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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 28, 2016

Karolina Pliskova

Kallang, Singapore

A. RADWANSKA/K. Pliskova

7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How tough is it to just go out and know you have to play someone you haven't ever beaten before and there is so much at stake?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, I don't think -- I would not say was tough to know that I have to win to go out to the group and be in the semifinal, because like this we have it every week. That's the normal like draw, so what we are used to. So that was not the problem today.

Obviously for me tough to play her, especially surface doesn't suit me well and obviously she won last year. She has to play good here, and I think she was playing really good today. She was not missing much. She did just few mistakes in the first set, but that was it.

I don't think I played bad match either. Could be I would say both ways. Both set I was up a break. Unfortunately always didn't put a good service game at that time when I was up a break.

So, yeah, but I don't think it was a bad match today.

Q. When you were in those positions where you had the lead and looked like the momentum was with you, what do you think kind of changed? Did you get tight in that moment? Bad luck? Put in a bad game?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Second set definitely I played terrible game, the worst in the match. But first set I think I didn't do anything that bad. I was up 4-2, 30-Love, and I think she played really good game at that time. She went for some good serves and I missed for break point just close shot forehand down the line. Could be 5-2 and totally different the whole match.

In this tournament where is the 8 best players, you see every match is close. It's deciding always like few balls. Yeah, so that's what I think. Like if it would be 5-2 maybe in the first set everything would be different. She would be maybe more nervous. I don't know.

She also knew that she has to win. She always beat me, so I just believed that she can miss in the close moments a little bit. But she didn't. I think she just controlled the whole match.

Q. What's your takeaway from your first WTA Finals? You played three very good matches, but obviously didn't advance. What do you take out of this week?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, definitely I would take it as a good step forward that I even got here. I was able to win my first match, which is not easy for the players who are first time here. I think I played some good matches, good tennis. All the three matches were pretty close.

One from match point, and with Kuzy it was also very close, about few points. I would say today, as well. So there is not an easy player in the group. I will just be ready for next year if I get here. I do anything for it get back here.

Q. After such a great summer swing with the US Open and Cincinnati, how important do you feel it was to come here and end your season on a good note?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, this year I would say that I will be really disappointed if I could not get here. Last year I was also pretty close and I didn't make it in the end. At least I can say I'm still moving forward. I got here this year.

With me, everything takes time. Next year maybe I will go out of the group. Right now I know how is it here to play. I got used to it, the system, and I'll be more experienced next year. Hopefully I'll be back.

Q. As you said, you didn't make it last year for few points. This year first Grand Slam final you come here. What do you think has changed in your game or whatever made it possible for you to make the extra step, and what's the next step for you?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't think I would change some specific things. Like I said, some things take time. I was working on few things during the year. It paid off in the end of the season.

So not always if you work on something it's working in few weeks. Sometimes it takes more time. That was my case this year. I was also defending a lot of points in the beginning of the year, so there was kind of pressure for me, kind of new situation.

So I just think I handled this year pretty well. I had a goal to stay top 20 this year because I knew it's going to be difficult this year. I'm going to stay top 10, so I'm satisfied with the year.

I think we improved in my team a lot. All the things what we been working on. We'll be back stronger next year.

Q. Obviously everybody else is now you talking about holidays, but your season is still going.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah.

Q. Appreciate that this is probably disappointing to come out of this, but you got to lift yourself up for Fed Cup. How easy is it for you to do that?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Right now I can say that there can be last two matches in the season and in this year. Yeah, I have to get ready. There is no other choice. I just get ready. There is one week between, so I'll just rest a little bit and forget about tennis for few days.

Then back to the work for that last week of tennis this season.

Q. Last year in the off-season you played nonstop with IPTL and all the other exhibitions. Maybe a little bit tired; caught up to you. This off-season do you plan to do the same thing, or are you going to have a proper training block instead?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I'm definitely not -- I'm going to change this year, because two years in a row it cannot be like this. I just want to prepare for the next season better than I did last year, to rest a little bit more, because the season was pretty long. It's still going actually.

So I just want to take few days off to go on holidays, and then have some few weeks of good practice at home. I'm not going to go anywhere. Just prepare at home and then I leave to Australia.

Q. Your sister improved a lot this year in her singles ranking. Maybe next year you guys can play the same tournament a lot. Will you consider playing doubles with her in the future?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't think it's going to happen next year because still the ranking is a little bit different. Hopefully in the future it can happen. Right now I think we just have each different ways.

There are still different schedules for both of, us so it's different -- tough to sometimes put it together somehow. I'm just happy that I'm going to see her more often and that she's back in top 100 and going to stay there for a while, I hope.

She can even improve the ranking. I'm sure about it. Then in the future we'll see about doubles.

Q. I'm interested, how to you deal with the loss of a match? Do you dwell on it a long time or just move on? Every player is different.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I would say also every match is different. If you lose a close match for match points it's tough to take it, especially if you have to continue in the tournament, like here. I would say that's tough for everyone.

But with me, just takes maybe that evening and the next day I'm always fine. Doesn't take long.

Normally I'm not that sad. I'm actually not even now that sad. (Smiling.) No, I'm always trying to take the positive out of everything. Sometimes it's obviously tough, but there are worse things in life than losing a tennis match I would say.

Q. Kristina I guess posted some photos from her current holiday.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yes. That's not the right thing, right?

Q. What's that like, her taunting you? Everybody else is going to be hopping off on holidays and you got to get ready for Fed Cup. What's that like?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: But once I'm on holidays she's practicing, so I'm going to pay it back to her.

No, obviously she finish the season earlier than me so everything is different scheduling for her. She's now on holidays, and then she's practicing I think next week. Then I have off and she's going to be practicing. It's going to be the other way.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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