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ROGERS CUP

July 30, 2016

Kristina Kucova

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

M. KEYS/K. Kucova

6-2, 6-1

An interview with:

KRISTINA KUCOVA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you feel?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I have different feelings. So I'm so happy. I had a great week. I was just so sad today that I couldn't push myself more to get Madison, to play with her more rallies and more tough games. I was really sad because I felt also the crowd want to have like more big fight. But I couldn't push myself anymore.

So I felt so sad on the court about it.

Q. The first four matches you played in the tournament, you spent a lot of time on the court. Was that a factor tonight? Was there fatigue? Were you tired a little bit tonight?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: Yes, for sure I had long matches, and also night matches. Was so emotional also against Bouchard. Also yesterday against Konta, I had long night match.

Yeah, I played every day with all I could come for the match. Today it was on the top of my limit.

Q. The loss is still fresh in your mind, but can you still think of all the positives you can take away from this tournament? Could you tell us what was your favorite moment of this past week?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I have many favorite moments. I enjoy every minute here in MontrÃ©al. I really like here everybody.

Yeah, I'm so happy about all week because it was the greatest week of my life so far. So I'm very happy about all week.

And best moment of the week? I should say maybe when I beat Eugenie Bouchard, it was big emotions for me.

Q. You're talking about emotion. You're physically tired, but could you also be emotionally tired? Does it have anything to do with it?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: Yes, was many things new for me this week. Maybe it come together. But I think more physically I was tired. Mental I was still maybe prepared, but my body said no.

It's tough to say if also mental tiredness came to show up today.

Q. You said earlier this week that you were looking to be in the top 100. You're going to be 78 next Monday. How does it make you feel? How do you go forward with that?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: Yeah, maybe when I look on Monday, then I will believe that (smiling).

Yes, everything this week was going so fast. At some point I couldn't even take it all. So maybe now when I rest one day, I look backwards for all week, I will be satisfied. For sure come to top 100 was my goal.

Q. Will you be in QuÃ©bec City in September?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I don't think so. I planning to go to Asia after US Open to play there tournaments already.

Q. What is your favorite food when you're in MontrÃ©al?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I learn to eat here poutine. Genevieve, like, invite me for this traditional food. We were changing. I like very much food here in the player area. We had some good sushi, some Japanese restaurant. We were mixing all this. But I like very much poutine.

Q. You said the win over Bouchard was your best moment of the week. You also beat higher-ranked players. Why particularly was that the best memory for you? What made it special?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: Special I think was made by audience and the people. It was full. They were all supporting Bouchard. In the end I felt like I was winner from all these people. I don't know, I felt like very happy that moment. Also I was happy that I could beat her after what happened in Fed Cup. I lost to her also before, so I was happy that I could win against her.

Q. Is there a chance you're going to go to Rio?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I heard about Dominika Cibulkova is at home now. She's seeing physio at home with her feet. I don't know how serious it is. I don't know if I can go, if I'm able to go, with my ranking. I don't know about the situation, how it could develop.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about your team and who is coaching you.
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I don't have coach at the moment. But it was recently my sister. She's graduating her school. She's doing final exams, so she was not able to come to US Open and before tournaments.

I had my good friend Genevieve here. We were here together.

Q. It's pretty impressive, your results, without a coach. Are you planning to collaborate with a coach in the future or are you planning to go by yourself?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: For sure I want to have a coach by my side. But I think is like with boyfriend, you must have also some chemistry and it must be that it works together. It's 24 hours per day, so it's also not difficult both sides.

For example, with Genevieve, we have some chemistry between us. It works somehow.

Q. Now that your tournament is over, what did you learn about yourself that you maybe didn't know before this week?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I surprised maybe how far I can fight for the matches. I was many times losing in the matches. Especially also against Suarez Navarro, I had 1-3, 15-40 in the third set. It was almost close to losing. Yeah, against Wickmayer, I lost first set. Against Bouchard, I lost first set. Still I could manage. This surprised me how I could turn matches around.

Q. Do you think the fact that maybe people were expecting you to win tonight with everything that happened to you, was that a factor at all tonight?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: I don't think, like, I was favorite of the match you mean?

Q. A little bit more pressure because people wanted to see you win.
KRISTINA KUCOVA: No, it didn't make me pressure. It was more that they pump me. But I couldn't just pump myself anymore.

Q. How about the paycheck? It's a big paycheck for you, prize money.
KRISTINA KUCOVA: Yeah, it's one of my biggest also income so far, so I don't know.

Q. We saw you quite emotional leaving the court. Were you sad? Were you a bit frustrated you couldn't push yourself as hard as you wanted?
KRISTINA KUCOVA: Yeah, I was sad because people was cheering for me so much. I felt it, but I couldn't do anything about it. That was the moment I felt so sad about the situation on the court. Yeah, it was make me sad.

For sure I was also happy that they were for me. Other side, it was so easy match, like, not for me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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