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APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY

January 15, 2016

Monica Puig

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

S. KUZNETSOVA/M. Puig

6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Svetlana finished with 25 winners and 4 unforced errors. Was it a case of an opponent who just played too good?
MONICA PUIG: Yeah, wasn't really too much I could do. Definitely ran around the court and tried to get every single ball I could back. The only answer I had today was she was the better player.

I had an incredible week coming through qualifying, my first time here in Sydney and I made a final of my first Premier tournament.

Overall very good week and very happy. Really not going to get disheartened about this final. She played unbelievable.

Q. Doesn't knock your confidence at all?
MONICA PUIG: Absolutely not. You just have to see the way she played. It was like, I tried everything I could. Nothing would go my way. You know what? Sometimes you have to put your hands up and say, Too good, and enjoy what I've done and what I did.

I still had fun out there tonight, which, again, like I said, is my No. 1 goal this year. Really enjoying every single moment on court.

Q. What does that mean to you or what do you take out of an experience like that?
MONICA PUIG: Well, you know, you just see the way she competed from beginning to end the whole time. You just see how dominate she was the whole match. Just try and take all that out of it.

I played some amazing tennis this week and I'm really proud of what I've done. Lots of positives to take away; little negatives. Just going to try and keep building on what I've done this week and hope for a good two weeks in Melbourne.

Q. Did you feel any fatigue given you've had seven wins in a row to get to this point? Maybe you weren't as fresh coming into tonight?
MONICA PUIG: No. Surprisingly, all week my body has felt fine. I've done a really good job of recovering. Ice baths, massages have really helped. Eating right, sleeping well, I think that's all a key to keeping your body in check during these very long weeks.

So, no, I felt perfectly fine. She just didn't allow me to do anything. All credit to her.

Q. What was the hardest shot of hers today?
MONICA PUIG: I think everything really. She just did so well. She did everything so well. She defended well; she attacked well; she neutralized when I started attacking. She came up with some incredible passing shots as well when I tried to move into the net.

Well, not a whole lot that I could say. It was her day.

Q. Has your performance here changed your goals for Melbourne?
MONICA PUIG: No. I'm going to continue with the same. Going to continue with the same goals. My goals are just to enjoy it and have fun. It is a Grand Slam obviously so not really going to try and put pressure on myself just because it's a -- it's another tournament. It's just bigger.

Obviously it's long two weeks, but I really love Australia. I love coming back here. I love playing here. It was my first Grand Slam final as a junior, so definitely feel comfortable in Melbourne Park and playing over there.

So I'm really happy. That's a positive thing. At least I have a smile on right now.

Q. Did you notice the guys with the Puerto Rico flag cheering for you?
MONICA PUIG: Yeah, how could I forget where I come from. There is always a Puerto Rican or two in every country I play in. It's really special to see that I have so much support all over the world. I know that everybody in the island is cheering for me.

I really have a strong heart for that island, and I can't imagine my life without representing it. I'm really proud to be a Puerto Rican.

Q. I was going to ask you if you wanted to say something to those guys that were waking up really early or staying over just to watch and cheer you on.
MONICA PUIG: Yeah, it's just amazing the support I get from them. Day in and day out, no matter if I win or lose, if I am having a bad day or a great week like this week, I always have their support and feel their love and warmth all the time.

They've really made me into what I am today. I have nothing but great things to say about that island.

Q. How do you plan to relax and enjoy the Grand Slam without putting pressure on your self?
MONICA PUIG: My mom is here, so she'll definitely help me. Every time we're in the room we're watching my favorite TV series and we're talking. I paint her nails sometimes, so I'm becoming an expert nail painter in my free time.

Also my team is very laid back when we're not on the courts. We like to go out to dinner and we're cracking jokes. It's a very relaxed atmosphere, and that's what I really need the most. But obviously when we step on the court, when we step in the site, in the vicinity of where our job needs to get done, we're very serious.

We do what we need to do and then it's like, switch off. Okay, then we can become who we really are. It's really nice to have that balance, and I'm fortunate to have such a caring team.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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