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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 21, 2016

Karolina Pliskova

Cincinnati, Ohio

K. PLISKOVA/A. Kerber

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you going to get that in your suitcase?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Actually I wasn't thinking about the trophy.

Q. Well done. What made the difference for you today?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Compared to what?

Q. Well, just compared to Angie.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think, yeah, but overall I had a pretty good week so I was improving match to match. I was expecting I'm going to play good, but I wasn't expecting it that easy.

I mean, the tennis wasn't that easy as the scores look like, but I think she might be little bit tired or she felt little bit pressure on herself. That was also the point.

But, yeah, really happy with my game today. Was playing aggressive enough without mistakes almost. Serve was good. Forehand. Backhand. There was not one thing what I would change in this match.

Happy that it went this way. I was still expecting during the match some complication as always it is in tennis, but happy it went like this.

Q. After you beat Sveta you were saying you wanted your first serve percentage to be higher. That it wasn't that great through the first part of the week and the last couple matches it's been quite high. What adjustments did you make?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I mean, it still wasn't that high as I would love to have it because it's still about 50%, which is not that good.

But, I mean, it's solid. With the serve what I have it's not always about the percentage. If I can still hit few aces, especially on the important points, that's the main thing for me. Like if it's 30-All or break points down, it's important to hit the first serve and have the easy point for me.

So that's what happened even today and even yesterday. Yeah, but I didn't change anything. I mean, I can serve. Even if the serve is not good one day or two days, I still can serve. I just always have to believe that the serve is going to come in the important moments.

Q. You mentioned No. 1 stuff and the pressure she might have felt. How much did it feel like it was bigger than a final today or at all, or did it feel like a normal tournament final?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, it's the biggest final what I've ever played, but obviously I played few. I played actually few against her, so I knew how is it to play her in the final.

I lost twice and I was really close to win both of them, so I knew I'm really close this time again. Even with my game I was playing some good tennis this week. I knew if I can play at least what I played last matches I have a good chance to win.

I don't know how she felt, how was the -- I mean the pressure on her because of the world No. 1. She had a good chance I think and she beat me few times, so I think maybe she thought it's going to be a little bit easier than it was.

But I started really well, and she was even probably mentally down and physically as well because she had to run a lot.

Yeah, that's it.

Q. Do you think this title this week would've been possible for you without skipping the Olympics? How much of an advantage was that extra week of rest?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Definitely for me would not be possible playing in the Olympics. I don't know how I would play there, but would be something different for me to go there, and maybe tiring as well.

Even with the flights it wasn't easy for the girls to get here and then to play, so I'm really happy for the decision what I made. You just can see that it paid off.

Just have to say that Angie, she has a really good fitness and strength conditioning that she made it. She played the final there and the final here.

She's just too good.

Q. You talk about the importance of improving your tennis with each round and getting to the finals today and being able to bring very good tennis there. Have you learned anything about managing your level and managing the bigger moments, kind of conserve yourself for later rounds?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I'm always learning from the tournaments and finals what I've played. This tournament I was, like I said, improving round to round. That's the main thing, that you can play the best tennis in the final.

I remember the tennis this year in Eastbourne and I was playing my best tennis I think in the third or the second round. Which can't be possible. You cannot win a tournament like this. So this is -- it should be like this. You have to play the best tennis against those players in semifinal and final, otherwise you don't have the chance to beat them.

Q. (Indiscernible) Slam results haven't been quite as strong. Wondering what you thought you put into that and anything you might change going into New York that gives you more confidence than you would've had in New York otherwise.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, yeah, definitely this tournament gave me a lot of confidence. I beat the last three rounds very dangerous and very good players.

I feel very good now, especially on the hard court. I have enough matches. That's what counts before US Open. I just take a rest and still try to prepare as I prepared for this tournament and take it as it is on some tournament, this. Cincinnati, not to think about too much that it's a Grand Slam.

I have to play this tennis at Grand Slams as well.

Q. I was seeing a lot of Serena fans rooting for you on Twitter today. Did you hear from any Serena fans? They were all the world' biggest Karolina Pliskova fans today.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, but I saw just one video my team showed me about Serena, that's she's like somehow dancing and that she stayed world No. 1. But it's not by thing actually.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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