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DONGFENG MOTOR WUHAN OPEN

October 1, 2016

Petra Kvitova

Wuhan, Hubei, China

P. KVITOVA/D. Cibulkova

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. This is the first time that you won the championship in Wuhan. Can you talk about how you feel after winning this tournament.
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's great for sure to win it for a second time. I'm happy for that, how I played all week. I think it was amazing really. Especially everything started with the match against Angie when we really play long. It was great match from both of us. I think it was a big really fight.

I'm really, you know, happy how I played afterwards, as well, how physically I managed to play great, even I didn't really felt the best, but I was still mentally strong and I was try to really play my game, which was really important.

So I'm really happy that I could won for the second time.

Q. This year your performance at the Wuhan Open became better as the tournament went on. Compared with the first half of the season, you've improved a lot. What makes you play at such a high level coming to the Wuhan Open, what's the change?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, yeah, I mean, the beginning of the season wasn't really great. I don't think that I changed anything, like, special. I mean, I was trying to feel better on the court since Montreal. I think the turning point was during the Olympic Games when I won the bronze medal and it was kind of a boost. I did feel much relaxed, and with the confidence it's always nicer to play. I'm kind of the player who needs the confidence to play the best game.

The second part of the season, for sure it's better. It's not the best, but it's still better. So I'm really satisfied how everything is going. I'm healthy. I love to play tennis. I do have motivation.

Q. You said that Wuhan is one of the best cities for you. Besides the reasons that you've won the tournament twice and your friend Li Na is from Wuhan, what are the other factors that make you love this city?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I do like Wuhan, for sure. I don't know especially why. But from the first year I played here, I did really feel like home. It's for sure because of Li Na, as well. She's waiting in Beijing, so I'm really looking forward to see her. But I know how she loves Wuhan, as well. I think the fans are great because of her as well. So I really love to play here.

I do like the conditions here, as well. I do feel that it's little bit like faster, if I can say. I really can play my game here. I'm not really sure why, but I do feel great. I mean, everything around, like the organization, accommodation is great. We have a beautiful hotel. It's just great venue for us. I always love to playing her.

Q. Do you want to keep playing at such a high level and to play for qualifying for the Singapore final?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I was talking about Singapore in the beginning of the week, that I don't really think that I can qualify. It's kind of tricky question, though. I don't know what I can answer right now.

But I don't want any pressure to qualify for Singapore. I would like to just enjoy the moment that I played great, the week. I know I have a chance to still qualify to Singapore. I know it's not impossible. But I just want to, like, focusing on the game and not really about the qualifying to Singapore.

It will be great, of course, but it's not the biggest goal right now.

Q. We know that you have many Chinese fans here. When they're watching live or they're present during your match, they usually talk about your match, your performance during the match, especially when you hit an unforced error. The people say, When can she try to reduce those unforced errors. I want to know how you think about it?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, it's not great to make unforced errors, I know. But, I mean, I'm not doing, like, because I want it, right? I think if I am fan, I am always supporting the team or the player or whatever.

It's really nice they supporting me, of course. I know for them it's not easy to see my unforced errors sometimes, but I hope they like the winners, as well (laughter). So I hope that they are happy that I won, of course.

I'm glad that they came to watch, maybe not only live, but I know on the social media they're supporting me a lot. So it's great to know that they are still with me, even I'm not playing great on the other tournaments or I'm losing or whatever. They are still there. That's really, really special for me.

Q. Having this great match against Angelique is one big thing. But repeating the same quality day after day until the end, do you feel reassured after that week that your level can go back and be consistent again?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I hope so, for sure. I think I played great six matches in six days, which it's unreal for me to just think about. I'm really proud of myself how I did it, how I handle it physically, how everything went.

Even I came late to my hotel room, I couldn't really fall asleep straightaway, so it took me a while to get over it. I was sleepy all day. I really had to start warming up and prepare for the match which always kind of gave me some kind of, you know, like ready to be there.

Especially the match against Angie was really difficult, for sure. The next days, I mean, playing Konta or Halep, they are really great players, Domi today. I was able to play and not have that many unforced errors.

Yeah, I mean, that's the tournament. I need this kind of consistency all year, which to be honest, I don't think I can really do that. I'm probably the player who has up and downs. Of course, I going to try to be better in the downs. But I don't really think that I can be, like, consistent all season. I'm just how I am probably, and I can't really change it.

I'm happy that my ups, they are really high, which I love of course. The downs are very low, but that's how it is.

Q. Does that mean that you're going to maybe in the future reschedule to peak at certain moments? You can't play like this from January to October. Do you need to maybe focus on the big events and find a way to be at your best?
PETRA KVITOVA: That's what I'm trying, but... I really never know. Like, I mean, the schedule, it's tough to do, for sure. I mean, the timing for the big events are really difficult, as well. I don't really know the best preparation for the big ones. I just do know that I really have to feel relaxed and mentally strong. That I think is the main things. Not matter what happening before, like before the Grand Slams or whatever. I need to be healthy, to practice, as well. I need to take care of my body.

It's tough to say that I have to peak something. I mean, I'm trying. I know my Grand Slam results this year wasn't best, so I really wanted to change it and to improve it, for sure, but I don't know how. So we'll see.

Q. You're practicing a little bit less. Your schedule is a little bit less. Do you feel when maybe in the past you were hitting the gym really hard, you were putting in very difficult practice sessions, that you were flat in the matches? Is this about conserving energy?
PETRA KVITOVA: It's interesting question actually. I think that from clay season, I was working really hard. I was really playing a lot. I think I did have many, many hours on the court and off the court, as well, in the gym and everything. So I'm not really sure if everything that I did before is just paying off now, or I just reduced the practices and I feel a little bit better, more in love with the tennis or something.

It's really tricky question. I mean, without the practicing, it's not possible. But I really need to find a balance, like, to have some time off to enjoy a day, whatever you're doing, then you are really looking forward for the court and for the playing tennis and for the matches, of course.

The balance is really difficult, I think. Of course, in the off-season there's no chance. I will work hard again. When the tournament will go, I mean, I just need to probably do what I just feel in that moment. I really need to listen my body and my mental, as well.

Q. When you talk about finding the love of tennis and playing, what does that look like or feel like for you? What do you love about tennis right now?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I know that the love about tennis, it's not the results. I mean, I love the game from when I was kid. It's like chess a little bit. You just need to really think about opponent and about, I don't know, the tactics a lot.

I do love that it's individual sport. Whatever you do, it's just on yourself, even you win or lose. It's always up to you.

Of course, tennis, it's counting by the results, by the winning matches. That's always be there. But even I do have a season as I did, it's just amazing that I won today. I still did the motivation have. It's something what's really tough to describe.

You know, it's always exciting for me going to the court and just try your best. Even I lost, I mean, it's the road which is always with the ups and downs. If I stayed, which I did, maybe something nice happened, like today.

So, yeah, I mean, the motivation is still there. The love is there. So that's very important.

Q. If you hit the ball as clean as you've hit in the last couple of days, do you feel against most opponents you really have the game in your own hand?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think I do have always probably the match in my own hand. It just depends on me, if I have a more unforced errors or more winners, right? I think I'm kind of the player who always have the game in my hands. It's just depends probably how I feel, on I really do what I can.

Q. How difficult was it to stay positive after a season where the results didn't quite come the way you wanted, the way your potential is, and now you played like you've been winning all season long?
PETRA KVITOVA: You know, from the beginning of the season, was kind of tough I think to be still positive when the results didn't come. I split with my coach. It was a big moment probably for me after seven years. It wasn't really easy. Then I was trying to find a new coach. Everything was okay. But then I didn't feel that it's in the good road. So I split with him, as well.

I'm happy that I do have my fitness coach in the team who is very positive. He was always there. He always believing in me, which it's really important to have someone around you.

And I know if the days are as here, I can just play really great tennis. That's very nice that it's still there. It's really something to stand on. So that's important. I'm glad that I was still, you know, thinking positively all season.

Q. It's not just about the win. We kept hearing from opponents how powerful you are. Yesterday Simona was saying you are so strong that you might even be stronger than Serena. Do you feel that you have found a new level of power? What helps you to get that kind of power? Is it getting more relaxed, being more confident as the week passes?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think I always knew that I'm kind of the power player on the tour. But it's always tough for me to find the balance between, like, the power and don't really miss some easy shots. It's always kind of tricky.

Of course, when I do have a confidence, it's looking like today or yesterday or whatever. But sometimes it just looks really, really, really bad.

I will be probably always like that. My game, it's with a lot of risk. But for sure this week I just felt that if I'm really going for it, I'm just really have the power there, it's just really impossible for the girls to return the shots.

I did feel physically ready, as well. So I think that I really was there, the timing was great, and of course I think when the roof is closed, it's my thing, too. So thank you, weather.

Yeah, I do feel that I do have a great power from the serve, as well. It's great to have. But I need to use it more probably.

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