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MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 11, 2017

Kristina Mladenovic

Madrid, Spain

K. MLADENOVIC/S. Cirstea

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Once again through in straight sets. Describe how you played today, how it went from your perspective.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Yeah, that was a tricky one. I think it was the first time we both played with the roof closed. A different kind of match because it feels like it's indoors, so the ball is going a little bit faster.

Sorana is a really great player. She can really hit strong. It was just small details today. It was 6-4, 6-4 for me. I was just a little bit more consistent than her in everything, a little bit better, and holding serves when I really had to.

Yeah, I really handled well tactically what I had to do today. It worked pretty well.

Q. At this point how much do you feel like you're in tournament rhythm, which is a little bit different than sometimes match rhythm, recovery from match to match and things like that?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Yeah, it's very interesting, but it's different. But not that much because I always said in the past my rhythm of practicing, I still do a lot of work outside the court, even when I'm still competing. So maybe a little bit less, of course, because it's a match play.

Once you get at those stages deep in a tournament, you have to be really careful. You would be stupid if you, like, give too much energy outside and not be fresh for the game, obviously.

But, you know, it's what also keeps me in the rhythm. I have to do my practices, either fitness sessions or extra tennis if I feel like it.

Well, it's a new process for me, but I think I proved already that I'm handling this quite well. I think it's also all the experience I had before in doubles. I was always going deep in the tournaments. Because I didn't have my singles, I was going deep in doubles. I still want to do great in doubles, but it wouldn't mean that I wouldn't practice and just waiting for the matches. That's not the way I see it. That's not my perspective.

It's a balance really, doing lots of work with my physio, recovery. I mean, on a daily basis, the days look pretty much the same. It's the same routine. It's all day long, warmups, stretching, recovery, practices, then match, then again recovery and everything. It's kind of a circle. Either you play or not.

Q. You started the season very well whilst Caroline Garcia struggled a little bit. Caroline announced she's not playing Fed Cup this year. It's something you didn't agree with. Do you feel like you are more justified with your stance given the start of your respective seasons?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Well, everybody has his own choices. You know, I have nothing to prove to anyone or show the way. I mean, I'm just saying what I think. Yeah, maybe I am the proof that we can do both Fed Cup and individual career.

I already answered that kind of question. Of course, it's a busy schedule when you play full calendar with the national team and everything. It's not easy to handle that. But it's, of course, possible.

I mean, I don't really look at what she's doing. It's her problem. It's her thinking. I'm just, yeah, focused on myself. I think that's the right direction.

Q. You have reached three finals this year. What has changed in your game, in your training?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Not much. I'm still the same person, working every day. Maybe what has changed is, you know, that the work I put in over the last few years, now it's maybe all coming together, becoming more solid. I'm handling better the tactics, all kinds of shots I'm capable of doing, choosing better the moments of kind of displaying my style of game.

One thing that's changed a lot, I mean, clearly you can see my improvement, my physical fitness, physical game. Yeah, well, nothing except maybe that I am coaching myself. I had a coach last year.

I mean, I don't know what to answer that question. Nothing is absolutely new or something. Nothing is really going on there.

Q. Could you give a little bit of insight into what it's like on a daily basis to be your own coach. What are the things that maybe you have to do that other players don't, that you take on yourself?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Well, not to make it too long.

Just the thing that maybe a player girl wouldn't do if she has a coach would be, like, yesterday I finished quite late. I still, like, watched the entire of my match, the one I played.

Of course, like, watching the next opponent's match, which is pretty soon.

What else?

Yeah, I think that's the work the coach has to do, kind of make a rÃ©sumÃ© of the game that was, like, played, to take all the positive and negative of what happened, and also to already think about what's coming next if you're still competing regarding the next opponent you have.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. If I have to the next morning work on some things that didn't work the previous day, just at the warmup, to feel it better. I make sure I do that shot better than the previous days. I'm kind of more ready for the next one.

Q. Speaking of the next one, either your doubles partner or Bouchard. Put your coach's hat on and break those two matchups down.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Yeah, that's a very interesting matchup, no matter who will be next. I think it's totally different games.

Genie showed, again, the great form, like a good kind of comeback in her form, in her game. We know her game. She's very aggressive, taking the ball on the rise. No matter really the surface, she's playing little bit the same way, I think. We played against each other couple of times.

I could (indiscernible) she didn't really like my kind of variation game. I'll be focused on that in case it's Genie.

And Sveta, I mean, I'm very happy. We're doing great. It's very cool 'cause since we kind of paired up, she's like, You did so good to me. We have the #Kikiteam (indiscernible) fuego, like a fire, because we were doing great and enjoying our time together, like practices, warmups and doubles.

She's such a great person. I get to know her better and better. We are really having a good time. She's becoming a really close friends, going through lots of her experience and stories. I mean, she had with my ex Fed Cup captain. We are never bored of stories and topics.

Talking about the player, she has lots of experience. She's coming back strong, maybe playing her best tennis ever, even though she's already a former Grand Slam champion.

I really love her style of game actually. I'm so proud playing next to her in doubles because so many variations, she has all the shots in the game. Perfect game for the clay.

In case it's Sveta, I think it's going to be a big challenge for me against her. She has lots of similarities with the way I'm playing. Of course, no matter what, it's a semifinals, a big stage of a very prestigious event. So definitely looking forward.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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