WTA: Interview Julia Görges:”I’m a different player than before”.

Julia Görges is in the shape of your life! What makes her different from a few years ago, how she put together her team and why she even likes to train serves: We talked to her in Indian Wells.

Two years ago Julia Görges, 29, completely unrolled her tennis life and made a fresh start with Michael Geserer as coach and Florian Zitzelsberger as physiotherapist and athletic trainer. With success: After a strong 2017 season, she has played her way to the top ten for the first time in 2017. She is currently ranked 12th in the world, and in Indian Wells she will meet Natalia Vikhlyantseva after a walk-through in round one. Before the tournament started, Görges met with tennisnet. com – and left a very relaxed and happy impression.

tennisnet: Mrs. Görges, what does the hip injury you have contracted in Doha do – are you ready for Indian Wells?

Görges: It took me a while, but I am fit again. I made good use of the time at home, training started a few days ago. I have no more pain and am very happy about it.

tennisnet: You’ve had 21 wins out of 24 games since October, with the last-minute Zhuhai squad you’ve won. You didn’t learn to play tennis again, but was there a moment when it made “click”?

Görges: I hadn’t counted on the end. After Beijing I had booked my vacation, even though I knew that there was still a small chance to come to Zhuhai. I thought:”All right, if I can do this, I’ll be happy to postpone the holiday. The week before Moscow I trained very well and Michael said:”It’s a pity that the season is already over. I answered:”Okay, if I win the tournament, we’ll play one more (laughs). For me it was great to see that at the end of the season, where there were many in the end, I could still play good tennis.

tennisnet: How much was your team responsible for this final spurt – including physical freshness?

Görges: They play a huge part. A body develops over a longer period of time, you have to work hard and constantly, that’s what we did for two years. As a player, it’s not always easy to be patient. I am now more mature, more mature and more responsible on the pitch.

tennisnet: What exactly do you do differently from two years ago, what should your fans pay attention to?

Görges: The playfulness is connected with the physical. I’m a different player than before, I move six or seven times well and wait for my chance. I used to go to the winner after the third shot, although it didn’t fit. I’m tougher and can use my defensive to get back on the offensive. That’s the biggest difference because I’ve been working hard on my fitness. Combined with all the tactics and match experience I have learned, this is a good package.

tennisnet: Do you work harder or differently than before?

Görges: (considered) Rather differently. Everyone works hard, but some things are worked out differently, with a different team. I have chosen new directions that are working very well for me.

tennisnet: Do you feel more respect among your colleagues – now that you’re at the forefront and have reached the top ten?

Görges: Hm… it may be another kind of respect. I don’t care about the number I have now. I don’t want to change as a human being just because I won a few tournaments. You shouldn’t be identified by that. One notices, of course, that one is perceived differently. But I don’t like too many congratulations. I just want to work constantly to become better and experience it with my team.

tennisnet: Let’s talk about your new team: How do you put it together? You can’t test that and send it back.

Görges: What it sounds like… (laughs) I started in 2014 in the Bundesliga with TC Rot-Blau Regensburg. There was Michael sitting on the bench. I loved the way he spoke to me, what he thought about my game. I knew he didn’t want to travel anymore because of his family, but I kept him in mind. I was satisfied with my team at that time. At some point, the point came when I wanted to change my orientation and develop. Because I was convinced my potential wasn’t exhausted. So I checked with Michael to see if there was a possibility, if I would be interesting for him as a player. He can’t always come along, but we’ve found ways to play alone. That’s how I mature as a player.

tennisnet: You are considered to be one of the best racketeers of the tour, have beat the most aces so far in 2018 and won the most service games. The service in the women’s area is often a weak point. Is he not trained enough by others?

Görges: I cannot judge that. For me, it has always been a great strength – with the potential to expand it further. It was always important to me that I design my service games in a variable way. I can serve any kind of twist, which makes me more unpredictable. That’s always good. It’s an advantage to know that you get a few free points. This is also positive for the mind.

tennisnet: Do you like to train your serve? As a club coach, you don’t exactly pick up a storm of applause when you want to serve.

Görges: (laughs) It was like me in my youth. You want to play and score points. But when you see what a serve brings, what you can do with it, when you notice the improvements as a player – then it gets interesting. And if the next day after the workout you see:”Oh, here he comes, now I try him a second time…. Then these are moments of happiness that motivate. Then you stay on it.

tennisnet: Keyword moments of happiness: In April we’re going to Stuttgart again, where you celebrated your greatest success to date with the victory at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in 2011. The Fed Cup semi-finals against the Czech Republic are about to begin. How important are these two events to you?

Görges: Of course every tournament is important, but for me these are two emotionally significant weeks. We don’t have that many tournaments in Germany any more, there hasn’t been a semi-final in the Fed Cup for 24 years. The art is to enjoy such weeks, to take the audience with you and to bring the best performance. It’s great that the Fed Cup is also in Stuttgart. So you can get used to the atmosphere and hopefully you can play successfully at both events.

The interview was conducted by Florian Goosmann in Indian Wells.