TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN – 25th of January 2015. E.Bouchard d. I.Begu 6-1, 5-7, 6-2. An interview with Eugenie Bouchard
Q. Seemed like it was going pretty much one direction for quite a while and then switched pretty fast. Did you feel something slipping from your game? She change up? What do you think caused the hiccup there?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: It’s disappointing for me because I want to play so well and I want to be perfect. That’s not possible. It happens. Yeah, I think I started being a bit less aggressive, a bit too passive, and you know, that’s not my game at all. I don’t do well when that happens. She could string together a few good points here and there, hit some good shots and serves and got some confidence in the second set. You know, that helped her. So definitely disappointing. But I learned a lot from it and I’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen next time. I’m happy that I could regroup and, yeah, play a bit better tennis in the third. I want to build on that for the next match.
Q. You said in the on-court interview that you’re going to go outside and practice. Is it too late to cram for a test? What did you mean by that?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I believe in cramming. Yeah, well, tomorrow it’s great with slams that we have a day off and it just gives you some more time if you want to work on a few things here and there. Tennis is so much about confidence that one practice can’t probably do much. But just to maybe feel a bit better and just get a little bit of confidence in a practice, just to go out there, hit the ball, and, you know, do — practice what I do well and try and focus on that. Obviously, yeah, one practice can’t do much. But it’s just about going out there, having a good feeling, hitting the ball, and trying to get ready for the next match.
Q. How much, if at all, do you take confidence from your run here last year in a match like this today? Are you thinking, I’m in Australia; I’ve played well here in the past. Can that help you in a match like this?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I think it can a little bit. I’ve played a few matches now on Rod Laver and I feel good out there. I feel comfortable. You know, I just was able to breathe and kind of relax in between the second and third and just refocus. I had the confidence in myself that, Okay, I couldn’t change the past. I told myself that. As much as I want to, I can’t change the second set. But I tried to go out there and do better in the third. That’s what motivates me. I want to be so good that if it’s not good, I’m so motivated to try — show that I can do better.
Q. Your trainer, does he do some new things, are you doing things with him conditioning-wise you haven’t done previous?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Well, we’re always probably incorporating new things and improving, doing maybe harder things, which is really fun. But I’ve been working with him for almost a year now. We’ve got to know each other. He knows how I am, how I like to play. He helps me with stuff to try to be faster, get quick to the ball, and of course be strong. Have that endurance as well if you have to go three sets like today.
Q. Do you have a favorite Genie Army song?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, I got asked this I think after my first or second match. And I said it’s the one where they go, Genie is hot, hot, hot. But since they’ve been singing a newer one, I think maybe only from second or third round on. It’s based on Ricky Martin’s song “Living La Vida Loca.” They changed the words and sing about me. I think that one’s pretty cool. They are creative to come up with such a random song and talk about forehands and backhands and stuff. It’s pretty funny. So that one is up there.
Q. Does it get your attention when there is a new one in their rotation?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: It does. I know when they start I’ll go like, Okay, it’s this song. Like I know the beginning of it and I’m like, Okay, I’m ready for the song. When I hear a new one, I’m like, Oh, that’s nice. They been working hard. Good to see I’m not the only one working hard.
Q. What do you remember most about the match with Sharapova in Paris?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I kind of just remember a grind. I didn’t feel like I was playing great tennis the whole time. Sometimes here and there. But that’s what it’s about: trying to win and trying to always play better, get through it, even if you’re not playing your best. I felt like I was close with her. She probably wasn’t — we were both maybe a bit off. You’re never really playing amazing. Maybe 10% of the year. So I remember that, and I remember I had chances and stuff. I just remember a tough match. I was pretty disappointed after, so that’s motivating.
Q. There will be a match of Madisons tomorrow. When will we see a match of Eugenies?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Well, they’re both American, so I think that’s good. That’ll be interesting. I have never met anyone with my own name, so that will never happen.
