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AEGON CLASSIC

June 14, 2016

Petra Kvitova

Birmingham, England

P. KVITOVA/L. Safarova

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Petra Kvitova, please.

Q. I bet you're relieved to be out of the way now that it's chucking down?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, definitely. I think the schedule was perfect today for me. Definitely.

I think we played good match today. We finished before rain obviously.

But I think that it really doesn't matter. I'm just happy I won.

Q. Why did you put an extra week in your schedule? You normally don't play this week before Eastbourne.
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, because I lost in Paris in the first week of the Grand Slam. And I think the beginning of season wasn't really perfect for me and I think I'm kind of missing the matches. You never really know what happen the week before Wimbledon, which I can play only one match, for example. That's why I asked to play here and have more matches on the grass.

Q. Really good performance against Safarova. Wanted to get your views on the match, because the first ten minutes, you were 3-0 up, and the Safarova clawed her way back a bit. What would you say was your best part of the match in terms of overall performance?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I think I start pretty well. I think I serve pretty well. I think that Lucie didn't really returning that well as probably me.

It was just about the serve I think today. It was one break in the first set. Then was getting closer in the second. I was just happy that I broke her serve and had kind of mentally thing under my belt and try to serve still well. I think the beginning was pretty good.

Q. Did you feel you were timing the ball well considering you're coming on grass?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I think I did. I'm practiced three or four times on the grass here. And I practiced twice indoors before today's match.

I think with the timing was everything fine. It's pretty fast and bouncing very low. So I was glad that we played some kind of small rallies today as well.

But most of the time, it's about the one-two shots in the rallies.

Q. Why you were glad there were smaller rallies?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, because it's always, like, on the grass, you never know. In the beginning of the grass season, it's really challenging. I think we, with Lucie, we always play really, so small rallies were there.

Q. Mentally it looked as though it was no contest. You seemed to be dominant, almost as though the result was a forgone conclusion in some ways.
PETRA KVITOVA: I didn't hear the end.

Q. I thought you played very well, which was one of the reasons for winning. Mentally, there was no contest. You beat her so many times, her body language indicated she couldn't win.
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I think that I was feeling better. I mean, it's tough coming to play some opponents when you know that you lost seven times before. Definitely I think it was an advantage for me.

I know Lucie really well. We practiced many, many times. From the Fed Cup as well. Sometimes it's just really tough.

You never know as a first match on the grass, she can play well on the grass, too. I was just feeling good and I was positive.

Q. Obviously given the two championships that you've won at Wimbledon, do you get most excited about this time of the year? Why would you say, certainly based on today's performance and your past, you're so comfortable on the grass?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, definitely, I do. I'm excited to be on the grass again. I wish the grass season can be little bit longer, but that's how it is.

And of course, I love to play on the grass, especially at the Wimbledon. I have great memories. I think it's kind of my style of the game is really playing on the grass, which I'm playing really fast. I was serving well and I can go for some volleys as well during the rallies.

I just feel great on the grass. Normally I do have some problems with the movement in the beginning of the grass season, but I felt good with the movement today as well.

Q. Do you think you'll feel more confident at Wimbledon if you do well this week and next week at Eastbourne or do you think you'll be confident at Wimbledon no matter what?
PETRA KVITOVA: Definitely I wish to have more matches. Before I lost in the first or second round. I think the practice is best when you play the matches. Definitely few matches will help me for confident. If I lose in the second round here and the first round at Eastbourne, I don't think I will be that happy.

Q. Obviously the rain is going to be a problem over the week. What do you do in the downtime while you're waiting? Have you got a book yet?
PETRA KVITOVA: You know what, I forgot at home, which it's not very nice. So maybe I have to download it somewhere. But I like to watch some series or movies. If I have time, we go for coffee to the city under the umbrella. And it's a beautiful shopping center here, as well, so we're going to spend some time there (laughing).

Yeah, that's it. Nothing really special.

Q. What book are you going to download?
PETRA KVITOVA: I don't know. I have to check it online.

Q. Ostapenko, you've played her before. Your thoughts on that?
PETRA KVITOVA: I did play her in Doha. It was good. I think she went in a very good form. I'm not sure how she's playing on the grass. But I think with her flat shots and her really aggressive playing, it will be very difficult. She serves real well as well. I think it will be really tough match tomorrow, or day after tomorrow (smiling).

Q. You mentioned after the match about the grass being very short. You wanted it to be a bit longer, is that right? What did you mean by that?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I do. I love to play on the grass. That's why. It's just I think that in the history of the grass was, like, more and more, but now they are shortening.

We have one extra week between Paris and Wimbledon, which is great for us, more time to prepare for Wimbledon.

I love grass, that's why I said it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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