E. RADUCANU/I. Jovic
6-2, 6-2
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. On the court, you made a point of thanking the people for staying with you during difficult periods. How much was that on your mind after a result like that? What does it take to kind of push through that to have a result like this?
EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it meant a lot. I think especially in the months when results weren't necessarily going our way, and their resilience, the support, you know, unconditionally, regardless of results, they really believed in me. So I really wanted to take the opportunity to thank them.
Yeah, I really think they have stuck by me through some difficult moments. I'm just really, really happy and proud of the team.
Q. What does it mean to reach the final here for you? I know especially after the difficult year that you have had.
EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it means everything to be making the final here and to be making it at home in London. I love London. It's my home. It's where I grew up. It's everything to me.
So to be receiving the amount of support that I do here, it's very emotional, and yeah, I'm just really proud of myself.
Q. Well done. I know it's been a strange week of waiting around for you, but does it feel like maybe playing two matches in one day actually helped you carry out momentum? Especially with the slip, did it feel like you didn't have to think about it? You could just go straight back on court?
EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it was tricky because we spent two days pretty much waiting around. It was long days. We got called off pretty late.
Having to play two matches today was a real physical challenge, and I'm really proud how I kind of overcame that with the help of my team, of course. I think that I knew playing Iva, she's one of the most in-form players right now on the tour, so I think having that match and the first one in the morning did help in some ways, because I had a better feel of the court, I would say, rather than going straight in.
Maybe it worked in my advantage, but it easily could have gone the other way, and with the slip, especially. Yeah, just really glad to be in this situation.
Q. There was a moment toward the end of that second set where you're on the bench, you sort of locked eyes with your coach and team, and kind of pointed at your head. What was the mindset there? What were you trying to communicate with them?
EMMA RADUCANU: Well, I think the back end of the second set, it was really difficult. I mean, the score doesn't reflect at all the match and the intensity of it. I knew I had to be so on at every single point, and if I dropped the ball slightly short or slipped up a little bit, then she would be right on me.
I think it was just a really -- we have a really strong connection, and it was just kind of like so tough to kind of hold in those situations when I was, like, Love-40 and facing breakpoints.
Q. Can you tell us how the leg's feeling now and how you went from having what looked like heavy strapping on it at one stage to winning two matches at the end of the day?
EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think it's amazing what adrenaline and support can do, and the mind as well. So right now I still have to kind of assess, but yeah, I know we're going to do everything we possibly can for one more tomorrow.
Q. It's a different dynamic for you, because I guess most of your career you have sort of been younger than your opponents, and then suddenly you're going up against someone 18, new kid on the block, and you're sort of the senior player on the court. What's that dynamic and what's the important thing that you need to do against those players?
EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think, you know, when you're younger and you come onto the tour, you swing pretty freely, you move pretty quickly.
Iva, this year, I didn't necessarily see myself as the older player who is expected to win. I think she's had an incredible season. She's been in great form. I knew I just had to commit to my shots, and there was only one way to win today which was play my game and execute it.
I'm really proud of how I did that. Yeah, looking forward to one more.
Q. A bit of a niche question, but you thanked the people who were calling you Radders. Do you prefer Radders or Emma, or where does Radders come from, and how long have you been called Radders?
EMMA RADUCANU: I have been called Radders for a while, actually. First when I was in Bromley playing, my old coach called my Radders, and then one of my first friends called me Radders.
I don't mind. Whatever people came up. I had the Aussie version, which was Raddo, earlier in the year. Any sort of play on the name I quite like. But hearing the Radders, and also, just in that moment they were so loud and penetrated through the rest of the crowd.
Yeah, I was really grateful for them, and I really hope they can come back tomorrow. Regardless, I will get my agents to find them and get them back tomorrow (smiling).
Q. Andrew Richardson now back in your camp. Do you feel like you're now playing the brand of tennis you want to play, and dare I say, is the old Emma playing style, is that back for you?
EMMA RADUCANU: I think it's great to have him back. I think we have been working on this game style. The whole week I have been playing really, really good tennis and the brand of tennis that I really want to play.
I wouldn't say it's necessarily the old Emma. I think it's the new Emma, because you take all the lessons and experience, you know, all the different ups and downs, and you take everything. You understand a lot more what's going on and what works for you.
So I'd say, yeah, I'm back and better (smiling).
Q. In this new version of Emma, what would you say are the lessons learnt over the years that are making this new brand of tennis successful? And would you say this is the best level you have ever played on grass?
EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I would say I played really good tennis, you know, today against Iva, against Sorana first round, and this morning as well was really tricky.
I think I'm playing really good. I think the lessons would probably be to be my most athletic self. My personality, I think it's clear this week that I had a lot of fun on the court. When I'm smiling and enjoying it, that's when I feel the best level can kind of flow out from there, rather than trying to put me in any type of mold.
So I think that's what Andrew and the rest of the team does such a great job of is they just create a space where they allow me to be myself, and I think seeing that come through this week has been great reinforcement of what we have been doing.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports