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CHINA OPEN

October 3, 2016

Garbine Muguruza

Beijing, China

G. MUGURUZA/Y. Putintseva

6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Are you happy the way you closed it out in two sets?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I'm very happy I could close the match in the tiebreak because obviously it was getting tougher and tougher. I think she was getting into the match a little bit more.

I think just tiebreaks are moments where, you know, it's delicate. You only have, like, seven points kind of to win. You feel a bit more nervous and more tense.

Pretty happy. It was very, like, equal until 5-4. Yeah, I'm happy I won there.

Q. This is your first time playing her. You did have a practice game with her on Monday. Did you have any idea that you would be playing her today?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I practice with almost everyone on the circuit so I kind of know a little bit. Well, I know when I won against Begu, my first round, they told me my next one was Putintseva. I knew the day before.

Q. Did you take practice notes on Monday?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I've been practicing with her the last two years a little bit. Yeah, you have in mind her style of game, what are your strengths, what you have to do against her, then you prepare from that. But not really secrets.

Q. What was the big thing you focused on against her today?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I really focused on me basically. I know she's a fighter. She's going to go out there and fight every point. I thought, okay, I know she's going to be there, she's going to try to give me the hardest match, but let's focus on me. I have the control of the match.

Q. You kept motioning to something in your throat. Was the air bothering you?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think we were playing so long points, so many rallies, so many different type of points. I felt exhausted for a couple of games where it was very tight. I was like, Oh, my God.

It was humid. I had a moment there where it was difficult breathing a little bit.

Q. The tape on your shoulder, it's from Wuhan, change of conditions, something else?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: No, I mean sometimes it bothers me a little bit when one day I don't serve as one day or I do a wrong movement on my forehand or backhand, I start to feel some pain.

I decided just to tape. I usually never tape. But today I'm like, Let's tape, let's try to make it better. Nothing really. Doesn't really bother me when I play.

Q. After the Wuhan Open, are you feeling better and better in the conditions?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think I'm getting better and better. I think I was a pretty good level in Tokyo and in Wuhan, but it was just not going my way, you know. There was moments that were important, and I didn't really make it on my side. I was losing.

But I'm pretty happy that I'm doing it right now. Those moments are going my way this time. That's why. But I'm honestly playing pretty similar.

Q. How will you prepare for the next round? Maybe you will meet Kvitova.
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I don't know the other girl. I know Petra. I think it's going to be tough round, doesn't matter who is it. But I know Petra is playing well. It's going to be a difficult match no matter who is there. I mean, Beijing has the top players. I'm going to meet all of them round by round.

Q. Against Putintseva, forehand or backhand, which was the side you felt like you could attack more?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I feel she doesn't have like a specific place where I have to go, like a dog. She uses everything she has really well. She takes a lot of - I don't know how to say. She really used her weapons. She's going to play high, she's going to play different style of game, run, fight. But there's not something like a hole that I'm going to do that to her, yeah.

Q. Against potentially Petra, kind of a similar question. In terms of a game plan, is it to attack a side? Do you think it's more important to move her? What do you think is the most important thing when you play a power player like that?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Important thing? With all these type of players that hit so hard, sometimes they can miss a lot, sometimes they can play to the line, everything.

You just have to be from the first point to the last point there and waiting for your opportunity. You're going to feel like you have your chances, and sometimes you don't have a chance. Sometimes it's like, Oh, seven winners here. Just be there.

Q. You're a player who takes a lot of risks. When you see Petra playing, was it like, I didn't know someone could take even more risks than I do? What is your take on her game compared to yours?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think we come from different bases of game. I was, like, made a tennis player in Spain. It's completely different. I can be aggressive sometimes. Sometimes I can reduce a little bit. I can play with that.

I think she's very aggressive and that's it. But I think we both go for our shots. I want to have the control. She wants to have the control. So it's like a fight there.

Q. You said it's a pity to miss the party at Wuhan. Will you join the party tonight? Are you excited?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I always like this kind of stuff because I can take off the sport clothes finally (smiling). I bring my high heels. I have like three high heels in my bag. I always see them there. I don't know, so I can wear them finally.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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