	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

HUAJIN SECURITIES WTA ELITE TROPHY ZHUHAI

November 5, 2016

Elina Svitolina

Zhuhai, China

E. SVITOLINA/J. Konta

2-6, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Chinese, please.

Q. First of all, congratulations on the win. As we know, tomorrow you'll are playing Kvitova. We all know that she is a powerful player, and you're more skillful. Many, many years ago Davenport and Hingis, they were both representatives of those two kinds players. Do you think your match tomorrow will be any resemblance of how they were playing before.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, thank you. It's very, very strange that you compare Davenport and Hingis, especially to me. I mean, it's I think a little bit too much because I don't deserve it yet.

And, yeah, she's very, very powerful player, so I need to react really fast and look for opportunity. Just stay in the moment, because you never know when the opportunity is going to come.

So I will try just to focus on each point and we will see. I mean, react fast is going to be one of the main goals tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. So it was a tough first set for you, but you got off to a really big lead in the second. How important was it to open up such a big lead after losing the first?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, it was really weird because I was not in the match. I was completely somewhere. Somewhere maybe in my other semifinals, because this morning I said to my team that it's kind of strange because it's like my fifth semifinal in seven last weeks.

It's very, very strange feeling. I was trying to be focused in my match, but everything was not like together. My legs, my brains was not connected.

Well, after I just tried to relax and play my game, play and just enjoy, and I think it worked really well. I was putting a lot of pressure and it was really worked for me in the end.

Q. What was going through your mind at 3-1 in the? Third. Jo has won so many three-setters. What did you do to turn it around in the end?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, it's good that you didn't tell me that she won so many three-setters.

I also won a lot of three-set match, and I play good when the matches get long. Well, I played really poor game on 1-2 because I was 40-15 up and then I just lost my focus and didn't serve well. She came up with some good returns, couple of good returns, and then I was under pressure.

Yeah, well, it was really poor game from me, but I was trying to say to myself, Come on; this game is very important, the return, to put pressure back and to try to get back in the game.

And I think it really worked, because couple of returns I felt really good on my racquet, and then I think she was struggling a little bit with her first serve. I was taking second serve as a good opportunity and it worked well.

Then, yeah, then I was just playing really good, playing deep, and everything was working well. I was really moving well as well today.

Q. You screamed after the match point, so what's the meaning for to you win this battle?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it means -- first of all, I screamed because I served for the match; second, that I won this tough, tough match. Because she is playing really good now, and this year she had really, really amazing year. She was quite confident.

So this win means a lot, like all other wins that I -- when I beat some players who is higher than me. It's always really, really positive and great experience. Even when I lose it's great experience to see what's going wrong.

So today was -- I cannot say that it's special win, but it's just one of the wins that brings me confidence, and also I can see that I am in a good level and moving step by step forward.

Q. We know Konta is the top seed of this tournament. In this sense I think you also beat No. 1 again this year. You have already beaten the world No. 1, two world No. 1, and the No. 1 of this tournament. So what do you think is the key for you to defeat so many top players this year? What's the biggest improvement that give you such great confidence to do that?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think just being solid with my game. I mean, there is no special thing or something secret, but I just try to stay in the moment, to stay solid with my game, and to don't go unlike rollercoaster. You know, like in the park there so close from here, you know, you have rollercoaster. I actually been there yesterday.

Well, just being solid and stay mentally in the same level. Then your game is going to be solid as well. But it's really tough. Only top players can do. Even I cannot do it all the time. Well, I try.

Today in the third set I lost my focus a little bit and then came back, so it's good. It's very important for me that I came back in a good moment. I didn't lose my focus completely. Then I would lose for sure, because Konta is the kind of player that when you give her opportunity she takes it straight on.

All top players, when you give the opportunity straightaway they take and don't give you any free points.

Q. Are you still cooperating with Justine Henin?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yes.

Q. So in your opinion, what's the biggest favor she does for you?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, she brings me a lot of confidence, first of all. It's good that I have her in my team, so then she can give me opinion on my game. You know, to get some feedback from such an amazing player, such a great champion who been on such a high level, to hear from her what is good in my game, what is not so good, what I need to improve.

So for me it's really special. She of course shares some experience how she felt when she was playing some tough matches and tough finals as well. Her experience means a lot to me. Of course not everything I can improve straightaway, but I try to improve little things.

Of course preparation and being on court, all those things. Step by step I try to change and to add some things.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297