TENNIS WIMBLEDON 2014 – 24th of June. K. Koukalova d. T. Townsend 7-5, 6-2. An interview with Taylor Townsend
Q. So you were really looking forward to being here. I know that. Must be very hard on you. Can you give us a bit of your feeling about having gotten this far and what this experience will do for you?
TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Definitely it was a great experience. I’m really glad that I was able to get the wildcard and be here, first and foremost.
I definitely am not pleased about my match, but it’s just a learning experience really. I’m just going to take what I’ve learned over the past two slams. I’m going to go back home. I’m going to work extremely hard and get ready for the US Open Series.
I have tons of tournaments to look forward to and a lot of great things are ahead, but it’s time to just put my head down and work again.
Q. Feel like a totally different world thought being with the big girls?
TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, it’s totally different. I love Court 1. Hopefully sometime soon I will be able to play on Centre Court. Maybe next year.
But it’s a different ballgame for sure. I think that it’s an adjustment. At the same time, being able to play the French really kind of gave me that feel of being in the locker rooms and playing on the big courts and playing against these girls and understanding that I can compete and I’m on this level for sure.
Just matter of believe being in myself and doing it.
Q. When you talk about your training, there have been issues raised that you’re very familiar with and you responded to. Do you think you need to make further adjustments in some way that you haven’t done yet? Learning from the French experience and this, is there a direction you need to take?
TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I mean, as far as fitness is concerned, I have a great team and staff on my side that have pushed and helped me and helped me understand and realize that my body is a total gift.
I realize that I’m very strong and I can do a lot of things athletically that probably many people can’t do. I train with 250 pound football players and we do the same stuff.
So, I mean, I have a great circle of people and a great team of supporters around me pushing me every day. It’s not easy. Really, the training that we’ve been doing has really shown me a lot.
At the same time, it’s up to me. I want to work harder and I want to do more. So, you know, it’s my job to push them, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’ve been working extremely hard every day. All credit to them and me.
But, you know, where I want to go and what I’m trying to do, it’s definitely more.
And I know I can do more, so…
Q. Sitting now watching you there, I couldn’t help but think – if I had it right that – that, hey, it was just a little while that you were 50, 60 yards away on Court 1. Did you ever look up and say, Hey, I’m sort of in the shadow of Court 1 and this is kind of interesting that here I am now on this different court?
TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah. Genie and I were actually talking about that in the locker room today. We were just saying how big a difference a year or two makes. You know, two years ago she won junior Wimbledon and now she’s a seed here.
Last year I was in the finals of the juniors, and now I’m in the main draw. What a difference a year makes. My plan is to get back on Court 1, to be able to play on Court 1 and Centre Court. You got to play on the small courts first and work your way up to there.
I mean, it’s a process, so…
I don’t have a problem with it. A court is a court.
Q. I know you just mentioned talking to Genie. I know you were doubles partners and friends, but she’s talked a lot in her press conferences at the French especially b# about not wanting to make friends on tour. Obviously you two are still fairly close. How do you see her approaching that side of the sport, and how you’re sort of taking that social aspect of it as well, as you get your feet firmer in this tour?
TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Well, different people, different personalities. I mean, Genie is kind of that type where she keeps her circle very small. I’m learning that I’m kind of the same way.
I talk to a lot of people and I’m very sociable, but it – I can get lost in that. So I try to scale back and just really focus on myself and keep my team around me and keep everything really tight.
But, I mean, like Sharapova, she doesn’t talk to anybody. It works for her.
So just different people, different things. If that’s her approach, that’s great. You know, it’s working obviously, so I mean, I’m still kind of learning how I kind of work.
This is like my first full year on the tour. Obviously I like to be friendly and say hi and stuff like that and be polite.
At the same time, it’s a competition. I don’t want to make too many friends either.
