00:00Yeah, I'm super pleased with that performance. I just had so much fun on the court to be
00:08honest. I absolutely loved playing on court one and I felt the atmosphere was amazing
00:15with the crowd and yeah, I really fed off of it and played some really good stuff.
00:20Hi Emma, Ash from QualityShop. Firstly, well done on your win today. Yeah, you spoke a
00:27lot about, you know, the home support and the fact there was a lot of noise being generated
00:31on that court with the roof on. So my question is, do you prefer having the roof on or the
00:35roof off?
00:37I prefer having the roof on probably because I think the sound is just amplified and it's
00:44yeah, it's like a concert hall. It's really, really nice to play in an amazing environment
00:49and it's just a lot louder. I think everything, the ball even sounds different when you hit
00:53it. But at the end of the day, it's an outdoor event. But yeah, my preference is probably
00:59when it's like that.
01:00James?
01:01Emma, you mentioned how much you enjoy number one courts. I guess the last time you were
01:05there was Tom Janovich. I don't know whether you've hit on there since then maybe, but
01:11for some people that might be a bit of a scarring experience for the last time you've been there
01:15to be like a match you've retired from.
01:17Yeah, I didn't even think of that. I just thought now I'm reminded. But I think when
01:24I think of court one, I just think of that amazing win against Sorana. I think that was,
01:29you know, my first coming out into tennis society, if you would like to call it. But
01:36I just have such amazing memories from that court. And I think that match in particular
01:42was the first time playing on a court that size. The crowd, the environment, you know,
01:47the feeling of adjusting at the start to just playing on a court that big. So I only have
01:52good memories from that court.
01:54Agatha?
01:55Just to say it's really good to see all the support that you've had today from the British
01:59crowd. And also noticed that Romain Bakken was here to support you, like Ronny O'Sullivan
02:04was for Novak Djokovic. I just wondered what it was like to have him around as well.
02:09Yeah, I mean, I think he's, yeah, he's really cool. His dad is, you know, someone that I
02:15think every athlete looks up to, especially every British athlete. You know, what he's
02:22kind of gone through with the media, with his career, with the pressure moments. And
02:27having David in my first round at the front was, he was there from the start at first
02:32point, even when the crowd was pretty empty. So I have utmost respect for him. And I think
02:38he's just amazing for British sport in general.
02:41Russell?
02:42Emma, how long did it take for you to decide to accept Andy Murray's offer to play mixed
02:48doubles here?
02:51I got asked literally like 10 seconds. I was like, yeah. Like I, it's for me a once in
03:00a lifetime opportunity. I think some things are bigger than just tennis. I think some
03:04things are a once in a lifetime memory that you're going to have for the rest of your
03:08life, you know, to play at Wimbledon with Andy Murray. It's, you know, those things
03:12don't come by. And I think, you know, at the end of my life, at the end of my career, when
03:18I'm like 70 years old, I know I'm going to have that memory of playing, you know, Wimbledon
03:23with Andy Murray on our home slam. For me, it was an honour to be asked.
03:30Ellen?
03:31Emma, you play Maria Zachary next. Obviously, the last time you played her was a pretty
03:37big occasion. I just wonder what are your memories of that? And can you take anything
03:42from that match into the next one?
03:44Yeah, I think it was in the semis of the US Open. I think, you know, the circumstances
03:50are different, like in a third round compared to a semi-final. I think, you know, at the
03:56time, the dynamics were also different. You know, I was an unknown player pretty much.
04:02So I think that I'm expecting a really tough match. You know, she's top in the world, I
04:07don't know, top 10 or something. So it's going to be a really difficult one. But again, one
04:13where I'm the complete underdog and I can just enjoy playing in my home crowd, home
04:18slam. And yeah, I just keep having fun and trying to stay an extra day.
04:22Katherine?
04:23Hi, Emma. There seemed a real freedom about your tennis today, the way you were playing
04:29out there. Marketa Vondroshova was in here yesterday talking about the freedom that she
04:34had playing here a year ago and how she's been trying to find that again over the last
04:3912 months. Has that been a quest for you as well, to try and find the freedom in your
04:44tennis again? And do you feel like that's something that you have re-found?
04:49I think it's a really difficult challenge. I don't think it's something that clicks overnight
04:54and all of a sudden you have the freedom. I think it's a process that you have to give
04:58and take. Sometimes you feel like you're taking a few steps forward and then you take a step
05:02back. And I think that's normal with any progress. It's never really plain sailing through. I
05:07think certain matches this year I've played with a lot more freedom and then others I've
05:11been more tentative or, you know, more passive. And I think as long as I'm trending in the
05:18right trajectory, then I'm happy and moving forward.
05:21Sean Lindell-Guardian, do you ever think about the parallels between what happened three
05:26years ago in here, the fact the draw opened up in New York, you played Zachary, and could
05:31it perhaps, you know, those sort of positive emotions from them perhaps help you in the
05:35next 10 days or so?
05:38I think, you know, I forgot which press conference, but I saw Rafa come in and, you know, the
05:44journalists were asking, oh, what if, what if, but what ifs don't exist. And I think
05:49you have to just take every moment as it comes and deal with the circumstances because it's
05:54very easy to get caught up in, yeah, parallels or things that have happened in the past.
06:02But no situation is the same and dynamics are always changing. So I think for me, I'm
06:06just trying to stay focused on what I can do today, taking care of, you know, every
06:10minute in my day and, yeah, letting the rest flow.
06:14Jo?
06:15Emma, you characterise your round one match as winning ugly like the England football
06:19team. How would you characterise your performance against the Leeds Mertens?
06:24I'd say I enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun. And I think that when my character shows through
06:32my tennis is when I play my best. So, yeah, I'm really pleased with that. And honestly,
06:38like me following Carlos, it was pretty cool to watch him play because he has the same
06:43sort of demeanour and just enjoyment of the sport. So, yeah, it's just good to follow
06:47and watch.
06:48Simon?
06:49Hey, Emma. Just going to the mixed doubles again with Andy, on court you said it's been
06:57a dream since watching the Olympics. Was that 2012? Can you just expand a little bit on
07:01your memories of that?
07:03Yeah, I think, well, since you really had an understanding that there was a mixed doubles
07:08event at Wimbledon, it's always been something that I've obviously wanted to do. And then
07:15seeing him win silver here with Laura, it was, yeah, it was just, I was so far away
07:21from it at that time. It was like a far away dream. And I think that the decision was for
07:28sure made as well for that kid who was like dreaming of this moment. So, I think it's
07:33important to not lose sight of that and not let go of those feelings as a kid or why you
07:38started playing sport, why you want to play on these big courts. And, yeah, it's just
07:43a real honour and I'm just really excited.
07:45Emma, you could tell how dialed in you were in every department today. Would you be tempted
07:55to describe that as possibly your most complete individual display since everything changed
08:01for you in New York?
08:04I think I played very well, but I don't think it was my best match since US Open. I think
08:10I've played a few matches that I was personally probably happier with. But, of course, today
08:18I'm very pleased with, again, how I handle situations. It's, I mean, it's always a lot
08:22of fun, but it's never easy stepping out onto a massive court and, yeah, playing in front
08:28of the home crowd. It's not straightforward. So, I think the way that I handled that and,
08:33you know, the first game going love 30 and then regrouping and, you know, finding a good
08:37rhythm. I'm very pleased with that, but I wouldn't say it was my best performance.
08:42Are you going to try and vote before you practice tomorrow? And will you also keep an eye on
08:46the general election in the evening?
08:49No, I think I'll have a lie-in and then I'll come to practice. I didn't even know it was
08:56tomorrow, to be honest. So, thanks for letting me know.
08:59What's your hope for Andy's experience in the remainder of this Wimbledon in the two
09:05forms of doubles that he'll be playing and also the crowd reception?
09:11I think I want, obviously, to do well with him. You know, I'm not playing to kind of
09:20lose and I really don't want to let him down. Of course, that's the one thing that I don't
09:24want to do. So, yeah, I'm going to be on my best form, trying hard, probably be more
09:30nervous for that than the singles. But I think, yeah, I just wish him the best. I think
09:35Wimbledon is Andy Murray and Andy Murray is Wimbledon. So, yeah, I just want to see him
09:40do well.
09:42Further questions? OK, we'll take a quick one.
09:47So, you're playing Zhang Shuai in the mixed double, that Chinese player, obviously. When
09:55she had an interview today, learning that she's going to play you in the mixed double,
09:59she said, and I quote, you speak incredibly adorable Chinese. That's literally what she
10:05said. So, is it possible you can say something in Chinese to reply to that, in a way?
10:16I just don't know. I can't believe I'm playing her, to be honest. Like, she's been so helpful
10:39to me.
10:41Thank you very much.
10:42Thank you.
10:46Thank you.
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