THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 6, 2023

Donna Vekic

Press Conference

D. VEKIC/S. Stephens

4-6, 7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Give us your initial thoughts on today's match.

DONNA VEKIC: It was a crazy, crazy match. I still, I don't know, it's been an hour and a half since the match, and I still don't know how I managed to turn things around today.

Yeah, she was playing unbelievably well, and I was in full panic out there. I didn't really know what to do, how to turn things around.

But somehow I managed to fight and win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Did you get hurt or anything? I thought you had problems sitting down, no?

DONNA VEKIC: No, I'm so tired (smiling). Now I'm tired. I have a little bit of pain in my back since Berlin, but it's nothing that's bothering me too much.

Q. It was so emotional after the match. Why was it maybe more than a win?

DONNA VEKIC: I mean, I was losing. Not that I was just losing; I felt like I was getting killed. She was playing so well. I didn't know what to do.

Also, at the same time, I had a lot of expectations from myself. Before the match I beat her on that same court a couple of years ago, and it was a relatively easy match back then. But I know that she can play as good as she played today. I don't know. Maybe I didn't expect it that much today.

I was just very frustrated in some moments. Just expecting more from myself.

Q. You said you had panic out there. Do you have this more often, or was it just today, or...

DONNA VEKIC: No, I didn't have it in long time. But, you know, Wimbledon is the most important tournament for me. I have been playing really well.

So like I said before the tournament, it will be tough to manage expectation for these two weeks. Hopefully after today things will be a little bit easier for me mentally-wise, because, yeah, today was tough.