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ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2017

Catherine Bellis

Paris, France

C. BELLIS/K. Bertens

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to be in the third round here?
CATHERINE BELLIS: It's great. It's kind of hard for me to believe a little bit, but I'm so excited and I can't wait for the next round.

Q. She started to get into the match in the second set. Did you feel the pressure? Did you think, If I don't win this set, I can't win?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I didn't necessarily have that mindset. I thought, you know, I'm just going to fight as hard as I can in the set. And, obviously, she's such an amazing player and the points were really great. So I just thought either way, if I just hung in there, I think I could come through and win.

Q. Just talk a little bit about the last point. I mean, you could almost say, oh, she had a real lapse and she sort of gave it to you. But on the other hand you could argue that you had been really putting a lot of pressure on her throughout the whole match. And also have you ever had a match in the pros end quite like that?
CATHERINE BELLIS: No, not really. I think, yeah, it was definitely a crazy ending and the tie break was a little bit up and down.

But, yeah, the final point I think we were both -- obviously, it's a tiebreak. We're both nervous, I think. Maybe that got a little bit -- her nerves got a little bit the best of her. But, yeah, just really lucky, I think, a little bit on that point.

Q. Where does this rank just in terms of your own sort of development and your own value system for your career so far?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Yeah, it's definitely huge for me. It's for sure one of the best tournaments of my life. I'm enjoying it so much. I'm having such a good time here. So hopefully it keeps going.

Q. The win in the U.S. Open, Cibulkova and all that, when you think back on that, does this feel a little bit more legitimate and you earned your way, you need to be here?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Definitely, 100%. I think this feels like -- you know, I didn't necessarily get a wildcard in this tournament like I did in the U.S. Open that year. And that was so long ago. So it's tough to kind of compare it, but I think this is definitely better for me.

Q. This was just a two-set match today, but it was a tie-break in the second and you've got a great record in three- set matches this year and the history with the open, of course. So one would think that you have a real feel for the big moment, that you sort of relish it, yet you're so young. Just talk about that, reflect on that, and do you think that's a strength of yours?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Yeah, I think it's definitely a strength of mine. I think I -- I mean I love playing on big courts and playing in front of people and at tournaments like these. I mean, it's moments that I live for, and I think it really brings out my best tennis.

Q. When you say you're having fun here, are you doing anything typically Parisian away from hitting tennis balls and, if so, what?
CATHERINE BELLIS: We haven't been sightseeing to much. We've been a few times to the main, you know, Eiffel Tower, of course. But I think we're going to wait until after the tournament to do more of the sightseeing.

Q. You could have been preparing for university if you had made a different decision last year. So how do you appreciate your decision to turn pro?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Yeah, I think it was definitely a great decision for me. And I think, you know, these tournaments -- the tournaments in my -- last year, fall, and the tournaments leading up to this French Open this year and even here, I think, just really solidifies it was the best decision for me.

Q. As you become more regular on the tour, what surprised you most about tour life that you didn't imagine before you were doing it?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I think, you know, I've said this before, but the girls just want to win every single match, every single point. And I think that's such a big difference from when I played in juniors or even in pro circuit tournaments. I mean, these girls really fight for every single point and shot that they hit. And I think that's something that surprised me that they, you know, still do it over and over, day in and day out, tournament in and tournament out. And, I mean, it's amazing.

Q. You were on Court 2 today and we're sitting here in Interview Room 2. But having said that, I mean, you're just 18. You're really rising in the rankings. You know what this tennis world is like. Just talk about the thought of becoming a really significant American star. Do you think you're ready for that? Are you prepping for that?
CATHERINE BELLIS: I mean, I've been prepping for that since I was, you know, really young. And I think that if I keep doing that, if I keep working as hard as I can every single day, I think I can get there one day for sure.

Q. Do you think you'll be able to handle the pressure of the American hype and all that good stuff?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Yeah. I mean, I don't even think there's that much pressure that comes with it. I think it's more that's encouraging. People -- you know, all the Americans want you to do well. And it's amazing, yeah. I think it will be fine.

Q. You're living in Orlando now; right?
CATHERINE BELLIS: Right.

Q. Talk a little bit about that and have you been there for any of the humidity and heat recently and how it is to settle in. It's very different, obviously, than where you lived, grew up.
CATHERINE BELLIS: Yeah, no. It's definitely different from California. But, yeah, I haven't been there in the summer in Orlando yet. I've been in, obviously, Boca for the summer and that is so hot, but I've heard Orlando is even hotter. So, yeah, I luckily haven't been there for the summer yet, just the spring.

Q. The other day you mentioned that you do follow Stanford sports. Do you go fairly deep into that? Have you met Coach Shaw or do you know Dick Gould. Obviously you know Lele well. Any thoughts on Christian McCaffrey? Reflect on that.
CATHERINE BELLIS: Well, usually I just follow tennis a lot, not too many other sports but, you know, for college. But, yeah, I know Dick Gould. I know Lele really well. They're great.

Q. Was Dick Gould supportive of you and did he give you some good thoughts?
CATHERINE BELLIS: You know, I didn't know him that well, but definitely he was supportive of either decision that I made. Same with Lele, Frankie, all of them.

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