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QATAR TOTAL OPEN

February 13, 2018

Julia Goerges

Doha, Qatar

J. GOERGES/L. Safarova

6-1, 7-5

Q. It was a good match from you. First set was quite quick, but second one was quite tight. So what do you think was the difference in the second set?
JULIA GOERGES: I think the first set was pretty solid from my side. And I really felt like she needed to adjust a bit from coming from Fed Cup indoors, and I, yeah, really tried to focus on that, that I really, yeah, be there from the beginning right away from the first point. And in the second set I felt that she served a bit better, that I didn't get right away the opportunity to break her, and I just really had to play every single point, and I know that she's a really dangerous player and she's a really good player. And I just tried to wait for my chances there. And yeah, she came up with some really good shots in that second set and moved me a bit more around. In the first set I felt I had everything in my zone, which was nice, and I couldn't complain about it. But in the second set she definitely stepped up her level.

Q. Different tournaments, different balls, different conditions. Sometimes players can feel like they're fighting the court, fighting the conditions. Sometimes the conditions feed into their game. How do you feel here in Doha?
JULIA GOERGES: Well, it was completely different than the indoors court in St. Petersburg. And for me the first days -- I actually could imagine the way she must be feeling, the way I felt like four days ago. It was flying everywhere. And I didn't really, yeah, have the timing until probably two days ago where you could feel every day got a little bit better and you adjusted a bit better. Well, I was, yeah, just happy the way I found solutions for every situation, and I think overall it was, yeah -- the conditions tonight, like it was a bit cooler than during the day. I had a bit more control over the ball as well, so it really suited my game, yeah.

Q. Next it's like you're playing the entire Czech Fed Cup team, which is a nice preview for April. But Barbara Strycova, what do you expect from that match?
JULIA GOERGES: Well, we had already a lot of tough battles in the past; and we've played already, yeah, some years doubles together, so I think if there is a player who knows each other's game very well, I think it's both of us. And it's going to be a tough match tomorrow no matter what. But actually, I like tough draws because it's a great challenge and you only get better with those draws. That's something I'm looking forward to it because we've always had battles, but it always made us better, too. So hopefully tomorrow it will be another good one, and hopefully I can play some good tennis like tonight.

Q. And then a non tennis-related question, but are you following the winter Olympics at all?
JULIA GOERGES: Yes. I saw something going on there. Yesterday was actually a good afternoon for Germany and for myself in front of the TV watching some biathlon. I'm a huge fan of it. And no, actually I'm following every sport, and I'm very satisfied seeing so many gold medals and medals in general for Germany so far. I'm a big fan, yeah.

Q. And I think you guys are on top of the medal table at the moment on golds. Is there a winter sport that you would like to either try or --
JULIA GOERGES: Biathlon.

Q. Biathlon? Why?
JULIA GOERGES: Yes. I already have a voucher.

Q. Oh, yeah?
JULIA GOERGES: I got it as a present years ago that I can try it. And the only thing is that I haven't been skiing and snowboarding for the last 14 years, since I was 15, because it was too dangerous. So after my career I will definitely try this. I'm pretty excited about it.

Q. I've been told that you get very excited when the word biathlon is said, but to people who aren't biathlon fans, because it's a very European thing, what is it about biathlon that you like so much?
JULIA GOERGES: Well, it started when I was a kid. I don't know exactly what kind of age I was at that time. But Magdalena Forsberg, a Swedish girl, she was dominating biathlon at that time, and I was always wondering why she's carrying -- how do you say it? The gun on her back. And I thought it was quite exciting because the actual skiing I'm not that big fan of it, but with the shooting, I think it's a pretty big thing to control your pulse there and really slow down and get into it. And it was so exciting for me to see these little black things there and getting white or red if you miss. So I was always following it, and yeah, then I somehow got into it, and I followed it every weekend in the World cup. And yeah, my parents, they got into it, too. So we are actually now a biathlon family I guess.

No, in general, I'm just a very big fan because I think it's, yeah, biggest respect to bring all those, yeah, emotions, but also your breath down and really focus on like little things and just get the most out of it.

Q. Okay. Good answer.
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