TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN – 24th of January 2015. A.Radwanska d. V.Lepchenko 6-0, 7-5. An interview with Agnieszka Radwanska
Q. You’ve been serving really well since the start of the tournament. Have you changed anything on your service in the off-season?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Not really. I didn’t change anything. But I think the serve is always very important in the game, so of course I been working on that, definitely a lot. Maybe that’s why it’s a bit better.
Q. How happy about are you about the level of game you are having since the start, and especially at the end of your second set today.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: I think it was a very good match. I start very well. I play really aggressive and I was really serving good and returning good. In the second set, of course I could finish that set much earlier. Serving against the sun is not fun. But I’m just very happy that I could close that set and just win.
Q. You could possibly play Venus in the next round. Talk about that.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think the last match against Venus was in the final in Montréal. So, well, I think playing her is always great challenge. I think she is still playing great tennis even she’s a bit older. She’s still really fit and playing a high level. I think it’s going to be another good match.
Q. How much contact are you having with Martina Navratilova at the Open? She’s clearly got other interests as well.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes. But, well, I think we could find and plan that everything is working for us both. Of course she’s also commentating, but she’s always there when I’m practicing or playing match. I think it’s easy to do that. We find a plan every day very good.
Q. Do you occasionally hit against her in practice?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Yes, actually I was played left-handed opponent today, so yes, she was serving yesterday, yes.
Q. You said out on the court that you want to keep secret the advice she gives you. How generally has she helped you?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I think it’s a lot of things, but of course it’s in this kind of — on this level, I think it’s just really small details that are very important. Of course everybody can play great tennis, but if you want to win a match or Grand Slam, you really have to do everything right. That’s what we’re working on, just to focus on very important things and talking on and off the court, and just to figure out everything just to win those seven matches in a row.
Q. The way you’re playing, you must feel like you can beat anybody?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, I hope so, but of course every match is different story and different opponents, so sometimes you play the opponent that you play. You never know. That’s sport.
Q. How much did the win over Serena in Perth give you coming in here?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, it was good match, especially always few — first few matches always tricky in the beginning of the year. Definitely a lot. I think I really played good tennis out there, especially in the final against U.S. — the singles, and even the mixed doubles. Of course winning those kind of event is always great and always a lot of confidence as well.
Q. You have different coaches in your career, so could you…
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Different what?
Q. Different coaches in your career.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Coaches, okay.
Q. Talk about having your father, relatives as your coach and also having former legend, top player as your coach.
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Well, actually I just have two coaches, which was my dad and now Tomasz Wiktorowski, which is still here, and Martina is another coach in the team. I didn’t really have much other coaches in my career. I think now I really have great team. I have everyone that I need and everything is working pretty well. I hope that stay like this for long.
Q. But still your father give you any advices?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: Actually my dad is just my dad now. He was coaching me for a long time, but it was few years ago we stop.
Q. Some of the players, like Serena, have said they feel like there is more camaraderie on the tour now than there was in the past; some players say they prefer not to make friends on the tour, to keep it business like. How would you describe the camaraderie on the tour now compared to the past?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: To be honest, I don’t really feel that anything change from now for example to five years ago. I mean, I think this is individual if you want to be friends with someone or not. So, you know, I think I can speak just for myself now. The best thing is to really separate tennis and the friendship off the court. I think it’s very healthy, because of course we seeing each other pretty much like ten months a year pretty almost every time. You know someone for ten years, fifteen, even twenty years when you’re playing at the same tournaments when you’re a kid. So of course you have friends on tour, and some best friends s well. I can’t say this is impossible because it is possible. Of course you go on court you want to win. Doesn’t matter who in on the other side of the court. You just have to separate those things. Of course you fight and you want to win, but then you shake hands and you’re still friends. So I don’t think there is any problem with that.
