AMELIE MAURESMO

All the people that still believed in me, after seven years - it's a long time.

It took me time to adjust and to realise it was not going to happen like it did in the juniors.

Right now I have more confidence in myself. I grew up.

Another factor is the education and culture in which you grow up. I didn't grow up in the culture of victory, where you are expected to be or have to be, the best. It was not at all like that in my family. Tennis was really a hobby. If it led to something, great. If not, there were other things in life. I think that was something I was missing at some points in my career, because when I see Hingis or the Williamses, you see how they were educated for this: to win, to be the best, a bit the American mentality. Number one. Number one. Number one. I didn't have this.

I think I have handled things pretty well last year and this. What I have to do now is try do it even better.

The thing is the game is getting tougher and tougher and we have to ask a lot of our bodies.

Whether it's in the right way or sometimes the wrong way, you learn about life and its lessons.

When I finished the juniors I felt, perhaps for about a year and a half, that everything was going to be the same and that I would be able to go out there and win any match. But it wasn't the case. I struggled.

I definitely wanted this win today and I don't want anybody to talk about my nerves anymore.

This trophy is so special in the world of tennis and it feels great.

I definitely wanted this win today and I don't want anybody to talk about my nerves anymore.

Unlike in my young days I'm not able to eat, drink and sleep tennis.

When you start off a new tournament, you want to do well.

Well, I guess I needed this tough first round to really put me into that tournament, to really erase what happened at Indian Wells, which is now the case, you know.

I think you always have, you know, new players. Every year you see new faces, juniors coming into the seniors. I was one of them at the time long time ago now.

The thing is the game is getting tougher and tougher and we have to ask a lot of our bodies.

You have to adjust to where you are but the French are all together - the guys and the women. It's good.

Yes, I have had difficult times on court and at certain tournaments but you need to forget about it and go forward because that's the way it works in our world.

I think I have handled things pretty well last year and this. What I have to do now is try do it even better.

Right now I have more confidence in myself. I grew up.

This trophy is so special in the world of tennis and it feels great.

It took me time to adjust and to realise it was not going to happen like it did in the juniors.

When I finished the juniors I felt, perhaps for about a year and a half, that everything was going to be the same and that I would be able to go out there and win any match. But it wasn't the case. I struggled.

Whether it's in the right way or sometimes the wrong way, you learn about life and its lessons.

Another factor is the education and culture in which you grow up. I didn't grow up in the culture of victory, where you are expected to be or have to be, the best. It was not at all like that in my family. Tennis was really a hobby. If it led to something, great. If not, there were other things in life. I think that was something I was missing at some points in my career, because when I see Hingis or the Williamses, you see how they were educated for this: to win, to be the best, a bit the American mentality. Number one. Number one. Number one. I didn't have this.

When I finished the juniors I felt, perhaps for about a year and a half, that everything was going to be the same and that I would be able to go out there and win any match. But it wasn't the case. I struggled. It took me time to adjust and to realise it was not going to happen like it did in the juniors. It was three years between the junior ranks and reaching the Australian Open, and even then, having reached the final against Hingis, I wasn't really realising what it would take to go higher.

All the people that still believed in me, after seven years - it's a long time.