Anne
Keothavong's interview after her win 6-2, 6-4 over Naomi
Broady at the Wimbledon 2011
By LadyDragon
LONDON--(LadyDragon.com)21/06/11--Q. Must have been nice to get
back to winning ways at Wimbledon
ANNE KEOTHAVONG:
Yeah, you know, it wasn't an easy match out there. You're
playing another British player. It was a match where
really she had nothing to lose and, you know, I was the
one who, yeah, was expected to win. All the pressure's on
me.
You know, it was a
tough match, but I'm glad I came through it. And, yeah, I
have another opportunity to play again this week.
Q. Serve was quite big at the start. How was it coping
with how fast she was serving?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, you know, I played her a few weeks
ago. She has got a very big first serve. You know, she's
got quite a role game at the moment. I've just been
joking about it. After the match we were kind of
laughing. I was kind of laughing anyway, because some of
the serves I hit, I didn't really want to look at the
speed gun. It was a bit embarrassing.
Yeah, she's got a big serve. And it was tough initially.
But, uhm, you know, that's her strength, yeah.
Q. Second round for the third time. You're up against
a top 10 seed again. Do you feel you're unlucky with the
draw?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No, not at all. Every match here is a
tough match. Petra is no different. I played her before
the French Open, and it was in her hometown where I was
actually leading in the first set. We had a good match
there. It was on clay. But, you know, her game is more
suited to grass.
She's going to be tough. But I feel like in the next
match I'll be able to be a bit more relaxed and just
swing out a bit more.
Q. As the match developed, you seemed to be really
enjoying it again after quite a tough few months.
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, uhm, you know, this year's been up
and down for me. Like I said before, that's a really
difficult match for me to play, not only because it's
here at Wimbledon, back on the same court where I lost
the match last year where I was up in the final set, but
also, you know, playing another British player who's a
good friend.
You know, it's hard because of the pressures. But, uhm,
I'm just pleased to get through it.
Q. You know as well as anyone what it's like for
British players to come here, the expectations. Is there
anything that you've learned over the years how to
prepare for this? Is there anything you did differently
this year?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Uhm, I don't think there's any kind of
right way to go about it. Every year's a different year.
It doesn't get any easier.
I mean, as you get older, you become more experienced and
learn to handle certain things in a better way. You know,
the nerves are still there because it's a big tournament.
It's a place where, as a British player, of course you
want to do well.
So, yeah, it doesn't get any easier from that point of
view.
Q. Have you done anything differently this year?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: There are certain things. I'm constantly
trying to work on different things and improve. But, you
know, you've got to try different things. You don't know
necessarily whether it's the right way or the wrong way.
You can only go out there. The only thing you can
guarantee is giving it your absolute best when you're out
on the court.
You can work on forehands and backhands all day long, but
when you're out there on the court and you get tight and
nervy, it counts for nothing and you've just got to find
a way.
Q. Was it like stepping back into a nightmare again
going back onto that court?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Not quite a nightmare. I wouldn't put it
like that. Obviously it's nice to kind of banish the
memories I have of last year on that and replace it with
other ones. I made it a point of sitting on the other
side of the umpire's chair. I had friends and family
seated in different places. So it was, yeah, different.
Q. Did you sense, because of everybody going out in
the first round last year, did you feel that put a lot
more pressure on you given that you were expected to win?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah. You know, it's a match where I
have nothing to gain really apart from some extra points
on the computer to help my ranking, you know, because
everyone expects me to win that match. I expect to win
that match. I'm playing another British player who's
younger; not as experienced, not as highly ranked.
So, yeah, you know, the expectations are there. So for me
I'm just pleased just to get through it. I didn't lose my
serve today. You know, despite how I feel about how I
served, I didn't lose a serve. It's a match I won in two
straight sets.
Q. What did you think when you saw the order of play
and saw the court you were on?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Just laughed.
Q. It didn't concern you, didn't make you think, Oh,
no, not again?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No. Apart from the fact that I wanted to
sit on the other side of the umpire's chair, that was
all.
Q. Katie was talking yesterday about the financial
pressures when you're outside the top 100. It's made her
consider a future in the past and it's making her do so
now. A win like that must really reinvigorate you after
having similar feelings yourself after Australia?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Uhm, yeah, I guess, you know, it has
been a tough year. It's been up and down for me. I've had
some good wins, but I've had some terrible losses this
year.
But, you know, I'm at the stage in my career where I just
want to go out there and give it my best. If it's good
enough on the day, great. If it's not, too bad; you know,
you move on.
But this is a life that I'm not going to have forever. I
don't know how long I've got in this game. Injuries play
a part. You know, you have different priorities as you
get older. So from my point of view, you know, I had to
go out there as if it was my last Wimbledon. There's no
guarantee that I'll be back again next year.
For me, I just want to know that I've given it everything
when I do hang up my racquets. I'll be able to live with
that.
Q. You're working with Jeremy now, who had to shoulder
the British thing pre Tim and Greg. Has he been a help
getting your mind right for Wimbledon?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah. You know, it's not just about
Wimbledon. It's also about the months ahead. I've really
enjoyed working with him. I have a lot of respect for him
for what he's achieved in the game, also.
You know, we bounce ideas off each other. I think we've
got a good relationship. He's someone I can learn a lot
from.
Q. Do you think because of what you've been through
over the last couple of years with injuries and form,
things like that, do you think if you might have lost
today, that could have possibly been your last time here?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Uhm, you know, it didn't really cross my
mind about losing today's match. It was quite clear the
standard of tennis wasn't super high, but I think that's
because of what's on the line, the expectations. It was
never going to be a pretty match.
But, you know, losing wasn't something that crossed my
mind. I knew that if I put in an average performance, it
was going to be good enough today.
Q. You'll go into Petra full of confidence in a couple
days' time?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: It's a match I'm just looking forward
to, completely different pressures compared to today's
match. I can look at it from a different angle, you know.
Obviously she's a lot higher ranked. She's got a big
game.
But, you know, we had a good match a couple of weeks ago
when we last played. So, you know, I'm just looking
forward to going out there and, again, giving it my all,
and we'll see what happens on the day.
Q. It's always good to see your brother James around
at the same tournaments. Do you ever have chats regarding
each other's matches?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: No, I haven't yet. I haven't seen him at
all the last couple days. We've just been sending each
other a few messages. We're a very tight knit family and
we're supportive of each other's careers, what the other
does.
It's nice to know not just him but other members of my
family have my best interests, as well. He's got to focus
on his job and I'm doing what I'm doing.
Q. The British men in particular are coming from a lot
of stick in the recent past. Can you tell us briefly what
you think the state of the game is as far as British
women are concerned?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Over the last few years we've had a few
girls crack the top 100, and myself and Bali crack the
top 50. We have younger players who are coming through.
Nothing happens overnight in the game of tennis. It's a
work in progress. You can't just switch it on just like
that. Your career doesn't just revolve around Wimbledon.
It's 52 weeks of the year where you've got to work day
in, day out, and put yourself on the line.
But I do think we're in a healthier situation than when I
was a teenager growing up. I think the younger girls, you
know, the next generation of players, have everything.
They've got all to play for.
Q. We don't actually have any girl players in the ITF
top 100 juniors. Are you saying there are others out
there perhaps that we don't know about or aren't on the
radar?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, I think so. I do think there are
girls who are committed to the sport who are a work in
progress. I don't think we should read too much into ITF
junior tournaments because, you know, it's not a priority
for the Spanish juniors. It never has been. Look how many
Spanish girls you've got in the top 100 who are doing
well. I don't think any of those girls really did
anything in junior tennis. So I don't think that's
something you necessarily have to look too much into.
Even myself and Bali at juniors, we didn't play a hell of
a lot. The way the game is going, people grow at
different rates, physically, mentally. You've just got to
judge people once they get on the senior tour.
Q. Is it an ambition of yours to play in the Olympics
here next year?
ANNE KEOTHAVONG: Yeah, the Olympics right now seem so far
away. But if I do have an opportunity, if I'm fit and
healthy and I'm still playing, then of course. That's one
of the things in my career I haven't been part of.
Playing Fed Cup for Great Britain is one of the
highlights of my career, something I'm really proud of.
You know, competing for Great Britain in the Olympics for
me would just be the icing on the cake.
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