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HUAJIN SECURITIES WTA ELITE TROPHY ZHUHAI

November 6, 2015

Elina Svitolina

Zhuhai, China

E. SVITOLINA/C. Suarez Navarro
6‑7, 6‑1, 6‑2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Thank you.

Q. Can you talk about that match a little bit, how you were able to come back after a tough first‑set loss in the tiebreaker there, and how well you think you've been playing this week?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it was really tough match today. I was just playing point by point and game by game. The result just came by itself.
I mean, I was not focusing so much on the score. Of course there was some disappointing points on the first set where I could have finished 6‑4 or 7‑5 or where I could have break her. I was 30‑Love up on her serves. There was some disappointment.
I was just trying to be positive and just enjoy myself, enjoy playing. I think it was like good match from both of us. I'm really happy with the performance today.

Q. (Through translation.) My first question is that you have competed with your opponent before. Have you ever prepared for this game before that? Second, would you please comment on the Chinese fans in Zhuhai?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, I was playing her two times, I think. One time I lost easily. Second time was playing in Cincinnati last‑‑ one year ago. I knew the way she's been playing. We've been practicing a couple times on the tournaments, so I knew her game style. She knew obviously mine.
Yeah, I was just playing‑‑ trying to play my game. There was nothing really special. Just trying to fight and don't really think about the score, when I was down, or where I lost the first set, which was really disappointed.
So, yeah. That's the first question.
And the second?

Q. Comment on the fans.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Really amazing atmosphere, I was not really expecting when I was going into this tournament that there wold be so many.
It's amazing that a lot of people are coming and watching us and supporting and really like polite. They are respect the game here. They are so like into tennis. It's amazing for this country and so like respectful for the players.
So it's really good, and I think all of‑‑ all players are enjoying playing in front of those people, those fans.

Q. Obviously your season is not over yet, but as you look towards the next season ‑ it's been a great one for you this year ‑ what's the one thing that you think you want to work on or improve on to the make the next step?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Of course this season been good. There was up and down, but obviously you can see I think thatwith this kind of matches like today that I'm not top 20 just for nothing.
So I will try to work with my team, with my coach on some small things. I think for top players there is a small details matters the biggest on the tour.
Yeah, I will just try to be more positive after lose. I think this is as well what is‑‑ what should be changed for me, because I'm getting sad when I'm losing the match. (Smiling.)
So just try to change small things which where was mistakes in this year, and, yeah, just keep going, keep working. I think I'm on the right way. Top 10 for me is the goal, and of course improving the game.
That's it.

Q. Looking ahead, looks like you'll play Karolina in the semifinals. Battle of two of the younger players in the draw. Can you talk about what you expect from that match and what makes her a difficult opponent?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It's always so tough. I mean, tough to play against everyone, against Venus, against Roberta as well. Everyone is having a good season.
Of course it's the end of the season and I will try to give everything what I have. Yeah, she's a good player. She had amazing year. Obviously she has some things which keeps her game, like serve, you know. She's on top ‑‑ when she's down she plays better than when she is up.
So I think just‑‑ I will just try and go out there to enjoy and just play my game. I mean, I have nothing really to lose. Just enjoying. It's big tournament. Amazing fans here. Big court.
So many things just to enjoy. Being out there is already so amazing for me.

Q. Today you play really very well with your first serve. Now we understand why you say the favorite shot is serve. Your favorite artist is Eminem. Do you also do a lot of rapper?
ELINA SVITOLINA: (Laughter.) Yeah, about the serve, I been working a lot on it. Of course on important points I'm more smarter probably. (Laughter.) Yeah, it's just paying off, all the work what's been working on, and of course I expect these kind of results.
Yeah, it's good to see that these improvement, they are paying off, and especially on these kind of matches. Of course there been some up and down. There was all the time ‑‑ not all the time, but there was, during the year, some failing of my serve.
But today was really happy with the way I served and played from the return as well. It's really paying off.
Yeah, about the artist, probably when I was‑‑ it was just this kind of mood for me in that time. But, yeah, I like all kind of music. Of course AC/DC as well is one of my favorites as well.
Before I go on court I like to get a bit pump and to transfer it to the court as well.

Q. Two very, very serious questions. The first one is: Are you actually going to have a proper off‑season? Are you playing another tournament after this?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah. I'm playing in Limoges, in France, which we didn't really plan. I got the, how you say, the invitation to play there.
So I will be playing there next week. Then I will do fitness preparation and then go to India to play the small league.

Q. The Champions Tennis League?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, the Champions. So it's only two weeks, and then I will go to prepare.

Q. So no vacation? No beach time?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I had vacation already. I had one week off and then I was preparing for this event for five days, so I'm kind of rested already.

Q. Second very serious question: What is your favorite AC/DC song?
ELINA SVITOLINA: (Laughter.) It's always Hells Bells.

Q. Good choice.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, actually because my favorite sports athlete is Klitscho, and the first time I heard this song it's his walk‑out song. So it's like kind of both things.
So, yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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