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U.S. OPEN


September 8, 2013


Ana Konjuh


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

ANA KONJUH/T. Black
3‑6, 6‑4, 7‑6


THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  That was a tough one.
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah, long match.

Q.  Talk about it.  She hung in there, had 5‑3 in the tiebreaker.
ANA KONJUH:  She really improved last year.  I haven't played her for a while now.

Q.  Second round last year.
ANA KONJUH:  I think so.  I mean, she's really good player, no?  She's really good on the baseline.  I just had to play a lot of dropshots, and I just managed to do somehow this match to win it.  I'm really happy because I finished to win the title.

Q.  Two slams won this year.  Have to be pretty pleased with the year.
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah, it was really good year.  I had really some good results.  Australian and US Open and ITF circuit.  And I'm really happy.  I want to practice even more to be even better.

Q.  In a match like this, when it goes to a third‑set tiebreaker, do you feel like you were just lucky to win or fortunate to win, or do you feel that it was something that you were able to draw on, experience?
ANA KONJUH:  Luck was also one of the things.  But I gave 100% of myself out there on the court.  We played almost like three hours; just a bad luck for her.
She made really good results here, and I'm just ‑‑I just stay calm the third set and I just said to myself, like, Don't do stupid mistakes, you know.  Just keep ball in the court and she's gonna miss somehow.

Q.  You just said you stayed calm, but obviously the crowd were behind your opponent.  How tough it gets for you to stay calm?
ANA KONJUH:  Well, it's always tough.  I mean, she's American.  I mean, that's normal.
But somehow that gave me even more power to win, and I'm really happy that I had my team out there.  They were like also loud for me, so, yeah.

Q.  Did you see Mario Ancic there?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah.  He's been like most of the match, and thanks to Iva Majoli.  Also she supported me there.  And my coaches, agent, it's just been such a great tournament.  I just want to say thank you to them.

Q.  Can you talk a little bit about sharing this day with Borna?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah, it's amazing.  I didn't know until I finish the match that he won, so I was really happy.
It doesn't happen every day that two Croatians win in the Grand Slam.  I don't even remember when that happened.
I'm really happy for him.  He really practice hard, and he managed to win this.  He really wanted that.

Q.  Are you guys pretty friendly?  
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah, we are good friends, real good friends.  I know him for seven years, and it's been amazing.  Hoping to have great results in the future.

Q.  He talked about since he's been training in England that his personality is changing a bit, his culture is changing.  Do you see it in him?  He says he likes himself better now.  He's more disciplined.
ANA KONJUH:  Well, yeah, you know, he's more focused on tennis, on the game.  I mean, he moved there obviously to improve, and he did.  I'm really happy for him.
He has a great coach, great team around him.  I just hope that he gonna, you know, be even better in the future.

Q.  Regarding the match you have just played, was this the nearest that this young lady got to you?
ANA KONJUH:  Well, she had 5‑3 in the tiebreak.

Q.  She did?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah.  I was like really nervous at that time, but inside me.  I didn't want to show it.  Because I knew if I lose it's not the end of the world, but I really wanted to win.  I just gave 100% of myself, and thank God I managed to do it.

Q.  She never got that close, is that what you're saying?  She has played you several times before.
ANA KONJUH:  No, I think I beat her like last year at the Orange Bowl easily in two sets.

Q.  You did, but this is...
ANA KONJUH:  Yes.  This is the nearest one.

Q.  Can you talk about what she's improved since you saw her play before?
ANA KONJUH:  She's really good on the baseline.  She doesn't miss a lot.  That kind of game doesn't suit me.  You know, I'm going for a winner a lot, and I don't want to like play long points and stuff.
I had to this match, and I'm really happy that I managed to do it.

Q.  So she made you play her style, would you say?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah.  Kind of (smiling).

Q.  Are you close to Vekic?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah.  We are good friends.  She's also in England practicing.  I just wish her all the best in the future, and hopefully ‑‑

Q.  Who is this now?
ANA KONJUH:  ‑‑ and hopefully we will have some great Fed Cup team in the future.

Q.  Where do you practice?
ANA KONJUH:  In Zagreb, Croatia.

Q.  Are you going to stay there?
ANA KONJUH:  Well, I mean, never know the future, but for now I'm in Zagreb.  I have my coaches there and it's perfect for me.

Q.  Is your status amateur now?
ANA KONJUH:  Amateur?

Q.  Are you a pro or you're just an amateur?  Are you going to turn pro?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I'm finished with juniors right now.  I'm going to play some 25s and 50s after this, and hopefully be the best I can on WTA.

Q.  But you're already a pro?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah.  I'm like 200‑something on WTA rankings.

Q.  So you take money?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah.

Q.  You make money, right?
ANA KONJUH:  Yeah (smiling).

Q.  You said Vekic is in England training.  Where in England?
ANA KONJUH:  London.

Q.  Do you know the name of the academy?
ANA KONJUH:  I don't know.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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