	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AEGON INTERNATIONAL

June 24, 2016

Dominika Cibulkova

Eastbourne, England

D. CIBULKOVA/M. Puig

6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Well, congratulations. Fourth final of the year. Four different surfaces. Seems like you like them all.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah. Yeah, you know, I didn't even realize it was four different surfaces. So that's nice to hear that. Yeah, my first final tomorrow on the grass.

When we started to practice after Roland Garros, I said to my coach, you know, It's shame that the clay is over. And I played just two tournaments on clay and I did really well. I was playing finals and third round I lost tough match against Navarro.

I said, I want to play more on clay. I don't want to change the game and go on the grass right now. He said, you know, Domi, you'll be fine. You're playing good. You will just change small things in your game. You will see you will be fine on the grass.

I'm happy he was right and I was able to do it on the first tournament. It's really great.

Q. What's clicked for you on grass this time around?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, I need to get the first few matches to, you know, sort of, you know, to go through, you know. I was -- from the first match I was playing really, really good. I had a tough opponent. I played against Ostapenko, a big girl.

That was good sign when I won 6-3, 6-3. I was like, Okay. For the first match it was really good, and I just kept going. I also had no expectations. I took it as a warmup. I said every match extra here is good. Yeah, here it is final.

Q. It's a first semifinal for you on grass?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah.

Q. Not even an ITF?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No, no. I never played ITF on grass. No, no, no. I just played semifinals in s-Hertogenbosch. Yeah, that was something. And I played once quarterfinals at Wimbledon. So, yeah, it was quite good. But I'm happy the final is here right now.

Q. The speed of the second match, did you have in mind that you had sort of been on court for three hours in the previous match?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I think that today the first match against Radwanska, how long we play today, 1:40? Today I think it was around, less than two hours.

And it was not easy emotionally because, you know, I was really happy when I beat her on the grass. We played -- this was third really, really close match against Radwanska this year and on different surface, first time on grass. For me it was toughest to play her on grass because what I take advantage of her second serve -- because she's playing weak second serve, and I always go for it on the shot, and here on the grass it's a little bit tougher. It's really low and you cannot go for it so much.

But in the rallies I felt really good. I was just -- you know, I felt every shot I knew I was going for my forehand, and I was really strong on my backhand.

And then to come back against a completely different player, against aggressive player, and I knew she doesn't want to play long rallies with me. She was really going after my serve and everything. So I had to change tactic in my game a little bit.

I was able to do it. It was great. Yeah.

Q. You talked before like about doing little changes to your game. What do you focus on to make it more suitable for the grass?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, it also depends of your opponent, you know. When you play Radwanska, she likes to play long rallies and she's not playing so hard and I'm the one who is aggressive on the court. You play different.

When you play against Puig she's really going after your serve and she's just playing really strong. So you have to stay low and block the first points, the first balls. Then I don't get too much -- I don't get to play my game as I like.

In the past I was really struggling against these players, but this year I beat so many players like this that I had never beaten before, that played so aggressive. I'm happy, yeah.

Q. After playing so well this week on grass, how do you feel about your prospects going to Wimbledon next week?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, you know, I couldn't wish for a better week. I'm happy that I'm playing Tuesday at Wimbledon, because you always want to get few practices there and just, you know, to hang around.

I don't have experience with it to come to the Grand Slams so late, but hopefully this is gonna be different situation.

Q. Do you look at the draws?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I saw it. Yeah, I saw it. I asked my coach who I play against. Play against Lucic so I know it's going to be really tough one. I'm seeded player. To play such a tough grass court opponent, I know it's going to be very hard first round.

Q. Maybe it's a good preparation. Puig hits a different ball but at least she hits it really hard.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, my coach said, Today you have a good preparation for Wimbledon. You're right. Every match is different. But I still have finals tomorrow that I'm really looking forward to.

Q. From the British perspective we hope you play Konta.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: What's the score? 4-1 for Pliskova? 4-2?

Q. Her rise into the top 20, have you seen much of her matches?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I played her this year. I played her in Hobart. I won 7-6, 7-6, I think, first round.

Yeah, you know, I think the grass is the best surface. I think it's her favorite surface. Before I only saw her on the grass court tournaments playing better.

But right now, you know, she adapt to the hard court and also the clay court. So she's playing really well. She's aggressive. It's just good serving girl. Yeah, it's a tough opponent, as everybody in the top.

Q. With the Olympics coming up there is a bit of a focus in the middle of the season. Is it for you? Or you take it step by step?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No, I take it step by step. It's a little bit hard with the planning, you know, because I play two tournaments in America. Then I have to stay there for one week and then I have to fly to South America and then back. Then like six tournaments in a row with the US Open.

For me the Grand Slam is the biggest, you know. For some athletes it's the Olympic Games. But for me it isn't. You know, for me it's like I really want to do well at a Grand Slam and that's my priority. And of course I want to do good at the Olympic Games, but it's not like, you know, that it's something I work for four years.

Q. So it will just be a bonus then if you did well there?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, yeah, of course. If I could bring home the medal it could be great.

I was really, really sad and disappointed that there are no points for Olympics. I think that puts down a lot of motivation for a lot of players I would say. I think it's not right, and I think they should do something with that. Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297