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ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2017

Karolina Pliskova

Paris, France

K. PLISKOVA/C. Garcia

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. I think after your last match you expected the crowd to be huge and terrible. How were you able to handle it? It didn't seem too bad today.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I think was fine. Maybe because it was so close. And I was winning in the beginning. Then I made the set. Maybe because of that. Or they just maybe like me (smiling).

I don't know. Yeah, I expected it to be worse, and it was okay. There were some points but not too many.

Q. Before today, before this year you never made it past second round. Did you change anything in your game that helped you in clay?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I didn't change anything much. So far still before this tournament I was struggling on clay with almost everything. Didn't have my weapons on my side and the movement was terrible. Which I don't think it's better, but somehow I'm just winning. Today I can finally say I felt a little bit better on the court compared to the last matches.

Yeah, the serve was good, which is also important. We are on clay, so there is not many aces as I'm used to having on hard court. But it's important to have it.

Q. After your last match you said that in the first one-and-a-half sets you didn't have forehand, backhand, serve or anything. How was it today? Did you feel things were just clicking a little bit better? Certainly seemed like your serve was more present today?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it's how I said after that last match what I played. My game is gonna improve. My level is gonna improve with the play as well. It's just tough to play amazing tennis against, I don't know, player which is 100, and she's also struggling with something.

And for me mentally this was a little bit easier, even though it was not easy, but I felt like it's normal tennis, you know. Not that the last matches would not be tennis, but I felt better today.

I think my serve was quite good today. Definitely a lot of free points from the serve, few aces, as well, and I think was the key. She served good, as well, but it was about few points. The first set unlucky for her, but I think I was a little bit better still. 5-4 serving, tough game. She played very well there. But, yeah, tough. The conditions were not easy. The wind was changing so much.

So there was not many rallies, long rallies, but was just different game today.

Q. You were struggling to get into the second week at the US Open, and then, boom, final. Then you struggled here winning more than one match, and then semifinal. Looking at it more generally, is this few things in life that maybe you struggle at first and find the key and kind of unlock things?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think everyone has this, you know. Nothing comes easy. Maybe some players who's playing first Grand Slam in the life they can go far. But with me, it's just different. So I have to first play few times Grand Slam and then I can go far.

So with all the Grand Slams so far, even Australia, US Open, even here, it took me some time. I know about it. But just happy that I'm there now. So like I said, still not the best tennis so far with me. I think I played better even I lost last year few matches in the first round, even Grand Slams. But I think it's more belief this year that I believe I can, you know, go far.

Q. You have won a good number of tournaments. You had your great run in New York and doing so well here. Yet some of us don't really know that much about you away from tennis. Would you mind just taking a minute and just telling us a little bit of things you're interested in? Who you are as a person? Things like that so we know you better?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Oh, I don't know (smiling). Who am I as a person? Well, tennis player, first of all. And then, yeah, I'm just a normal girl. Enjoying some things off the court, as well. Shopping. I like to travel with my family sometimes if it's possible.

Then, for me, almost every day there is something from the tennis. So otherwise my family lives outside from Prague. I'm from Prague. I like to see them when I have time off. And that's it.

Q. Would it be fair to say that you're extremely relaxed on court? The shot you played for match point, that lob, I mean, you're under pressure, back of the court, you managed a lob. You have a very good eye to do that. Would you say you're very relaxed throughout the match?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, it looks like I'm relaxed. I saw myself in TV. But sometimes in myself it's not like this, you know. But I'm just trying to don't show any emotion especially on those big points like this. I just believed I can make it.

And even though I would not make it, it would be 30-All. She was serving, so it was not much to lose in that game. So I just tried -- I just tried, you know. So even the match point, I just wanted to be at least aggressive. I had all of the shots I had. The main goal was for me to put just back the receive.

You know, so she was serving well. She was now against the wind. So I had the better side, I would say, a little bit. That was the plus for me. So I just went for it.

And even though -- I don't think I'm good in lobs, but it worked (smiling).

Q. Can you tell us a bit about how you're feeling right now where you say that you don't feel you're playing your best tennis, but you're in the semifinals. Does it seem like a strange situation, or does it just feel normal or weird or something else?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, a little bit strange. But I feel okay. I feel happy. But still, I think I'm able to play better tennis, which probably I'm going to need tomorrow.

But it's also tough with the opponents, with the surface for me. So it's probably tough to play my best tennis on this surface and against those opponents what I had and even today, Caro. So I think it's definitely better. I would say it's somehow solid but not the best still.

But, yeah, in the end, it doesn't matter how you feel. Yeah.

Q. You had a white ribbon tied around your racquet? What was that for?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I always have it on all my racquets. It's just for luck.

Q. Just talking about Simona a little bit and the next match, how much more do you feel like you're going to have to step up in that match and what do you think the key will be against her?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, we played few times. I don't know if we played on clay. Definitely is gonna be tough. She's running well. I don't know how is the forecast for tomorrow, weather forecast. If it's like this, it's gonna be tricky, because she's almost everywhere and not missing much.

I think I have to be more aggressive than I was today, because today was more about, I would say, Caro being aggressive, and then sometimes even me.

But with Simona, I have to be more aggressive, going into her serve a little bit and putting pressure on her. And still to be able to hold my serve, that's going to be the key.

I beat her once in Fed Cup, was very tough match, but I have one win. So it's not like I never beat her.

I'm just gonna try to take advantage from this and try to play like I have nothing to lose. I'm in semifinals. I just try to play my best tennis this time.

Q. You said you were focusing only on winning some matches and not focusing about the rankings, but the No. 1 position is there, just one win away. Does that put any kind of pressure to you, or are you thinking about it at all?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, not really, because coming into this tournament, there were a few people who told me, You have to be in the final to be No. 1.

I was, like, there is no chance I make final here (smile).

And now it's close, but it's close and it's far, as well, because I'm playing against somebody who I would say one of the best girls on clay. It's not like you're going to get it for free, you know. She's playing also for being world No. 1, what I know, I think. So it's going to be huge match.

But this, for me, I just want to win. Doesn't matter how and doesn't matter what it's gonna bring if I win. But for me it's just important the match and to win the match.

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