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DONGFENG MOTOR WUHAN OPEN

October 1, 2015

Roberta Vinci

WUHAN, CHINA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It seems since New York you can't stop winning. How does that feel?
ROBERTA VINCI: I'm feeling good. Better for me. Of course, I'm really happy also for today.
I don't want to stop, you know. So I play a good game also today, solid game. I'm really, really happy that I'm in semifinal here for the first time.

Q. Do you feel like your game with all the variations and paces against the young players, it's really paying off more and more because they're totally not used to it?
ROBERTA VINCI: Yeah, of course. I have a different kind of tennis. Probably this is the key that I won also today because, Pliskova also like yesterday, Kvitova, they play always in the same way: always flat, always boom‑boom.
I play different. I enjoy to play like this, so good for me.

Q. Speaking of your game style, I'm wondering, because most of the girls all play like Petra, like Pliskova, very powerful games, at what point, if ever, in your career did you think, I wish I had that type of game instead of the game that I have?
ROBERTA VINCI: When I was young, I always play like this, also when I was young. Also the coach when I was young say, You have to play in a different style because you don't have so much power. You have one backhand. You don't play like the other girls.
So the important thing was that I play like this for long time, so I never changed my style. So good coach. I was focused to play like this.

Q. In New York, Flavia said she remembered playing you for the first time, and that you beat her badly because you were slicing, had variety, and she was just hitting the back fence all the time.
ROBERTA VINCI: Yes.

Q. I'm wondering what it feels like for you when that's happening against a Kvitova or Pliskova, where you can tell that your game is frustrating them.
ROBERTA VINCI: Yeah, I really enjoy to play like this. When the old players, they miss a lot some balls, or also Flavia in the beginning, when they are nervous, I really enjoy because I say, Okay, this is the game that I have to do.
You know, I'm 'happy' when they are nervous or they cannot do anything. Sometimes the players try to play some backhands, you know, so they are confusion.
For me is a confident to me. You understand me?

Q. Yes.
ROBERTA VINCI: Okay.

Q. Petra said she thought your backhand slice was the best in the game. When you are hitting that shot well, what does the ball do? When do you know that the slice is working really well for you? What does the ball do?
ROBERTA VINCI: My slice is okay when I play in all zone of the court, when the slice go fast. If I feel a good slice, is difficult that I lost the match. You know, if my slice solid, I'm solid also in my mind because I think that my slice make the difference between the other players.

Q. Just now Serena Williams has announced she will withdraw from China Open and Singapore. Her coach said that she will never get back on the court until she recovers from the failure with you. Next round you're going to meet her sister, Venus Williams, perhaps. She's a potential opponent. If she has passes the quarterfinals, have you ever thought that you could defeat her and depress her like her sister?
ROBERTA VINCI: If Venus won today, I will play against her, and we will see.
But I don't want to think about Serena. Venus is another player. I'm really sorry for Serena. But Serena is Serena. Still a great player also if she doesn't play.
THE MODERATOR: It was only confirmed she withdrew from Beijing. Singapore is not confirmed.
ROBERTA VINCI: I hope to see Serena in the China Open.

Q. You played a very nice tiebreak today which helped you win the match. Do you have any special tricks or skills playing in tiebreaks?
ROBERTA VINCI: No, no secrets during my game. When I play the tiebreak, of course, it's a short game. No secret. Just play aggressive the first two or three points of the tiebreak, but no secrets.

Q. If you win this title in Wuhan, you will enter top 10. It's a pressure and also a motivation. How do you handle your emotions to keep yourself calm?
ROBERTA VINCI: I don't want to think about if I win this title. Just enjoy my semifinal tomorrow and then we will see the ranking and everything.
I'm really happy that I'm in semifinal. We will see tomorrow. But tomorrow will be a tough match against Venus or Konta, that she won against Halep.
I don't want to think about my ranking. Step by step.

Q. Do you feel that you are more ambitious, do you think you can do more now than maybe a month ago, before the US Open?
ROBERTA VINCI: Yeah, of course, because I won a lot of matches, I reach one final in Grand Slam for the first time, I beat Serena, I beat Petra. So of course now is my time, no? I'm close to the top 10, so now I have to push more, I think.

Q. Before you said you were a bit tired when you got here and you only practiced very little before the tournament.
ROBERTA VINCI: Yes.

Q. Now you're into the semifinals, beating very good players. Does it give you confidence to know that you can do a result like this with that sort of preparation?
ROBERTA VINCI: Of course. But also today I was tired in the first set. You know, when you win a lot of matches, you don't care about if I'm tired or not.
So, of course, I practiced just two days before to come here and I'm in the semifinal. I'm really happy because I'm in confident, I'm in good shape also if I practice not so much.

Q. Is the possibility to play the WTA Finals in the back of your mind?
ROBERTA VINCI: I don't want to think about Singapore or the other Master. At the end we will see.
But, of course, I would like to improve always my ranking. If I would go to Singapore, I'm happy. If not, I go to take some long holiday (smiling).
Thank you very much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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