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AUSTRALIAN OPEN


January 19, 2005


Elena Baltacha


MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Jo said she doesn't know where you got that fight from. Where did it come from?

ELENA BALTACHA: Oh, God. I don't even know myself. I was so tired today. Woke up and I was practicing with Jo. And I had actually quite a good practice but I was just so -- I was hurting. I thought it just came from within me. I thought, "Well, if I just keep fighting, then anything's pretty possible." God, I was really hurting. I was really hurting today.

Q. Do you think it was just all the strain, the emotional strain and stress of what you've done so far perhaps, has taken a little bit of a toll?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, no, definitely. I mean, it's so exciting that not only have I qualified but I had a really tough first round. I think emotionally, it really -- it's going to hit me physically. So I just still can't believe that I've qualified and won two really tough matches. You know, what an achievement for me to do that not on grass. So I'm really pleased.

Q. How do you deal with that? You have the No. 6 coming up.

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, but I know now I can kind of really relax and just have fun really. Because the draws that I've kind of had I knew I had a chance, I've had a sniff. I know that it's going to be much tougher now, so I can really just relax and just go for it and see kind of what happens.

Q. Is there a sense today that you felt that maybe you ought to win the match, that she was a girl you could beat?

ELENA BALTACHA: I knew I had a chance. I knew I had a good chance today. But it's -- you know, I still had to kind of do it. I knew I was feeling really tired today, emotionally knackered basically. And I knew I had a sniff. I was just so -- I just, you know, basically I just thought, "Just give it your best, see what happens." After the first set I thought, "Oh, my gosh, this is going to be much more difficult than what I kind of expected." I just couldn't believe that I've kind of came off with 6-1 in the third.

Q. Were you drained and tired yesterday?

ELENA BALTACHA: A little bit. But -- little bit. Not too badly. It was just this morning, kind of waking up, kind of thinking, "Oh, my God, I have to do it kind of again." But, no, I'm really delighted. I'm so happy to be here. I've done really well this week.

Q. What was interesting is that when you actually got called for time was the minute you suddenly set off on this run where you then only lost one game I think after that.

ELENA BALTACHA: Really (smiling)?

Q. That can sometimes start something, an umpire's call, a bad line call.

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, actually, at 4-1, when the linesmen didn't call, that was actually a couple of inches out. That really -- I think that really kind of woke me up.

Q. Put you over the line almost.

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, yeah. And the next two serves I actually served the best two serves in the whole match. That really kind of gave me like a second wind, kind of really -- I think I was just so angry that I didn't know what I was kind of doing. I was just kind of out of control.

Q. The heat probably didn't help with how you were feeling physically.

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, the first set it was really hot. When the clouds kind of came in, it was actually nice to play. It was just the heat coming from the court. That was quite difficult. But, no, I thought -- I actually thought we were gonna be much hotter today.

Q. How significant is the fact that you've dug deep and found these reserves? You must have had a sense after coming back from the break of not knowing how much was in the tank, where you could take reserves from?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, exactly -- yeah, I mean, you can practice so hard but it's kind of these matches that really kind of count. These are the kind of matches that you really have to kind of find out about yourself and you have to ask questions, and I did that today.

Q. How do you think this result, these results, are going to be greeted back home?

ELENA BALTACHA: I don't know. To be honest, I don't really kind of want to be thinking about that because I know, speaking to mom and Alan, there have been a lot of people kind of ringing them and, you know, wishing me well and stuff. It's been really sweet. But I haven't really rang anyone else. I haven't really been speaking to many people. I just want to kind of still get on with it and deal with it when I get home.

Q. I wonder if perhaps it might give an extra balance to the players at the academy to know you're out here doing what you're doing. Perhaps they're getting up earlier, the impact it could possibly have.

ELENA BALTACHA: I don't know. I haven't spoken to them at the academy. They are probably looking out, and it's kind of giving them a bit of a boost. But they're dedicated themselves and they work hard, so they do a good job.

Q. You do know Alan is probably more tired than you are, getting all these phone calls in the middle of the night?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yes, yeah. I think he still kind of can't believe it. But I know he's really proud and, you know, I'll speak to him later on. I haven't responded to him yet.

Q. What happens to the flight home now?

ELENA BALTACHA: Oh, I have to change it again. I think that it's my fifth time now (laughing).

Q. Given sort of the prize money is going up and up and up, any chance you might be treating yourself to an upgrade on the way back?

ELENA BALTACHA: No, no, I'll just stick to the economy, stick to the toilet in the back. That will be fine. That will be fine.

Q. Have you ever seen, away from Wimbledon, people actually having the Saltire up?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, there was a lot of Scots out there. That was really nice with the flag and everything. There was a lot of people there supporting me. I thought that was really nice. I think they've really come out for Tim and Greg, but I think it's an extra kind of bonus for them to see like a female in the second round. So it was really nice. The atmosphere was really nice.

Q. Have you bumped into Tim or Greg at all? Any messages from them?

ELENA BALTACHA: No, Tim says hi and stuff, but I haven't really bumped into Greg.

Q. How do you feel now?

ELENA BALTACHA: I feel really tired (smiling). It still hasn't really sunk in, to be honest with you. I just kind of want to go to sleep (laughing). No, really delighted. Obviously, I've got another match, so just try and get as much rest as I can and just relax and kind of just get on with it.

Q. I mean, how much has that taken out of you? How tired do you feel?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, I feel tired. I mean, next match I know is going to be difficult. It's kind of a different match. She's kind of seeded, and it's just something that, you know, that I can have a great experience and just go out and just, you know, just give it my best basically, and just have fun.

Q. You say you need a good sleep. Are you not sleeping at night? Are you getting a bit nervy about the matches?

ELENA BALTACHA: I have actually been -- I haven't really been feeling -- well, sleeping that great. I mean, I can't really -- I haven't been really getting to sleep pretty quickly. But as I was kind of sleeping, I didn't want to be getting really up. But it's nice to have another day off.

Q. The reason you're not going to sleep?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, my mind just can't kind of slow down. It just can't seem to just shut down. But I'm sure I'll be sleeping well tonight.

Q. Having been surrounded by fuss at Wimbledon, does that give you something to sort of draw from and something you learned from how to handle the stuff away from the matches?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, it's actually helped. It's actually helped, all the attention at Wimbledon. It's something that I'm not really still used to because it's only been kind of the two weeks at Wimbledon. But it's nice. It's okay. It's okay. It's part of the job, you know. If I'm going to keep doing better, then it's going to be part of accepting it and just, you know, getting on with it.

Q. Is it in some ways a bit easier here?

ELENA BALTACHA: What do you mean by "easier"?

Q. There's less fuss, less attention?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yeah, yeah, of course, yeah. You know, it's just you guys really here, so it's nice.

Q. Why do you think it's suddenly come together, as it were? Is there any particular reason, do you think? You just feel settled? Everything seems to be happening for you.

ELENA BALTACHA: It's a difficult one to answer because I know I've been working very hard. I've been working very hard for the last year. I'm probably much more dedicated than I ever have been. I'm enjoying the atmosphere here, I'm enjoying the way the courts are playing, the way the balls are going, and I'm digging deep. And I'm just managing to win the matches.

Q. What were the competitive plans after here? Where were you going to go next?

ELENA BALTACHA: I actually entered some 25s. I've entered pretty much a lot of things, some WTA, some 25s.

Q. Where are the 25s?

ELENA BALTACHA: My home, Sunderland, and Redbridge. So we'll just see. We'll see what happens. But I'm going to the States in March for 50s and 25s. And also depends how my ranking goes.

Q. Exactly.

ELENA BALTACHA: Exactly, yeah. Maybe enter -- basically I've just entered everything, so just see. I'll talk to Alan and Jo when I get back and see what happens.

Q. With all due respect to our friend sitting over there, Sunderland after here (laughter)... I mean, will it be an anticlimax going back to places like that?

ELENA BALTACHA: I've actually done pretty well always at Sunderland (laughter). It depends. It does depend where my ranking goes to, see how tired I am and stuff. But we'll see. We'll see where my ranking goes and see how I'm feeling so...

Q. Are you superstitious at all? Is there anything you do before each match?

ELENA BALTACHA: Sometimes, yes.

Q. Phone your travel agent?

ELENA BALTACHA: Yes, talking to the same lady. I have to talk to the same lady. Not really, not this week kind of thing. Usually I have to kind of wash the same shirt, play in the same shirt. But I've only really got three shirts here with me, so... But no, nothing really kind of crazy.

Q. Something you developed over the last five matches?

ELENA BALTACHA: No, nothing crazy. Me and Jo have kind of been eating in different restaurants but nothing, nothing completely different.

Q. In terms of allowing you to go places, do things, you're showing the name of the sponsor. How important have they been?

ELENA BALTACHA: No, they've been unbelievable. They've been so supportive. When I decided to take the six months, they've really, really kind of stuck by me. I've been actually very lucky in that. Stephen Marks has been unbelievable. And, obviously, Alan and Jo and my family, my boyfriend, has been absolutely superb. Couldn't ask for anything more.

End of FastScripts….

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