Post-match interviews with Melanie Oudin and Michelle Larcher de Brito

 

Post match Interview with Melanie Oudin

-Congrats for your win today! How does it feel to be back on grass, where you have done so well in the past?

It’s good, I mean, I love the grass. Obviously I’ve done well in past but every year it is tough…this is the first tournament of the year on it and I have never done well here actually. I had some tough rounds here in the past, plus I played Heather (Watson) last year in the first round.

I think I’m really solid so far, I’m serving really well and returning well, I mean that’s the most important thing on the grass. I’m so far so good, I mean, I’m really happy with how I played my past two matches, so hopefully I can get some momentum and be able to play the same again tomorrow.

- Obviously it is not easy for you after the bad injury during the off season. How are you feeling right now?

Good, I mean, it was a long time out so I just need to play a lot of matches. I mean, this is the best consistent I have played, these past two matches, like I just need the match to play, you know, I mean for being out for so long, I mean, everyone is playing the whole year so I’m pretty fresh and I’m definitely looking forward to playing a lot of matches in this grass season.

-What is next on your schedule now?

Birmingham and then Wimbledon in the qualies, so, you never know, I mean if you win this tournament or you do well on the grass, like I know Wimbledon has WCs to give away. So yeah, I mean, it would be awesome if I could do well enough to get one maybe, but if not playing Wimbledon qualies is fine, like I said, I just need the matches.

-What about the goals for the rest of the season?

Right now I just need to be patient with myself and, you know, getting into tournaments, like really get my focus back, because I played so up and down lately, but, yeah I mean, my goal is to get back in top100 again, you know, I want to try by the US Open to be top100 again.

 

-Are you optimistic about a WC for the home slam?

I don’t know, last year I didn’t get one, so I’m not sure, I mean, I think honestly for me right now it’s better to play qualies, like I need to earn my way again and just get those matches, you know, and might be ready for those top players in the main draw.

Post match Interview with Michelle Larcher de Brito

-Congratulations for such a big fight today, how are you feeling?

So far so good. I’ve had two tough matches and I am just glad I’ve past two rounds and, you know, it gets better every day and I start feeling more comfortable on the grass.

- You have done well on this surface in the past, do you like it a lot?

Yeah, it’s nice and fast, so it really suits my game, you know, I play very flat and it helps me, playing on the grass. It is little tricky obviously cause you are kinda nervous about falling and getting injured. I once fell and I was out for three months, so it’s a little scary to play but it’s very nice surface and I think it suits my game.

-After breaking through so young, like you did, how hard it is to confirm your status and stay on the top of the game?

I don’t know, it’s like, you come out and you are the underdog, nobody knows you and it’s kinda easy, you know, to win few matches because nobody really knows you at first, but once people get to know you, they study your game, they get to know you better so then obviously players come up more prepared knowing your weaknesses.

But you know, it’s ok, I mean, it’s part of tennis, a lot of people have ups and downs, and you know, I’m just trying to keep my best and stay happy . I’ve just got to stay positive and keep going and stay happy no matter what happens.

- The match was very tough, you’ve been up 5-2, Coco (Vandeweghe) seemed out of the match, but on every match point she came up with stunning winners. How hard is it to stay focused when such things happen?

I’ve just tried to stay as calm as possible, it was really hard at one stage. You know, even though you’re winning, you know, it’s tough to close it out, it’s always the hardest part of the match, the end, you know.

I’ve got really nervous but I’ve just tried to stay as calm as possible and keep fighting. And it was very nerve wracking but, you know, I’ve just wanted things start working, you know, tried to stay calmer. Sometimes you let out the frustration a little bit but, you know, I’m glad, I’m very glad… you know, I’m not happy that happened but sometimes I’m glad that such things happen because I’m teaching myself to remain calm, I don’t need to freak out ‘cause, you know, I’m in the winning end, so stay calm and walk through.

-What are your goals for this season on grass then?

I don’t know, you know, just win as many matches as possible, I was here trying to get as many points as possible before Wimbledon, also because I have so many points to defend there. So, you know, I’m just trying to get confident on the grass and feel better about my game and just do my best.

-What about the rest of the season?           

You never know what is gonna happen, I’m just trying to work on my game and trying to do my best,. You know, I’d love to… I’m really close to be in the top 100 so it would be nice to get back there but, you know, I’m just trying to work on everything and just, you know, do my best.

There’s nothing else you can do, you know, tennis is such a tricky game, so you have to just get, you know, remain as confident as possible and get out all you can do and that is it all.