual.

            Q.  Did you have any issues with the speed of your growth, which Laura, she's nearly 6 feet tall now, when you were 16, 17?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  No, I didn't.  I didn't.  But, I mean, I'm 5'9".  Now when you look at a lot of the girls they're like 6 foot, so I'm ‑‑ I didn't have that problem.

Eastbourne AEGON International. June 15 2011 James Ward

J. TIPSAREVIC/J. Ward

           

6‑3, 4‑6, 6‑2

        

        

JAMES WARD

        

 

            Q.  James, what are your thoughts on today?

            JAMES WARD:  I mean, at the beginning it was a tight first game, and I think that changed a lot.  If I had won that game, maybe the set would have been different.  But I still had chances.  He had chances, as well, but he took them today.

            Q.  Do you feel that probably your best chance was last night, having leveled it?

            JAMES WARD:  Maybe, yeah.  I was starting to play a bit better in the second set I thought.  But again,  like last week, the light stopped us and what can you do?  You know, you come back today and it's a full set to play, same conditions for both.  Just unlucky.

            Q.  Was it that bad out there yesterday?

            JAMES WARD:  Last night?  Well, it was getting quite slippery on one side.  There was a shadow on one side of the court.

            But also, they said we probably wouldn't be able to finish, so we both agreed to play a full set tomorrow instead of maybe finishing one or two games today.

            Q.  Today aside, how happy are you with the way it's gone the last couple of weeks and looking forward to where you're going next?

            JAMES WARD:  Yeah, of course.  It's been a  great week last week, and I played well again here.  You know, I'm playing Tipsarevic.  He's not a low‑ranked player.  He's a top player.  I lost in three sets, tight match.

            Maybe last night would have been different, but you can't look back.  Looking forward to Wimbledon and looking forward to the draw on Friday.  Never know what can happen.

            Q.  Presumably that's what you were looking to do was to follow up your good work last week?

            JAMES WARD:  Yeah, of course.  You try to win every week.  It's not something you want to do, you know, just sit back and rest after one good week.

            I also did well here last year, so it would have been nice to do that again, but it didn't happen.  I look forward to playing again next week.

            Q.  Have you got enough matches on grass in?

            JAMES WARD:  I think I got enough last week and the week before in Nottingham.  I think I'm quite well prepared.  I need to rest a couple of days and practice, and I look forward to playing on Monday or Tuesday, which will be longer matches, five sets, so just get physically prepared for that.

            Q.  What do you feel you have learned most out of the last couple of weeks?

            JAMES WARD:  Learned?  I don't know really, but I got a lot of confidence and belief in myself and know that I can do it now.  It's a great time for it to happen just before Wimbledon and being at home in the best Grand Slam.

            Q.  Last week you were quite deep into it.  Did you speak to Andy more than you would do normally?

            JAMES WARD:  Not really.  We were both doing our own thing.  You know, we played at different times.  We swung around the club a little bit, but just the same as everyone  else.

            I think most people stick to their own groups.  Like he's got his team around him; I've got mine.  Everything was good.  He wished me good luck and vice versa.  It was just the same as any other week.

            Q.  Do you pay attention to how he plays?

            JAMES WARD:  It would be nice, you know.  I would have watched his match against Tipsarevic last week, but he's a bit of a better player than me at the moment.  He obviously knows how to deal with these guys on a regular basis and it's still new for me.

            Q.  You said "at the moment," so you're ambitious to try and be as good as him?

            JAMES WARD:  Of course.  Why not?  He's a top player.  That's what everyone wants to do.  As I said last week, there is a lot of people fighting to do the same thing.  It's not just me.

            Each week is a different challenge.  Again, next week is another big challenge for me.

            Q.  You're thinking that's what you want to do.  That's where you've got to start?

            JAMES WARD:  Of course.  You need to be ambitious, and I am.

            Q.  What's your goal, looking past Wimbledon and maybe at the end of the season?  Have you got any targets?  Maybe top 100, top 50?

            JAMES WARD:  I think top 100 is my goal, which it was at the beginning of the year, as well.  I didn't get off to the best start of the year.  But again, if you look back on my results, I played a lot of good players, especially in Australia, and it's been a tough year.

            But I kept the belief, and now it's starting to pay off a little bit.  No reason why I can't finish the year in top 100.

            Q.  What has Diego said to you?

            JAMES WARD:  Nothing really.  I just had a shower and came in here to speak to you.  I'll speak to him after this.

            Q.  Looking forward to Wimbledon, if you can actually hand‑pick it, would you want winnable matches or ‑‑

            JAMES WARD:  Of course.

            Q.  ‑‑ if you had the chance to play Rafa or Roger on Centre Court?

            JAMES WARD:  Winnable matches, you know.  I'd like to get my ranking up, and that's the main thing, you know.

            It's not about playing Rafa or Roger or Andy on a show court.  I'm a professional.  It's my goal to be a top player, as well.

            If that comes about, then you just have to deal with it and see what can happen.  You never know.  You can beat one of the top guys, as well.  There's no reason why not.

            Q.  Has it been sort of a motivation?  I mean, over the last six months, people have said it's looking brighter on the women's side.  But on the men's side, it's just pretty much Andy.  Do you read that, and does it make you want to push you even more?

            JAMES WARD:  Not really, because I'm pushing myself all the time, you know.  It's very easy for people on the outside to look in and criticize when you're not getting the results, but you just got to keep your head down and keep doing what you're doing.  Then it's nice to show that the hard work does pay off sometimes.