THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2025

Laura Siegemund

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/L. Siegemund

4-6, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Laura, tough one today, but obviously an incredible battle. Can you just talk us through it a little bit?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I think it was a good match. I think I started very well in the way I wanted to start. I think the first set was a battle, and I was just doing my stuff good. Then it was clear that in the second she's going to try to find different solutions. She served better or, let's say, smarter.

I think in the second there were a lot of close games. It wasn't really a clean, clear 6-2. I could have kept it a bit tighter maybe. Yeah, but there I think she just overpowered me.

Then in the third I think I had a very good start, again. There was a very unfortunate game. I could or should probably go up 4-1 because I had her there on her serve. Then I seemed to struggle a bit more with my service games. They were always very tight. A bit unfortunate here and there.

But then, yeah, from 4-All she just played very good. I feel I had chances that I didn't take in the end, from the middle of the third set.

But, you know, it's a Grand Slam quarterfinal. She's not for no reason No. 1 in the world. I think I did good. There was things that I feel like I could have done better, but it's also okay sometimes, too, to not be perfect.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What were those things that you think you could have maybe done better?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I think from the middle of the second set, there were quite a lot of backhand errors. The only time in the tournament that I gave easy errors with my backhand, returning and also in the rally.

There was one really, I think it was game point to go 4-2. Was really important point, and I have a backhand, like, kind of sitting there and missed it, and then I lose that game. To go Love-30 in the last game, I'm two meters behind the net, I just have to put it down the line. I missed it.

There were a couple of balls where I wouldn't miss them before, and I just did now. I feel also there was an amount of tiredness kind of creeping in in the end. There was just a bit of lack of good footwork.

But I do feel like those backhand errors, they cost me a lot, and a little bit lack of aggressivity in the end. Watching it after, I watched it, the third set, and I feel like I wish I would have gone more to the net and just kind of risk a little bit more or play more forward.

Q. It was very close in some moments, like five, six points that you could have used. She said that she knew how you were going to play, but it was very difficult for her to handle her emotions. How did you feel on Centre Court?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, it's a really nice experience. It's a very fine line. I really wanted to go out there not only to enjoy, but to play a good match. I have to keep my personal focus, like, really tight. I mean, you know. You hear the crowd, and it was really nice atmosphere. It's obviously an amazing, or maybe the most amazing, court to play on.

But I was very focused. I was very zoned in. During the match, at no time I kind of just sat there and soaked that in really. Just when I went off the court, was the time when I really appreciated it. I appreciated the crowd the whole time cheering me on, but when I kind of soaked that in for a second walking off the court. While I was playing, I was really zoned in.

Q. I would like to ask you about Sabalenka's moaning, screaming practically through the match.

LAURA SIEGEMUND: About what, sorry? Screaming?

Q. Yes. I would like to ask you, how do you feel in such conditions? It's difficult for you? Shouldn't something be doing with such a behavior?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, to be honest, I didn't hear or see much of it. Like I heard sometimes the crowd is unhappy with something. Honestly, I don't know what she did because I was just focusing on me. When the point is over, I was going to the towel. I didn't really pay any attention to what she was doing after the points.

I did hear a couple times that people were, like, she shouldn't have done that. Obviously, I have to watch it, what she was actually doing. I have no idea.

Q. Aryna said she was trying to hide from you that she was annoyed and frustrated because she feared a repeat of the Roland Garros final. She said maybe you were inspired by Coco and what happened there. Were you trying to get under her skin because of what happened in Paris or...

LAURA SIEGEMUND: No. As I said, I have no idea. I know what kind of effect my game has also mentally. It's not like I pull myself up when the other one screams or gets down. It's their business to manage their emotions. I was managing mine.

I have really no idea what went on on the other side. I know there must have been a level of frustration, but that's always like that when I play good and when I'm making it difficult for people.

But I kind of zoned out completely.

Q. A question about the pace of play. I know you were asked about this before. Today the commentary team said perhaps the umpire was a bit generous with the shot clock. Sabalenka said he had been kind in that you only got one time violation warning. Could you explain it from your perspective, where you are with the clock running down and why it takes you longer than other players?

LAURA SIEGEMUND: Yeah, I don't know. I did my rhythm as always. I'm aware of the clock because I see it. I have to look at it.

Was he generous? Yeah, I don't know. It felt the same like another match to me, to be honest.

He said one time to me that I got to be a bit quicker. I tried to be quicker. Yeah, I didn't really do anything different than usually. If he would have had to give me another time violation, I lose a serve or something, then I would have been had to accept that.

Yeah, it just kind of going with my normal flow, how I feel, yeah.