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QATAR TOTAL OPENFebruary 28, 2015Lucie SafarovaDOHA, QATAR L. SAFAROVA/V. Azarenka Q. Is this your best achievement in your career or how does it rank? LUCIE SAFAROVA: I mean, it's up there. Obviously semifinals at Wimbledon was very high achievement for me as well. It's the first premiere WTA win of a tournament, so I'm really excited. Q. Three consecutive aces at the end. You were pretty loose. Did you feel loose? You went for it? LUCIE SAFAROVA: Vika was just going for the return. So I was like, Okay, I have to go strong. Otherwise, if you want to win it, you've got to go for it. So that's what I was thinking and just played that well. Q. You got the break and then you lost the break in the first set. Were you a little nervous, because she really came back at you, didn't she? How do you manage to break again? LUCIE SAFAROVA: I was like ‑‑ she played that game really well to break me, so I just was trying to get together my concentration again. And I knew that side I kind of preferred a little bit more and I just‑‑ I think the key was to hold my serve at that point to go for all. And once that happened, I was just again pumped for the return game and played it really solid. Q. You've never beaten Vika before. You had a wonderful year last year, Fed Cup, Wimbledon, you have been on the circuit a long time and you're heading towards where this will be your best ever career ranking. Can you talk a bit about why this is happening to you now and what's made a difference in the way you're playing? LUCIE SAFAROVA: Yeah, first of all, I'm really excited and happy about it, because, as you said, it took me quite a few years to get to this point. I hope it's not a finish point and I can still improve that. I think it's like I'm playing more consistent. My game improved a lot throughout the last couple of years. I think we did the great job together with my coach, Rob, on my game and it's just hard work and also maturing a little bit. I think it's everything together. Also the health was good the last couple of years. So I really enjoy the game and enjoy to compete. Q. Is there anything that you're doing different in your training or your conditioning? LUCIE SAFAROVA: I mean, I do the same for about like three years. I mean, the same of course you are improving and changing up the exercises and also working on my tennis game, on the like, let's say, weaknesses. I would say that the last three years, I've been really doing pretty much the same routine, which is paying off. Q. Before when you would get to a final, and you've been in a few finals and you haven't won them, what was going through your mind then and can you compare that to tonight or this week when you have been so strong and confident all week? LUCIE SAFAROVA: Well, I was just thinking like I really felt good all week here and my performance was much better and better. I just wanted to use the opportunity to really go for it and really take the title. Yeah, I was‑‑ what I did different from those previous, not much. I think I really enjoy tonight, be out there, enjoyed the atmosphere, it was really nice, nice crowd. Just really went for each of the points. Q. Have you set any goals for yourself for this year, for 2015? LUCIE SAFAROVA: After last year, I've reached my best ranking, which was 14, and the next target would be, and dream as well, would be top‑10, which I'm really close to right now. And it's a hard work and it has to click everything together, but I'm one step towards that goal. So we will work with my coach on that one. Q. Which of the Slams would you most likely like to do well in? LUCIE SAFAROVA: Any Slam. To reach for far is amazing. Of course, Wimbledon has the tradition and like to play in wide. That's a little bit special, but I think each of the Grand Slams are a little bit different and I would take any. Q. Do you think you are playing the best tennis of your career right now? LUCIE SAFAROVA: I think, yeah. I wouldn't say right now. I think it's like last year already and I'm still feeling like I'm slowly improving my game. And I'm fit also on the court. So, yeah, I would say. Q. Do you feel you can still improve upon your game? LUCIE SAFAROVA: That I still can improve? At this level you are a complete player already, so it's not anything that would be like possible to change hugely. But it's little things here and then, be more fit, be more consistent, smarter in the game. And I think it's a lot about also like mental stability and being able to play out well those key moments in the matches. Q. One of your legs was heavily taped. Was it a strain? LUCIE SAFAROVA: I've strained my leg in the last match a little bit, so I was doing this tape to don't make it worse, but I was moving freely today. Q. How is the condition? Is it okay now? LUCIE SAFAROVA: I have a week off now, so it will be okay. Q. That part where you said that Wimbledon is special, but seeing that your form is good on the hard court... LUCIE SAFAROVA: I like all the surfaces. I grew up on clay obviously in Czech Republic. And I like hard courts. Obviously, making semis Wimbledon, I like the grass as well. For me doesn't really matter. I don't have a preference. Q. What is your next target? LUCIE SAFAROVA: Next tournament, you mean? Next tournament is Indian Wells, Miami and Charleston, which is in one week time. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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