Roland Garros June 1 2011 - Andrea Petkovic

M. SHARAPOVA/A. Petkovic

           

6‑0, 6‑3

           

           

ANDREA PETKOVIC

   

            Q.  What went wrong today for you?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  I think it was the beginning, definitely.  I think I started off really slow.  Well, actually, more my serve I think was a big problem today.  I didn't feel my serve at all.

            And I also felt she played flawless in the first set.  I think she maybe made two or three unforced errors.  Normally you expect Maria to give you more free points.  She didn't at all.

            I think she also played a great, solid match.  So it wasn't only me.  Definitely my serve wasn't as good as the previous matches before, so she took full advantage of it.

            I think in the second set I came back, and it was just maybe for an instant I could have turned the match.  Unfortunately, I couldn't take the chances that I had.  But I think it was just for an inch and maybe I would have turned.

            As I said, I think she played a great solid match.  Yeah, she definitely deserved to win.

                   (Through French translation.)

Q.        What was the biggest problem in Maria's game today?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  (In English.)  Okay, switching to French.

            (In French.)  I think she played long.  There were very strong balls, but she plays very long balls, as well, and you can't attack on her balls.

            But she's very stable, mentally speaking.  She's playing each point, and she's a great champion.  I have huge respect.

            But I also think that today I didn't play my best tennis.  I didn't play that well.  When I play better, I have opportunities against any player in the world.

            But she did play very well today.

            Q.  What's the difference between today and the match in the Australian Open, not just the result?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  Well, I served much better, and that does make a huge difference against her, because I think she's one of the ‑‑ she has one of the best returns on the tour.

            In the Australian Open I served very well, but today I had no serve, no service.  I think she played much better, as well, because she didn't make any unforced error.  That did make a difference.

            Q.  According to you, who could be the favorite of the tournament?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  That's very difficult, but I think Maria has great experience.  I think she has great opportunity to win the grand Grand Slam.  I don't know how you say it.

            But mentally she's very stable.  She played very well today.  She's very solid.  That makes her a lot of difference having the experience of winning, winning a slam.

            So she has a great opportunity.  But all the others, I mean, all the other girls have an opportunity to win.

            Q.  What do you think about the way Marion Bartoli evolved?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  I played her in Strasbourg, and I did realize how well she plays.  After the match, I said, Well, Marion I hope you're gonna recover, because she had withdrawn at that time.

            I said, I hope you're going to recover because you hit the ball perfectly, and I think you're going to be perfect in Paris.

            She does show that I was right.

            Q.  So you're not surprised by the way her game has developed on clay?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  No, not at all.  I played against her, and, you know, when you're actually on the court playing against another player, you can feel the balls.

            I could feel that she had wonderful strokes.  That's in Strasbourg that I did realize she would play very well.

            Q.  All these gimmicks, all this routine in between the points, is it a problem for the opponent?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  I don't know.  I can't say for the others.  I can't speak for the others.  But as for me, I'm not looking at what the other player is doing.

            I'm just focusing on myself.  I'm not looking at what she does, but all girls are different.  If it makes her feel comfortable, she has to do it.

            THE MODERATOR:  Questions in English?

            Q.  How do you think you've been in this particular tournament?  Have you been pleased with how you've played, obviously, up until now, but overall and in comparison to how you did last year?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  Well, I am pleased with the way I played here.  I have to say I didn't really play ‑‑ except one set against Maria Kirilenko I didn't play my best tennis, but I was able to get through to the quarterfinals.

            Sometimes that's worth more than playing well, incredibly well, and getting to the quarterfinals.

            So I'm pleased with my mental stability now.  I'm pleased with the way ‑‑ also, today, you know, nothing was really going well, but I was able to stay in the match, and I almost turned it around.

            I'm pleased with the way I developed from last year, and I still think and I still believe I'm at the beginning of my road, and I'm going to be much stronger in the years to come.

            So it's okay.  Of course today it wasn't my day at all, but I think you have to just look past that and try to learn from it.

            Q.  And what will be your plans and preparations now to go on to the grass court season?  How do you make that shift from Paris?

            ANDREA PETKOVIC:  I really like playing on grass.  I really enjoy ‑‑ I think I have a good volley, and I think I'm going to try to get in more often, and also try to play a little bit more slice and mix it up a little bit.

            So I'm really looking forward to developing my game and bringing it to the next level.  I'm gonna take two or three days off, try to relax a little bit, take care of my body.  You know, during a Grand Slam some things just turn out a little bit ‑‑ not injuries, but things start to hurt after three or two weeks.

            So I'm gonna take care of my body, and then go to Eastbourne and try to prepare.

Roland Garros May 30 2011 - Andrea Petkovic

A. PETKOVIC/M. Kirilenko

6 2, 2 6, 6 4


ANDREA PETKOVIC

Q. Another day when your mental strength was tested. Talk about the end of that match.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah, everything has been testing now what I learned in the past year. Everything's been I've been tested in the past four matches, I think. Today was the toughest of all.
I'm really happy, because I had two or three games where I really lost control of my mental structure, and, yeah, of my mental toughness. I lost control for two or three games. I'm really happy that I gained it back and that I was able to strike back and to lift up my game to another level and hit the ball again.
I think that was the crucial part in the end.

Q. Congratulations.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Thank you.

Q. Next match is gonna be another test for you. Talk a little bit about that.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Who do I play?

Q. Maria.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Okay. Yeah, I mean, any quarterfinal in a Grand Slams going to be a test. I played her two times this year already. She's a great champion and I have a lot of respect for her. I really admire her not only as a player, but as an athlete and how she handles herself. I think she does a great job, and I think she's representing women's tennis great.
So I feel honored to be in the quarterfinals at all, and even more playing such a champion. I think I'm going to be, yeah, tested again. I really think I have to play my best clay court tennis to beat her. I know I'm able to do that, so I'll try to recover and give it my best shot in two days.

Q. Do you feel wide eyed about being in the quarterfinals of slam now, or do you feel you really belong here and this feels normal to you and appropriate?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I don't feel that surprised, I have to honestly say. It's not like I expected it from me, but I don't feel surprised at all, because I've shown especially in this year and this season that I belong there and that I can beat all those players.
Also, of course, I had a different kind of pressure now than in Australia, because I was also supposed to beat those players this time. In Australia I was kind of like a rookie playing just playing and not thinking.
Now I've been also tested the other way around. I was supposed to beat these players and I did, and so I feel like I belong there, yeah.

Q. Have you been in contact at all with Steffi? And secondly, how would you describe your movement after the victory today?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, the movement after my victory was so bad. I had no strength to do it properly today, so I'm sorry for that. But I tried my best.
No, I haven't been in contact really with her. The last time I talked to her was during Fed Cup. She called our Fed Cup captain, Barbara, during the dinner before it started and wished us all good luck.
She told us that she's going to come to one of the next Fed Cup ties, so I really hope I can see her again there. And maybe I'm planning on before the U.S. tour going to Las Vegas again, so I should see her there.

Q. She should be in town I believe so for an endorsement.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Oh, yeah, that's cool.

Q. Would you like to see her?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I would. Then the contact is going to happen earlier than I thought. (Smiling.) If I don't die here in this light before.

__________________

Roland Garros May 2011 - Andrea Petkovic

A. PETKOVIC/J. Gajdosova

6 2, 4 6, 6 3

ANDREA PETKOVIC



Q. It was a very tough match. You seemed to be able to keep it together very well in the last set.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah, I'm really proud of myself that I managed to compose myself and managed to keep fighting in the third set. I had a few chances I think three or four break chances in the second set. It could have been done by now already, by the time of the second set.
I missed just for a few centimeters actually three or four forehands. After that she relaxed her arm and she just played incredibly well couple of games. So there was really nothing else I could do.
In the third set I was happy that I composed myself and waited for my chances to come. They eventually came and I took them, and I'm really happy I went through.

Q. You've had a great year and the draw is wide, wide open. How do you sort of rate your chances to go all the way here?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I definitely think I have chances. But I think chances are always there. It doesn't matter how the draw is. If I play well I can beat anybody in the world, so it doesn't really matter how the draw looks like.
I think I have to focus on the next match. Everybody who is in the fourth round of a Grand Slam must be playing really, really well. There are the best players in the world are here.
And actually also when you see somebody like Clijsters going out, Wozniacki going out, you should be on your toes all the time and be aware that all the girl out there are playing great tennis. You just have to be 100% to beat them and go further in the Grand Slams.
I'm really happy I'm again in the second week of a Grand Slam. Yeah. Also in doubles, by the way. (Laughter.)

Q. How is the relationship with your new coach, Heinz Günthardt, going?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, Heinz is not my coach. He's just my consultant. My coach is Peter Popovic. Heinz is just a consultant. I work with him eight weeks a year, so I wouldn't really call him a coach.
But it's going great. You know, I really enjoy getting some new inspirations and input from the outside. Sometimes when you work together close as me and Peter you actually forget or you actually cannot see things that have to be improved anymore because you're so close that you cannot see anything.
Heinz is just giving great input from the outside. I'm also happy that the two guys, Peter and Heinz, get along so well. That's very important to know this. I think I have a lot more things to learn.

Q. Is he here?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: He's here, yeah. I think he couldn't watch my match actually because from 3:00 he had to do TV. I think he had to do Rafa or something, I'm not sure.
So that was a pity. But he was there for my practice today in the morning, and he's there for all the practices and whenever he can. Unless Roger and Rafa are playing. They are more important than me still. (Laughing.)

Q. Congratulations.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Thanks.

Q. Although we miss your dance dearly. So Kim loses; Maria barely survives; Caroline goes out. Rafa struggles on the men's side. In tournaments, sometimes is there just a feeling? Is there a connection? A buzz? Is there ever a sense that something is happening?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, you know, that's probably true. I think there is just when you see the first one going out, all the other players in the locker room, they are watching the matches and they go, Wait a minute. I could be that one maybe.
And also, if you are just not at 100%, even guys like Rafa and Roger, if you just give away 1%, the other guys are good enough to be there and take their chances.
As I already said before, you have to be on your toes all the time. Even if you go into the match as favorites sometimes, you just have to be aware that everybody who is here, we are at a Grand Slam. The best players in the world are here.
Everybody who is here knows how to play tennis. You are just have to be on your toes and be aware all the time and try to give 100%, otherwise you're going out sooner than you know.

Q. Speaking of on your toes, if you win this tournament, would you consider giving us the dance then?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: If I win here, I give you anything you want. (Laughter.)

Q. We'll talk later.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: (Laughter.)

Q. People have looked at the women's game, and they look at how wide open it is. Certain people aren't playing and think the women's game is in great shape because it's so wide open and it's interesting. Some people say it's in terrible shape because of the same thing. How do you look at it?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, you know, I look at it as a change of generation right now. I just feel like, you know, the top stairs stars that we're all used to, like the Williams sisters and Kim Clijsters, are just start off retiring slowly.
I mean, I don't think the Williams sisters will be around any longer, more than two or three or four years. I don't know. Kim also already said she wants to do the Olympic Games and then she's gone.
I think the players that are coming up I'm thinking about a girl like Kvitova, Julia Goerges, all these great players that are coming up are still not that consistent to be dominant.
I think it's just a change of generation that is happening right now. That's why the fields are so wide open, because there is no dominant figure. The top stars are slowly going away and the new generation is not as stable as it will be I think in two or three years.
I'm definitely sure that in two or three years it will be a different story with the same players that we have now. Just we going to say then, Oh, look at Kvitova. She's a dominant. Look at Julia, look at this girl and this girl.
I think we just have to wait and see. I think my future telling will be right. (Laughter.)

Q. Just about the quality of dominance, there were times when Venus would walk on the court, Serena, even Justine, and players just knew they didn't have much of a chance.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Uh huh.

Q. Is that a factor in tennis, just out of the locker room you just know you really don't have really much of a chance?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I don't know. I'm not so long on tour now to really tell, because I'm on tour now for maybe two years. Since I'm there, I always have the feeling that well, from my part at least I never went into matches I played Justine, I played Serena. I played all of them in three sets. I played Venus.
And I never went into the match thinking, Okay, I don't have to chance. I always went into the match thinking that I'm going to win for sure. I think that's just also this new attitude of young players coming up, going into the matches with the top stars and believing they can beat them no matter what.
That's the difference. Because in earlier times I also remember Steffi, the first four or five games in a Grand Slam actually didn't matter at all. I think the reporters didn't even watch. I'm not sure if they watch us today.
But still, because it really didn't matter. It was just a matter if she loses two or three games. So that's just not there anymore. Any player who plays a top star just believes they can beat them, and that's the big difference. The attitude alone makes a huge difference.

Q. Speaking of the new generation, now your country have a lot of good players, like you and Julia and Sabine.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. Do you think it has any special program or something, support from your country like federation or something?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: That's really funny, because like I remember last year it was exactly the same program and exactly the same federation, and everybody was talking how bad the program in Germany is.
Now we are playing well and everybody is saying, Wow, the federation in Germany must be doing something right. Sometimes it's just a coincidence. Now we are just all playing so well, and somehow German Federation seems to be everything right.
If I remember, last year German Federation couldn't do anything right. So I don't know. I just feel like also we are pulling each other up, you know. When I beat Wozniacki when I played well in Miami, when I played well in Australian Open, I mean, we practice together and the girls see, Okay, wait, this Petkovic is not far away from me at all. I can do the same.
So Julia win in Stuttgart, and Sabine goes like, Wait a minute. I can beat Julia in practice. She qualifies here and almost beats Zvonareva.
So it's just a very healthy competition that's going on. We're all friends, and I play doubles with Julia. It's just positive energy that we sort of, yeah, that we sort of push to each other every time in each tournament.
I think it's a great atmosphere right now in Germany to play and to have this new rising of the German stars. Yeah.

Roland Garros. May 2011 - Andrea Petkovic

A. PETKOVIC/L. Hradecka

7 6, 6 2

ANDREA PETKOVIC

Q. How do you think it went today?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: I think I played solid. I wouldn't say it was an amazing match, but obviously the conditions were tough today. She served incredible in the first set.
Later she dropped a little in the first serve percentage, and I was able to exploit that in the right moments.
I think I played a solid tiebreak, and the most important points I think I played well.
I'm satisfied.

Q. And your next match is against either Gajdosova or Medina Garrigues. Do you have thoughts on either?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, I played Jarka in Brisbane, which was I won, but it was a really tough match. She has I think one of the best strokes in the world. She just hits so hard and serves really well.
And Anabel I played I lost the last time I played her, but it was I think two years ago or maybe a year ago, so I will watch the match and try to prepare as well as possible and also send my coach to see a little bit so I can relax.
And I think I'm gonna be fine, yeah.

Q. This is not about the match, but do you change your dance recently? Why?
ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, I said I wanted to stop dancing, and it's not a real dance anymore.
But after I stopped, I lost two times in the second round, and I played the most horrible tennis of my life probably. So I figure I think I have to change something. And in Strasbourg, because I think it fits for clay, the moonwalk, and I brought it in and I won the tournament. And I'm here in the third round, so I think it's going well. I have to keep it up.