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DONGFENG MOTOR WUHAN OPEN

September 27, 2015

Karolina Pliskova

WUHAN, CHINA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What is your expectation for the Wuhan Open?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't really have any expectation for this tournament. I just came yesterday night from Tokyo. I have two days of practice.
So prepare and be ready for the first round. I know there is a tough opponent in the first round, there is Mirjana Lucic, which can play great match. So I hope I'll be ready for this match and I'll do anything for getting ready for the next round.

Q. What did you do after the US Open? How much did you rest? When did you start practicing again? What was your general plan there?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think I had about a week off totally from tennis and everything around this. I just went to visit my family and friends and stayed at home few days. Then I started practicing. A good two weeks of practice.
Then I went to Tokyo few days early before the tournament starts because there is also the time difference and everything.
Yeah, so I feel ready. I have still few tournaments to go till the end of the year, and there's Fed Cup and a few things. I hope I can make it quite okay till the end of the year.

Q. As we all know, this year is very important for you. You played very well in tournaments. First time into the top 10. But your performance in the Grand Slams is not up to expectations. My question is, what efforts helped you make some progress this year? What's the difference for you to play in Grand Slams and other tournaments?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I think so far I had pretty good year, so I'm really happy with the way I played. Of course, I was expecting little bit better results on the Grand Slams, which didn't come.
I'm sure it's going to be better next few years, let's say. But this year was everything little bit new for me. I was first time top 10, first time seeded on the Grand Slams. So everything was little bit different. I got used to things.
Of course, next year is going to be even harder because I'm going to defend lot of points. But some things not going to be that new for me. Like I said, I got used to few things. I'm just looking forward to the next year, to all the Grand Slams.
But still, like, it's this year so I have few tournaments to go this year, so I'm not going to think about any Grand Slams anymore because there's luckily not any Grand Slam anymore. I'm just going to focus on this year, on end of this year.

Q. What's the most exciting thing or the best thing about kind of the Asian swing, this last section of the year, and what's the most challenging thing about it?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think the best thing of this Asian tour is it's the last tour of the year (smiling). The year's pretty long. We were traveling quite a lot. Sometimes you just feel tired.
I know this is the last four tournaments for me, so there is, like I said, still Fed Cup which I have at home, and there might be Zhuhai or Singapore.
For me, I felt a little bit more tired than I felt in the beginning of the year. I'm really happy this is the last two what I have this year.
On the other hand I always love to come back to Asia. I always had great results here. I'm going to enjoy the last three tournaments and see what happens.

Q. Every time you come to Asia to play, you obviously will face some cultural differences. Do you think it's a good thing or do you feel like you have to deal with extra energy to have focus on the court? Do you feel it's a good thing to come to different environments, different cultures to deal with?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I think it's a good thing that we are not always in the same place and not always with the same people 'cause it would get bored for us, I have a feeling.
Sometimes it's a little bit hard because of the time changing and the weather conditions and everything. It's just different. You have few days to get used to it.
Yeah, but like I said, for me it's always like I've been in Asia many times so I know what to expect. For me it's little bit hard with the food only here, but the other things are fine.

Q. As you all know, three players have entered the WTA Finals. The other five spots are opening. Have you thought about entering the WTA Finals? Can you share with us about the thoughts?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: You mean Singapore?

Q. Yes.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I know I've been quite long on the Road to Singapore. But right now I think I'm out of the Road. When Pennetta won the US Open, she's automatically there, which is not good thing for me.
Yeah, like I said, there's still three tournaments to go, maybe four. I'll do my best to make it. It was my goal in the end of this year to make it there. If I won't make it, I won't be that sad. Like I said, I'll do everything for that. I'll keep concentrating on my game and do the best on those last three tournaments.

Q. You talked about fatigue this last section of the season, being a little bit tired. What do you tell yourself when you're tired and you know you only have a few more weeks to go? What are you telling yourself to stay motivated?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I'm quite often thinking about vacation right now (laughter).
No, but it's three weeks, it's just nothing. But for me it's a little bit longer, the season, than for any other players. Like I said, there is the Fed Cup, which is quite late, so there is not that many time to take some time off. Also I'm going to play the IPTL in Singapore. It's going to be just hard year for me.
I hope I can prepare for the next year like I did for this one. I just try to keep motivate myself still because there is still Singapore. That's also why I have my coach and he's supporting me all the time.

Q. With Fed Cup, with Lucie being somewhat injured, not clear what the situation is, have you had conversations with the captain about possibly playing singles in the Final?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Not really. I think Lucie's going to be fine. I hope she's going to be fine. There's still time till the Fed Cup.
I didn't even know. I didn't talk to her now for the last few days, so I don't know how she's doing right now. But I guess she's going to be ready for Beijing maybe.
There is Petra also. So we didn't really talk with the captain yet. I just hope I'm going to be in the nomination and we will see what happen, who is going to be ready, who is going to be maybe injured.
I'll be ready for playing.

Q. Which field are you good at in your own opinion, hard court, clay court or grass court?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I prefer more hard court. I think I have the best results always on hard court.
Clay, obviously it's not my best surface, even I made a title this year at home. It's just hard for me. It's slow and you have to run a lot, so it's not really my favorite surface.
And grass, I also played better this year, but still I'm not feeling on the grass 100% ready yet. It's improving with the years, but definitely it's the hard court where I playing my best tennis.
Also it's like 90% of the year we are playing on hard court, so I would say hard court, yeah.

Q. Have you had a chance to practice on the new court?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No. I came yesterday night. So I just hit once today.

Q. There are some comments about your footwork on the court. Some people or social media say it looks like you are taking a walk on the court, maybe a little bit lazy.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Lazy (laughter)?

Q. Maybe a little bit. Do you think so or do you have some other opinion?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Who was saying this about me?

Q. Some media, some fans, social media.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Okay, I'll find them (laughter).
No, of course, I don't know. I'm pretty tall so it's not really easy to move on the court. But I think I'm improving and I'm doing all to be even better than I am. But, of course, the moving on the court is not great. We know it all.
But I'm just trying to work on it, so that's what I can do. But I would not say I am lazy (smiling).

Q. Your next opponent, Baroni, she beat Stosur by 6‑2, 6‑1. She beat you a month ago in Toronto in three sets. What do you think is the biggest threat for you to play against her and how will you prepare for the next match?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think I'm going to play Tuesday, so still I have today off and tomorrow. I'll practice little bit.
Of course, I know her. I played her a few times. In Toronto it wasn't first time. There, the match I had 6‑2, 4‑0, I think, and I lost this one.
Well, she's a dangerous player. Like you saw in Toronto, the score, she was losing so much. She just came on the court and hit everything in or everything out. You never know with her.
I just have to be ready, defend well. Obviously I have to serve well and we will see how she's going to play and how the match will go.

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