WIMBLEDON
Date: 2005-06-27

WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2005

Amelie Mauresmo
WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND

The Moderator Questions.

Question Today it seemed to be, to use a football cliche, a match of two halves?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah. You know, really I think the beginning of the match was a little bit tough for me. I couldn't really find my rhythm. I was staying a little bit too far from the baseline for being able to really produce an aggressive game. And I think, you know, my serve wasn't working pretty well, so I had to adjust to that a little bit at the end of that first set to make sure I put the first serve in. You know, I was making way too many double-faults, giving her the opportunities on second serves. I had to adjust a little to that. Yeah, maybe, you know, the two days off were a little bit too much. I had to probably get back into the rhythm in that first set. Then, of course, in the second set was much better. I was more aggressive, finding my game, my rhythm, getting in, reading the ball pretty well. Even when I was staying back, I felt I was pretty strong at the baseline, because, you know, the court being so slow, you still have to play some points from the baseline and go into maybe some long rallies sometimes. But I was feeling pretty comfortable in the second set on this part of the game. Yeah, the most important thing I think is the way I finished, the way I really found my rhythm in that second set. Also at the end of the first set, I was able to make the difference. So, yeah, pretty satisfied about today's match, even though the beginning wasn't my best tennis.

Question Do you think maybe that problem, losing your focus, could be a danger to you from winning the whole tournament?

AMELIE MAURESMO: It's not really focus. It's more of a rhythm thing. I had to adjust a little bit. Also I think the courts are getting slower and slower. It's very hot. You know, it's been hot for eight days now. So the courts are -- really, you can play the whole match from the baseline if you want. I've really found I had to adjust to that a little bit at the beginning.

Question Were you happy enough on No. 1 court again?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I'm happy. I'm happy to go through this one. And also with the way I did on the second part of the game.

Question Looking ahead to the next round. Myskina or Dementieva.

AMELIE MAURESMO: I think Dementieva is leading, right, pretty easily. Yeah, I watched a little of the first set. She seemed to dominate this match, even though Myskina is making a lot of unforced errors. You know, it's tough matches now anyway, against opponents that obviously feel pretty comfortable on the surface so far. You know, I guess it's going to be tomorrow. You know, that's fine with me. I like to keep going. You know, we'll see how it goes. She's hitting the ball a little harder than Likhovtseva was today, but maybe not coming in as much as Elena. We'll see how it goes.

Question Do you think maybe people might start taking your threat seriously now?

AMELIE MAURESMO: We'll see. You know, maybe. I don't really care about that. I know what my game is. I know what my weapons are on these courts. That's fine with me if people start to think about me. You know, it's the last eight, so of course you have to think about everybody.

Question You have so many ways you can play, you have all the shots - you can play from the back, you can come forward. Is it sometimes a matter of actually clouding your brain about thinking the right way to play?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah. You know, that's why I was talking about, I couldn't really find the rhythm. Am I supposed to come in? Do I stay back? Do I serve and volley? Or really do I go to the net after one or two extra shots? Yeah, sometimes when you have different opportunities, you ask yourself sometimes too many questions. Sometimes it's not so good. But I still, you know, enjoy the fact that I can play both, you know, coming in or stay back. I think it's still a weapon, so that's good.

Question What have you learnt from your experience last year that makes you a better player here at Wimbledon now?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I think, you know, taking the opportunities. I think last year, even though I played a great match in the semifinal, I still think I had probably only two or three points, some occasions I didn't take like hundred percent. I think that probably made the difference at the end of the day.

Question Do you remember much about your match? I think you played Dementieva at the US Open.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yes. Well, it was a very, very strange match. A lot of breaks actually in that match. I can't remember how many. I remember we both didn't really play our best tennis. Yeah, I think it was 7-6 in the third. Very close match, very tight match. Obviously, I've learned also from this match to - I hope - do a little bit better tomorrow.

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