Eastbourne AEGON International. June 18 2011 Sam Stosur

M. BARTOLI/S. Stosur

           

6‑3, 6‑1

        

        

SAMANTHA STOSUR

        

            THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

            Q.  Pretty ordinary conditions out there?  Not much fun?

            SAMANTHA STOSUR:  No.  (Smiling.)

            Yeah, I mean, I thought the other day when I played Vera it was the worst I had ever played in, but I think today was even worse than that.  It definitely wasn't easy at all.

            Yeah, it's one of those days where you've just gotta try hard and do whatever you can to try and get through, because it's very hard to hit, you know, the shots that you want.

            Q.  Frustrating when you're trying to be attacking in those sort of conditions because you have such a small margin of error?

            SAMANTHA STOSUR:  Yeah, absolutely.  It's the same for both of us.  Marion hits the ball pretty hard and flat and kind of goes forward and whatever else.

            But, yeah, it was almost like she could get that first short in more times than I could and I was kind of on the back foot.  Yeah, it's just not easy.

            Q.  Is your mind already on Wimbledon today?  The draw is out.  Any part of that today?

            SAMANTHA STOSUR:  No, I don't think so.  I think, you know, we work up today all four of us knowing that hopefully we're going to have two matches to play today.  Yeah, I haven't thought about Wimbledon since I've seen the draw, so it's just one of those things.

            Q.  In view of the conditions, how good of preparation is this for Wimbledon?

            SAMANTHA STOSUR:  Oh, it's been great.  It's been a really good week for me here.  You know, in spite of this match today, you know, I'm going to into Wimbledon feeling good.  I think I played some really good tennis here and got through some really good matches.

            So it's pretty much been exactly what I would want going into Wimbledon, and hopefully I can play well there as well.

            Q.  Do you think this is perhaps the most open Wimbledon for some years for women?

            SAMANTHA STOSUR:  Well, possibly.  I mean, it seems like every time a Grand Slam rolls by, everyone thinks it's the most open Grand Slam that's ever happened.

            You know, again, all the same players are in it once again.  There is a big group, I guess, that could do well and possibly win it.

            So I guess it's hard to say who the favorite would be right now, but as the tournament goes on, I'm sure it will become clear.

            Q.  A question regarding Serena Williams, how did you find her here, her games?

            SAMANTHA STOSUR:  Well, I didn't watch too much of her play, but yeah, a first tournament back in a year is always difficult.

            I'm sure she was ready to play here.  I guess the biggest test will be next week now that she has had a couple of matches and kind of got her feet back and whatever else.  So I guess she's ready to go.

Roland Garros. May 2011 - Samantha Stosur

G. DULKO/S. Stosur

6 4, 1 6, 6 3

SAMANTHA STOSUR



Q. Were you at any point feeling comfortable out there today?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Um, yeah. There was definitely times when I felt like I was right in the match and I definitely had chances to try and get ahead.
I think after I won that second set I felt like, you know, I had more of the momentum and got a break up, and things really turned around again.

Q. What was the main issue you got with your game?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I don't know. I think there's a few things from today. Obviously the conditions were pretty tough and it wasn't good for either of us, probably.
She seemed to be out ahead a little bit better and really kind of be the one dictating the points, which, for me, I'm usually the one able to do that.
Pretty much right from the first game she kind of set that tone, and it was very difficult for me to turn that around.

Q. Obviously considering your form in the last round, how disappointing is today's result?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: No doubt it's disappointing regardless of how well I played the round before. But I guess it's even maybe a bit more of a surprise, from two days' difference, you can play a really, really great match to today, which was probably about average.
So, yeah, it's definitely unfortunate, but, like I said, I think she played very well. And there was certainly times when I thought I could get myself into it regardless of how good or bad I thought I was playing.

Q. You were coughing at the change. Are you sick?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: I have had a cold for about four, five, six days. I think I'm towards the end of it, but my voice and coughs is kind of a bit worse.

Q. We expected a semifinal, in semifinal a rematch between you and Francesca Schiavone. Unfortunately you lost. Do you think that Schiavone can return in the final?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Who knows? I think there's a few players that can still do very well here, and obviously Francesca, having won last year, may have a bit of an edge with some of the girls that haven't won a Grand Slam yet.
You know, I think she can she's definitely got the possibility of doing well. Whether she can win it, we have to wait and see.

Q. Final?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Who knows? She did it once. She can do it again.

Q. We clearly saw you disappointed. What can you do to put this behind you quickly and move on?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, well, I think basically just that, move on. And, you know, the year's not finished yet. There's still a few months to go, and this is only the second Grand Slam of the year.
So as disappointing as it is to leave here in the third round, I think now I've got a really good opportunity to try and prepare myself as best as I can for Wimbledon and try and have a good result there, and then obviously on the hard courts.
It's obviously very disappointing but it's hopefully not the end of the world and it's not gonna change the way I play or the way I go into my next match.

Q. I guess after such a result, does any part of you just wonder if you can ever win a Grand Slam title?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, I'm not I guess I'm not thinking of it as that big a catastrophe right now because I didn't win, you know, this year. And I was a long way from doing it anyway, only being in the third round.
You know, I'm not gonna walk away from here thinking I've lost all my chances and the time is over.

Roland Garros. May 2011 - Samantha Stosur

S. STOSUR/I. Benseova

6 2, 6 3

SAMANTHA STOSUR

Q. It was a very solid start and great start of the tournament today. Or how were you feeling on the center court?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, it was nice. It was nice to get back out there again and play a really solid first round. So I thought I played really quite well today. I served quite well. The conditions weren't always so easy with some gusts of wind and whatever else, but, yeah, overall, very happy.

Q. How did you find the ball and the ball speed?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Fine, yeah, good. I think they're still pretty bouncy even this morning when it's not too lively out there and the sun isn't beating down quite as much as in the afternoon. It still gets up high and you can really kind of manipulate it how you want.

Q. What were your thoughts as you walked out there, you know, a year later? What was the first thing that sort of went through your head?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: That there weren't quite as many people this time. (Laughter.)
No, it was a nice feeling. Obviously I thought of last year's last match, but, no, it was nice to get out there again and, of course, if you can play on any court here you'd want to play on that one.

Q. Do you feel any pressure, though? Obviously you were one away from winning last year, and now it's starting again that you have to prove, you know, yourself to yourself, or to anyone?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: No, I don't think I have to necessarily prove anything. I think having made semis and a final, I think that kind of proves that I have been able to back it up and it wasn't a fluke the first time. Of course I'd love to go a little bit further this year, but I think it's more just wanting to achieve that rather than I have to do it because of X, Y, and Z.

Q. Do the balls-- do you notice a difference from last year?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Um, to be honest, not really. They might be a little bit harder. I don't think that's a bad thing or a good thing. It's just what they are.
No, I think they still go through the air. You can still for me hit with speed and hit the ball hard, they still about drop. Yeah, I think they're fine.

Q. This is the sixth year they've started this tournament on the Sunday, the only Grand Slam who does that. Do you think it's a good idea? Do you kind of not have an opinion? Would you prefer it to be like the others? Or just your thoughts on it.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: It's just different. Obviously it's different. You've got an extra day, but I think with all the others not doing it, it definitely is a bit of, not a shock, but it's just weird knowing that, okay, my tournament starts on Sunday and then I think you get two days off now.
So it's just a bit of a different feel, and I guess there's still a lot more people here practicing today than playing matches. You've just got to get your head around it.
I think if you're prepared for it, then it's fine.

Q. Would you prefer not to play on this day?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: In some ways, yes, but in other ways it doesn't really matter. I'm into the second round pretty early, so that's also a good thing.

Q. How did you feel physically? Are you 100% now after that virus last week?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Yeah, I feel fine out there now, so I guess-- yeah, again, good to get this one out of the way. You can have another couple of days off from matches, and, yeah, maybe for any last little residual bugs hanging around can you get rid of them. Yeah, I felt fine today.

Q. Your thoughts on the second-round opponent?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Can you tell me who it is?

Q. Simona.
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, Halep. Yeah. We played last year. Yeah, I haven't seen her play since last year, so I guess I have to remember what that actually was, but she's come probably a long way since that time. I think she was a qualifier last year, obviously now she's directly in. I think she's around 60 or so so she's improving. I definitely have to be on my game.

Q. Do you think your game has improved-- how much do you think your game has improved from this time last year or has it?
SAMANTHA STOSUR: Oh, I think I'm overall getting better and better. I hope I'm getting a better player, more complete player as each year goes on, but I think this time last year obviously I played some of the best matches of my career, and hopefully I can do that again this week.