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 14 2011 Elena Baltacha

E. BALTACHA/A. Rezai

           

6‑2, 6‑1

        

      

ELENA BALTACHA

        

            Q.  Was that easier than you expected?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  That was definitely not easy at all.  Even though the scoreline was 2 and 1, it was definitely not that easy.

            The first set we were both just hitting it really hard.  And kind of key points, I played them very well.  But it was very, very difficult, especially the first set.

            Then the second set just carried on playing like really well.  I think she dropped her level slightly, but I just kept playing really well.  I played the whole match very solidly, but it was definitely not easy.

            Q.  Is it easier to get up for another tournament so soon after winning one?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Do you know, I haven't even had time to kind of even really think about last week in a way, because after the final it was like quickly straight in the car and then down here.  It kind of has felt just like, Okay, we'll get to another tournament.

            It just happened so quick, really.  I haven't even really kind of thought about anything.  It was, Okay, great.  I'm playing first round.  Yep, let's go.

            But from last week I take so much confidence, and plus my prep has been perfect for matches on the grass.  The grass plays quite similar to here, so the prep has been really good.

            Q.  Azarenka next.  What do you think of that?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, very exciting.  Very, very exciting.  You know, she's playing very well.

            But again, I'm going to go in with just all heart and give it everything I've got and we'll see what happens.

            Q.  Best form of your career, would you say?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, definitely.  Definitely playing very well.  I've still got things to improve, which I'm working very hard on.

            I still feel that I haven't peaked yet.  I do believe that I can get better.

            But as we kind of sit here, I'm playing kind of the best tennis I have in my whole career.

                       

Eastbourne AEGON International. June 13 2011 Elena Baltacha

ELENA BALTACHA

         

            

            Q.  Welcome back to Eastbourne.  You must be feeling in particularly good spirits after your win in Nottingham?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, definitely.  It's always nice to be back on the grass.  It comes around very quickly every year.  But no, I had a great week last week.  I couldn't ask for better prep.

            Even though the final was moved indoors, my first four matches were obviously played on the grass.  I have had a great week and I'm playing very good tennis.  It's been fantastic prep coming into this week.

            Q.  After a good clay court season, are you feeling fit and ready for the grass court season?  You've not overexerted yourself too much?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  No, definitely.  I think it was a smart move not playing the first week in Nottingham after Roland Garros, because we arrived on Friday and I said, Look, let's just take the week off and just train.

            I think it was a smart move to do that. But I think kind of what I did over the clay, that kind of gave me a lot of confidence, and I felt that my game really improved.  Taking all the stuff that I learned off the clay, I really felt like I used that well in Nottingham last week.  My confidence is sky high.

            Q.  What in particular have you used from playing, transferring it to this surface?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  I think just like tactics.  I'm beginning to find ‑‑ well, I'm beginning to realize that there is other ways that you can kind of dominate and take control rather than kind of hitting the ball a million miles an hour.

            And my serve, my serve has improved a lot.  The variety of the serve, what I do with it, placement is much more key than the power of it.  So a couple of areas.  But I think most of it was the tactics itself.

            Q.  We've seen Heather Watson who did very well here last year and she's rocketing up the rankings and breathing down your neck a bit.  What does this mean to British tennis to have two of you in the top 100?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, it's absolutely fantastic.  I think rivalry is very good.  You're right; she's breathing down my neck.  It's perfect, though, because it's getting me to work much harder.

            I don't want to lose my No. 1 spot.  She's very talented, she's coming up the rankings, she deserves to be in the top 100.  She's a good enough player to do that.

            It's good, because we'll all ‑‑ hopefully we'll get other girls to think if they can do it, I can do it, as well.  It will get everyone kind of raring and working really hard and moving up those rankings.  That's the whole kind of aim of it.

            Q.  Do you have a practice match with her?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  No, no.  We don't train together, obviously because I'm based in Ipswich and she's based in Florida, I think.  So no.  If we see each other at tournaments, sometimes we will hit.

            We hit together at Fed Cup, so that was probably the only time that we've hit so far.

            Q.  Where does grass rank among your favorite surfaces?  The green grass of Wimbledon has not always been kind to the Brits, has it?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Do you know what?  I'd say in the past that grass was definitely my favorite surface.  But to be honest, I kind of don't see it as a favorite surface because there's not enough tournaments really.  I mean, my favorite surface is hard.

            I think when I play on a grass court, I try and play on it like I would on a hard court.  So, yeah, I wouldn't really kind of classify grass as my favorite surface.

            But every year I look forward to getting back on it.  What especially makes it really special is that it's at home, so we're playing all these tournaments at home.  It's just lovely when you get the home crowd there and they're supporting you.  It's got such a special feeling to it.

            Q.  Is your game better equipped to make an impact now on grass than perhaps ever?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, definitely.  And I think the biggest thing that I'm beginning to do is I use my experience.  I'm playing now with my experience.  So I find I've kind of got that on my side, especially when I play kind of the young players.

            And plus, it's going to be my tenth year at Wimbledon, so I have played a few years on the grass.  I think I should be able to, you know, kind of draw back on all the experience that I've had, the good and the bad, and try and, you know, make it work for me like now, especially.

            Q.  Is there a bit of a change in women's tennis, backing up what you've said, really?  Because we have seen at the slams, certainly the French, older players having success; whereas obviously a decade ago it was people in their late teens, early 20s.  Why is that happening now, do you think?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  I think sometimes ‑‑ well, I think it depends on the person, because obviously some players develop later and some will, you know, develop much earlier.  But I think now that the game has really improved.

            You look at the top of the game.  Okay, I know Justine is no longer playing, but if you actually look at all the top girls now, it's very much open because I think the game has really, really improved, and because of the level, I think that the girls are beginning to get better as they get older.  I think really that's kind of the main reason why.

            Q.  How pleased are you to see the Williams sisters back?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, really pleased, really pleased.  I really look up to Serena.  It's been quite strange not seeing her at tournaments, because every time she's at a tournament, I love to go and watch her play.  I like to learn from her and see what she does.  So it will be very interesting how she gets on this week.

            Q.  Have you played against them?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  No, I've never played them.

            Q.  Is that something that would be...

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, it would be ‑‑ I'd love to play them and hopefully not next week, hopefully not first round at Wimbledon.  (Smiling .)  No, I mean, I'd love to play the Williams sisters.

            Q.  Do you think they have an intimidating factor when players go up against them?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  They're unbelievable players and they've dominated for many years.  It would just be an unbelievable opportunity for me if I ever get the chance to play them.

            Q.  At Wimbledon last year it wasn't a particularly good year for the Brits apart from Andy Murray.  Why do you think that was?  Do you think it's the sort of place that puts extra pressure on British players?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  The thing is I can't talk on behalf of the other girls, but for me it was a very hurtful kind of Wimbledon, especially having such a good year.

            But do you know what?  In a way I'm glad it happened for me.  I'm glad it happened, because it made me learn a lot of things.  It's made me improve.  You know, I always say if it doesn't break you, it makes you.  It was the best thing that could have happened to me last Wimbledon.

            Q.  Is that in terms of handling pressure?  Because I think you admitted that maybe you didn't deal with it quite as...

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah.  And I think I had such a good year.  I think just the expectation that I felt for myself and obviously from others, it just got a little bit ‑‑ a little bit, you know, it kind of ‑‑ I didn't really deal with it that great.  I think now when I look back, I think, God, I've completely changed and I'm so much more relaxed.

            You know, mentally I'm much stronger and I can deal with things in a much better way.  So I'm actually really grateful it happened.

            Q.  Have you had any kind of coaching on the psychologic aspect of it?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Well, obviously Nino with his fighting, that's the biggest thing he's helped me with ‑‑ well, one of the biggest thing he's helped me with, with what he did.  Obviously if he wasn't prepared, you know, properly, and he, you know, wasn't switched on all the time, then he would get hurt.

            But that's the one thing we've worked very hard on is the discipline on the practice court and the match court and obviously the mental kind of side, how to keep yourself together and how sure you can be.  That's the biggest thing he's really helped me with.

            Q.  Are you still boxing?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Now and again.  We don't do it as often as what we did in the past, but I still enjoy it when we do.  We still spar sometimes, but yeah, not all the time.

            Q.  What do you think about the Eastbourne tournament?  Seems to be attracting better players every year now.

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Yeah, you know, Eastbourne is my favorite tournament.  I always look forward to coming back here every year.  I think the courts are in such great shape, and it plays very similar to Wimbledon.

            I think that's where it draws a lot of the top players, because it's just a perfect way to prepare going into a Grand Slam.

            Q.  Next year there are two events at Wimbledon with the Olympics there, as well.  Is your mind at all turning ‑‑ presumably you'll be given entry to that?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  Hopefully ‑‑ I mean, I'd like to make the direct acceptance.  That's my main goal.

            But yeah.  I mean, it's only a year away.  It's very exciting.  I mean, I've said that for me I want to play the Olympics, I want to get to the Olympics and maybe then retire after the Olympics.

            It's only a year away, and it's something that I'm very like really looking forward to and thinking about.

            Q.  Have you played at the Olympics before?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  No, it will be my first time.

            Q.  You have had to work very hard to get where you are in the rankings.  Are you pleased to be ‑‑ was it more virtuous to be in the main draw of Wimbledon, having worked hard to get there rather than the wildcard route?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  You know what?  My main goal is to make all four Grand Slams, not just ‑‑ it's not just about Wimbledon.  You know, that's been my goal for a lot of years, and I managed to do it.  It's going to be my second year of making the main draw cuts.

            Yeah, I was very delighted I made the cut on my own ranking.

            Q.  How good is your tennis right now in comparison with over the years?

            ELENA BALTACHA:  I think I'm playing the best tennis that I have.  I still think that I have things to improve on, which I'm working very hard on.  I still don't think I've peaked out, which is the most encouraging and the most positive thing about my tennis.

            I'm in a really good place.  I'm very happy.  I'm working probably harder than I ever have.  I think there's still more things to come.