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Q. You were one of the magnificent seven for Germany. You are the only one who survive. How does it feel?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It feels good. You know, I think we have so many good players in Germany. Right now I'm just focusing on myself, and I'm just happy to be in the next round here.

Q. No other particular satisfaction to be the last one?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know. Actually, I'm not thinking about this. I'm just going my way and I'm just looking on my next round and not thinking about this.

Q. Your life change in terms of tennis playing at the US Open when you had the great success beating Radwanska first and then also Flavia Pennetta, which everyone thought was favorite at that time, because you were No. 94, 92, 96? Do you remember?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Something like this. I don't know.

Q. So what do you remember of that match? Were you surprised the way it went and have you met Pennetta again and talked to her and so on?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I remember that it was a very tough match against Flavia at the US Open, and I know it will be another tough match against her.
She played very well and she's a great player. She won also against top player. She's one of the top players. I mean, I will just try to play my game and try to play good tennis.
Of course, it will be a tough one, because Flavia is playing good, and also she played very good in doubles. She will go for it.

Q. Can you tell us something that we don't know? Something about you and Flavia, some personal relations? Are you friends? Have you ever been out? Do you talk to each other? Do you have jokes? Those kinds of things.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: We talk to each other. I think we are friends. We never go out together, but we have a good relationship.

Q. Are you going to ask anything to Mona on how to play Flavia, or do you think you know her enough?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know. I think I know Flavia good. I think my coach know her also, so I will talk to my coach tonight or tomorrow, and I will make with him my game plan.

Q. The two of you played four times and you won the most important matches in the Grand Slam. Do you think that's a coincidence?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think every match starts from zero, and I know that she will give everything she has to beat me, too. It will be a tough match, and I need to be ready for that.

Q. Do you think it's a coincidence winning the most important ones?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Maybe. I don't know. I hope. Maybe not. I don't know.

Q. Both you and your opponents' serves looked fairly shaky. Is it something you want to improve coming into the next game?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, I will try for sure to improve my serve a little bit better. Today I was a little bit shaky on my serve, and I think tomorrow on the practice court I will try to practice my serve a little bit more.
But at the end I think I was moving very good and try to go for my shots, but for sure my serve I think I will practice tomorrow a little bit more.

Q. Do you think the only comparison between you and Rafa Nadal are because you're both left handed but you sign the autographs with the right hand or there is something else?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know, but this is true that we are both lefty and signing, writing with the right hand.
But I don't know why this is so. I have no idea.

Q. Do you know why you started to play as a left hander?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I don't know. I just take my racquet in my left hand and the pen in my right hand. I have no idea why it is so, no.

Q. Getting further into the tournament, Serena Williams obviously a hot favorite. Is there belief in you particularly yourself that you can, if you come up against her, beat Serena?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: For sure she's the favorite. But, you know, I always believe when I go on court that I can beat my opponent. For me, it's always that I try to give my best and try to play good tennis.
For me, it doesn't matter who it is playing against me. Of course she's the favorite, and she's the favorite here at the Australian Open. But, you know, I'm feeling good and I think I'm fit, so I'm just looking on myself.

Q. If you could, just talk about the match today. It's good to get the first one underneath the belt?


ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think it was a very close match. I start really good. In the first set I played really good tennis, but in the second set the first few games was very close. I think she came in her game and she was playing unbelievable tennis. I was just trying to, yeah, be tough, to try to get my rhythm back. At the end I think the key was just that I was fighting and believing in myself, and, yeah, hit the balls and just be aggressive and take that. I think, yeah, it was not easy match for sure.

Q. Is it sometimes better to have a challenge in that first round and then be able to overcome it rather than have a real easy walk-through?


ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think the first matches in the Grand Slams are not always easy, but I hope it will be better in the next one.

Q. How do you feel about the way you played? Do you feel like you're coming in in good form?


ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I'm feeling good. I'm healthy. I practiced very good in the last few weeks, and, yeah, I saw this also in the match. I mean, I was fit and I was fighting, you know, until the last one. I was still feeling good. So, yeah, I think I had great weeks in the past now.

Q. You enjoy the environment playing here?


ANGELIQUE KERBER: Of course. It's one of my favorite tournaments. Everything starts for me here, so I really enjoy to coming back here.

Q. There were a couple other seeded players today who struggled a bit before they won their matches. Is there some solidarity in that, that you weren't the only one?


ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, actually it's the first round. They are always not easy. You are coming here and, yeah, you start the tournament, so it's tough. But, yeah, I actually don't know the scores from the other one. But, yeah, it's like a Grand Slam. You never know what's happen.

Q. It's not surprising then?


ANGELIQUE KERBER: Actually not too much (smiling).

Q. What's so tough about the round 1 match? We just talked to Petkovic and she elaborated a little. Can you talk about the toughness of round 1?


ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, it's always tough. I mean, I start good. I was of course a little bit nervous, but like after the warming up I was there. Yeah, I mean, you know, you are playing also like the opponent are playing. She was playing in the second set very good and it was close. So there are just few balls at the end which, yeah, which changed. I was there. I was try to fighting. I think it was a tough one, but I'm really happy that, yeah, that I won the match at the end.

Angelique Kerber def Annika Beck 6-4 6-0

Q. First time here through to the quarterfinals. Congratulations. How do you feel as far as career comparison? Would you say you are in your career best form?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's always good to be like for the first time in the quarters here. I never reach the quarters. I'm feeling good. I mean, I had a great preseason. I was trying to transfer it to my matches.

Yeah, it's getting better and better from match to match, and right now I'm feeling good.

Q. A lot of breaks of serve today. How are you feeling on service?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, that's true. I think my serve was not the best today. I mean, I can serve for sure better and faster, but, I mean, it was a tough match. It was also tough mentally. I mean, it was a German one, as well. I knew actually I was the favorite, but she played very well in the last few matches here. She had nothing to lose, so she was actually more aggressive than me in the first few games.

But then I was trying to take my chances, to go for it, and in the second set I was -- yeah, I find my rhythm and I was playing, yeah, better and better.

Q. Are you feeling fortunate? Given your first-round match you had a match point against yourself, are you feeling fortunate you have been able to go this far and possibly go further?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, of course. I was actually with one leg on the plane back home, but I won the first match with the match point down. The first matches are always tough in the Grand Slams. We saw that many seeded player lost in the first few rounds.

So, yeah, and then after I was playing much better. I'm feeling good, and right now I will try to take my next match and, yeah, and play again good tennis.



Q. Given that difficulty you had holding serve early, how did you respond or feel at 3-2, 40-15 I think in the first set?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, it's true. I mean, it was a lot of breaks and rebreaks and everything. I was trying actually to take my chances, but she played good in the moment, as well. I mean, she returned very good.

Like I said, my serve was not the best today, but I was then trying to rebreak again and then take my serve to 6-4.

Q. What did you say to the umpire? You knew you had hit the ball that was challenged back.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It was back, right? Yeah, and I was telling her that I put it back on court, but she told me that my shot was in the net. So that was -- that's what she was telling me. I said, Okay. Because what should I say? I didn't have -- I couldn't say, like, challenge or whatever. I mean, that's not yet. Maybe in the future. (Smiling.)

Q. Vika has won the first set. If she does go through, how are you feeling about that match?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I had tough matches against her in the past. The last one was in Brisbane in the finals. I never won against her right now, but that will be a challenge, you know. I will looking forward when I play against her to really take my chances, take the next match.

It's a new one, it starts from zero, and I know what's coming from her. I will try to be aggressive and try to go and win the match. She played very well from the first match here in Melbourne. Yeah, I will try to get another chance the next challenge against her, and we will see what's happen then.

Q. What do you need to do better?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think I must serve for sure better, because she's returning very well. Be more aggressive. Playing aggressive. Moving good and actually playing my game like I'm playing on practice and just focusing more on me and not on her game.

Q. A couple big matches against her, in Brisbane and US Open. How do you think you were able to make this one go your way?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, you know, I won against her for the first time. Does feel really good. Before I went on court also yesterday I was practicing in my practice to be more aggressive.

I played very well. I mean, I was playing my game from the first point. Also when I was down 2-5, I was actually, yeah, playing more aggressive on this time. I think that was the key.

I served very well and was moving good. I think the key from this match was that I was playing and I won the match. She doesn't lose it; I actually won it.

Q. You held your nerve better or you were more aggressive?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it's both of these. You know, when I was 4-0 up in the first set, my nerves came a little bit. I was feeling it. It was close that it was 4-4. I was able to do the 5-3 in the first set, so that was a really important moment in the first set.

Then I was just trying, you know, to focus on my game, to be aggressive, to be the player who makes the winners and who is going for it. I was not thinking too much about the score, I was just trying to focusing more to play a good match, to play my game like I played in the practice. That was the whole time until the last point in my mind.

Q. You lost two Grand Slam semifinals, both against top-10 players. You're playing an unseeded player. Is this your real opportunity to take the next step?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, actually it doesn't matter against who I'm playing in the semis. I mean, who is in the semis played very good four matches actually, or five matches. I think I will just try to focusing on my game, as well. I mean, I will try to not thinking against who I'm playing. I will just try to focusing like today, to be aggressive, more focusing on my game, and then let's see how far I can get here.

Q. Your clutch serving was a highlight. Is that something you were focusing on?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I was focusing on my serve the last few weeks or months actually. I think I improve my serve a lot in the last few weeks. Of course, still I can improve it.

But I'm feeling good with my serve. I have a lot of more confidence than the last few tournaments. It's getting better from round to round here.

Q. Was the key going to the forehand?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I was trying to go, of course, more to the forehand. But it's, of course, tough against her. She's playing, yeah, very strong and very hard. I was trying going of course more to her forehand but still going to the backhand, just taking my first chances I could get.

We played a lot of matches in the past. I had few chances in the past few matches and I didn't take it. That was also the key of this match, to just take the first chance.

Q. You visited Steffi Graf awhile ago. What was it like to be with her?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, you know, Steffi is a champion. Like I said before, she won everything. She's a great person, as well. I was able to practice with her like few days just before Indian Wells last year.

But she taught me actually that I'm on a good way and try to believe in myself. I was trying to do it in the last few months also. I played good matches, tough matches also against Vika in New York, and Brisbane's final, it was a tough one.

I was going out there today with a lot of confidence and trying to believe really in myself and just going for my shots, trying to play good tennis. Yeah, I'm happy about my game, how I'm playing today.

Q. What about the four tournaments you won last year, does that build your confidence, or are the slams just a whole 'nother thing?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, of course, I won four tournaments last year. Like two years ago I was in four finals and I lost all four.

I was trying also to prepare more for the big tournaments because I was not playing well last year on the majors. That was also the goal for this year. I'm in the semifinals right now. Yeah, I think everything is in a good way.

Q. How much of an inspiration was Steffi for you growing up?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: A lot. She was my idol. She still is my idol. She's a German. She also makes the tennis in Germany very big. For sure when I was growing up, I was watching Steffi.

Q. Do you remember any of her matches in particular?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I remember actually a lot of matches. Every match was very fast from her. Everything was like 6-1, 6-0. I remember the finals in the Grand Slams what she won. I was also watching a lot on YouTube sometimes how she was playing with her slice, how she's moving. That was very, yeah, amazing actually.

Q. In Brisbane you said you were trying to be more aggressive to win matches, to take the match, as opposed to stand there and hope the other person loses. How much has that been a change in your mentality? Have you always thought that or...
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's changed. It was not always like this. In the past I had a lot of matches where I was hoping, just trying to moving, catching every ball. But against top players, like also Vika, you must going for it. I think I had a lot of experience from the last few years that I must going for it. Of course, it's not so easy to doing this. I can say it here and it's easy, but to doing this, it's not so easy.

I was trying to learn it and to do it in every match. Of course, also the first few rounds I was not going for every situation or for every chance I had. I was match point down in the first round. I think I played every match better and better.

Yeah, against Vika today I was going for it, so I was able to win the match.

Q. In the semifinals you're going to play against a player who is a lot less experienced than you, whether it's Konta or Zhang. How do you think you'll handle that?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It doesn't matter against who I'm playing, Konta or Zhang. They have nothing to lose. They will just trying to enjoy the semifinal, like me of course.

But I will try to not focusing that it's the semifinal, it's a Grand Slam. I will just trying focusing doing the same stuff I'm doing before every match, focusing on my game. Also going out there to win the match, to be aggressive, take my first chances I can get.

They are also dangerous. They beat great players here in the last 10 days. Yeah, I must play the best tennis tomorrow for sure.

Q. You were talking a lot about the mentality. Have you done any work with a sports psychologist?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, actually I know everything (laughter). I heard so many things in the last two years about these things. But it's tough to do it. This is actually that what you must do it on court in the important moments. Of course, I'm trying this in a lot of matches. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's not working so good.

But, yeah, I'm trying to be more quiet, more focusing on the point I'm playing right now and not thinking what was happen, what will happen.

Q. You will use that probably tomorrow because the danger would be thinking about making your first final?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, of course. For sure I will not thinking about this. I will try to focusing just on the next match, which is tomorrow. That's in my mind to play good tennis again.

Q. Singapore really was a turning point for you. The Safarova match. Can you talk a little bit how that's really kick started your 2016.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, for sure, the Safarova match in Singapore, that changed also a lot in myself, you know, because I was telling me after this that I will never let the pressure again wins against me.

Yeah, I had a lot of challenges here also in this tournament where I was really nervous. I was thinking about this match and what's happened there. I was telling, okay, take this challenge and try to take the experience from Singapore and change it. So that was the change also for my mentality and my nerves, what I have actually before every match.

Q. You haven't had the easiest of runs, both in Brisbane and here. Do you think that's all really helped on the eve of your first Grand Slam final? Do you feel more comfortable?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I feel very comfortable. I think that was the best start I had of the year. I mean, I reached the finals in Brisbane. I played very good tennis there. Then I played here good matches. Of course, the first one was very close, tough, with a lot of nerves in the match. I had the match point down.

But after that I came to the tournament and I played from match to match better. I think everything cames together good, so right now I'm in the finals. Yeah, I'm happy. I have a lot of confidence.

Q. 2014 you were 0-4 in Premieres. 2015 you won four. You weren't great at the majors. Now one year later you're in the final. Do you think you're just a quick learner? Where does that come from? Everything you put your mind to in terms of wanting to fix you've been able to do fairly quickly.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, I think I'm really a quick learner. When I make a mistakes, I try to learn from my mistakes, make it just once and not twice. I'm trying to take the experience for the next challenges I get.

Yeah, I think this is also what is good, that I take the negative to positive and try to learn very fast because in the tennis business you have the chance every week, so this is also good.

Q. When you sat down with Torben during the off-season, what was the discussion about 2016? What was the purpose of this year, the mindset going into this year?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: So we sit down at the end of last year. We were speaking just to focus more on the bigger tournaments, trying to improve also my tennis. Focusing not to, like, playing on semis or finals or winning tournaments, more like to improving my game, my personality, and also going out there to try to play every single match my best tennis, focusing more on the bigger ones. That was actually our conversation.

Q. Maybe now you can tell us what did Steffi text you yesterday.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: She told me, Congrats, and she is happy for me, and good luck in the finals.

Q. Serena spoke about the stress of trying to match Steffi. We saw what happened in New York. Is that something in your favor? Do you think that might have an effect on her or not?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: On Serena?

Q. Yes.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: No, I mean, Serena played very great here. I saw the match against Aga yesterday. She will go out there to win her next Grand Slam. I must be ready to take the challenge to play against the best player right now. She's the world No. 1. She's the champion. She won everything.

I have actually nothing to lose. But still I will go out there to try to challenge her, playing good tennis. I know that I won against her once, so I can beat her. But I must play my best I can play.

Q. What is the hardest thing about playing Serena?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, against Serena you never know how she's serving. I mean, she's serving unbelievable good. She's returning good. I think the first few balls, they are really deciding in the match.

I must be there from the first point and playing very deep. When I'm too short, she's just going for it. She is making winner, winner and winner. I saw it yesterday against Aga. I must be ready to, yeah, play my game and being also aggressive like she is.

Q. Both you and Serena have said you have nothing to lose tomorrow. Obviously there is the match to lose. What do you specifically mean by 'nothing to lose'?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: 'Nothing to lose' means I can go out there and try to play like I'm playing, without pressure, without nothing. Yeah, I think when you ask a lot of people, I think most will say, Okay, Serena will win. But this is the challenge I can take.

I go out there, I don't have nothing to lose. I don't have so much pressure like she has. This is what I mean that I have nothing to lose. I know I can lose the match. That's why I'm going out there to try to win the match.

Q. Do you think she has more pressure than you do?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: At the end I think so, yes.

Q. How important was your grandfather? He built the great facilities in Poland.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, he is a really important person for me. Without him and without my parents and my family, I will be not here now. He is also following and he's sitting in front of TVs. He is not sleeping actually the whole two weeks.

He is a really important person for me. Yeah, without him, I will be not here, for sure.

Q. You said you're trying to treat the Grand Slams like a Premier, just like any other tournament. Obviously at this point it probably begins to feel a little bit different. How do you do that? How do you treat all of this as though it's no big deal?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I was trying to being like I am, you know, not thinking, Okay, now this is a Grand Slam, it's a big tournament. Of course now I'm feeling it's a little bit different. But I like it actually (smiling).

I was trying actually to stay relaxed, to being like normal like I am. I'm in the official hotel also. I was trying, okay, let's do it like we do it always in the smaller tournaments.

Yeah, it works.

Q. How are the reactions back home in Germany? This is a big thing for your country as well.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it's very big. I don't know too much because I'm here. But I heard that the tennis, it's going bigger. Again, I think it's very good for the tennis, and also for Germany, for me of course.

I get a lot of messages that they are all supporting me, they are proud of me, yeah. The fingers are crossing in Germany for the finals for me.

Q. Which message stands out for you?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I had really a lot of messages. Of course, the important is when your family is writing you, the closest friends, they are really supporting you from the beginning. They are always behind you when it was not so good.

Yeah, this is actually what is really nice to read.

Q. Are you being recognized around Melbourne? When you walk around now, do you get people stopping you?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yes, now it's getting more. I was walking on the river this morning. A lot of runners stopped by and said, Good luck for the finals. We saw your match yesterday.

Now it's getting more and more.

Q. Is that different than the past years?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: It's for sure different than last year. I lost last year in the first round so I was not so long here. But, yeah, it's a little bit different.

Q. Do you think you're more comfortable now with the idea that you are a top player? You're going to be a top-5 player after this tournament is over. Are you more comfortable now than maybe two years ago, maybe even last year?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I think right now I have the confidence, you know, to be really a top-5 player and feel it. I think I grow in the last few years to be a top-10 player. Now I'm back in the top 5.

You know, it feels good. I feel it also inside. I think I'm ready for it to be now in the top 5. I think I show everybody that I deserve it. That's a good feeling.

Q. This morning I saw you training right next to Serena. Did you have any particular training having to face her, maybe some return of serve? Don't you spoil your plan training right next to her at the next court?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I was waiting when she went (laughter). I was practicing my normal practice. Of course, then she left the court and then I was starting to practice my game plan.