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ROLAND GARROS

June 4, 2017

Karolina Pliskova

Paris, France

K. PLISKOVA/C. Witthoeft

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Welcome to the second week of the French Open. Given your sort of attitude towards clay or your past at this tournament, are you at all surprised that you're here?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, surprised that I'm in the fourth round here. First time, obviously. And still I don't think I'm playing the best tennis. You know, but it's good, I can still improve.

So definitely today, the second set I think was the best so far what I played in this tournament. But still there are some things what I want to improve and what I want to play better. But there is next opponent is again I should win. So far all the matches pretty similar for me.

So I don't know much about those players. I didn't play with any of them. I didn't play so far. So everything is a little bit new with the opponents. But yeah, I still think I have a good chance, like a little bit improving match by match. But so far not really the best.

Q. So are you able to be realistic about it. Saying I've gotten to play and I will get to play four women outside of top 60 and so I should win these matches even if I don't love clay?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it's different on clay. So I don't really feel like or I am favorite on the paper but not really on the clay. So every match for me is tough and it didn't matter if she's 60 or if she's 300.

So I'm just going to you, you know, take it as I took it the first three round. And, obviously, if she's winning the next one and she beat some good players, and probably she's good a clay.

So it's a little bit different than for me on the hard courts.

Q. You said there are things that you want to improve, there are things where you have room to improve. What do you want to improve going into the next round? How much do you have to work against your maybe your instinct the way that you normally play on clay here at the French?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think my forehand is quite okay, I would say, or it was okay today. But yeah, I hate my backhand today. It was terrible, and that's what I want to improve. The serve can always be better but still I had some good serves. And even I lost few of my serves, service games, two I think, or one. Yeah. One. No. Two.

Then I still think like the serve can be pretty good, but the backhand today was terrible. And I know she was playing quite deep in my backhand but that's something that I want to really improve so I can make, I don't know, 75 percent of the court with the forehand but at least some backhands I have to play and I have to play at least in the court. Doesn't have to be winners but that's what I want to improve.

Q. From no second weeks to three straight second weeks at the Slam, how big was it to just finally get that, to break that mark, or do you think that you're just an improved player now, so much more improved that these second weeks are easier? Is it mental or is it your game that's improved that's allowed you to do it?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I'm also quite surprised at three straight Grand Slam I passed the third round. But especially on clay, I never passed second here.

So it's quite huge for me. And I think, like we talked already, the main step was at the US Open when I just passed the third round and then even made the final. So for me that was the biggest step what I did.

And that's why I feel better even if I don't play good tennis on the Grand Slam. In the past I also didn't play best tennis, but I'm just able to win those matches because you never play some top ten players in those first three rounds. So you have to get through it somehow even if you don't feel well. So that's what it improved.

Q. After a successful first week, do you feel like you're now more competitive on clay and you've also got more positive mindset going into week two where you feel like you can compete against anyone on any given day?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, definitely mentally I feel fine. Really good from the beginning of the tournament. And obviously with every match you win you feel better and better. And the game, like I said, always can little bit improve. But somehow it's still enough.

So I just want to improve to the next match and hopefully it's going to be enough as well. So far enjoying that I'm in the fourth round and I'm going to prepare. I think I'm playing tomorrow the next one. So I think I always have a good chance to win against anyone.

Q. The No. 1 position in the ranking is at stake. Is that at all in your mind?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I know about it. But not really my goal so far this tournament. I just came for to win few matches. That was my goal. And not really thinking about the rankings.

Q. Today your opponent came really late on the court. It must have been kind of annoying. She told us that yes, some security guy misled her, he was confused. He didn't know the way. How was that for you? And second thing, do you give your young German opponent some credit? What was she doing well in the first set to make it harder for you to pass through?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, it was kind of strange because I saw her two minutes before I left the locker room and then she was not coming but I knew she was going to come for sure.

And yeah, I think she played really solid. I was expecting a little bit more aggressive game but maybe she had different plans for today and she was not serving probably her best.

So she was using more second serves through the first one. So I don't think that was clever because she should do more points from the first serve I think.

But overall I think she didn't miss much. So it was more about me today. So even I made winners or I missed.

Q. Does anyone ever tell you you're too hard on yourself?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yes. A lot of people. Yeah. I always, like, I'm too negative sometimes. And even on the court. So I want too much sometimes and then I'm even missing even more than I would be missing. But we are trying to change this.

Q. Was it surprising to you being the No. 2 seed to be on Court 3?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Sorry?

Q. Being No. 2 seed in the tournament was it surprising for you to be out on Court 3?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, there was lot of changes since tomorrow because of the delay. I should play on Court 1 and then Court 14. So still Court 3 is good compared to Court 14.

Q. Is it possible that you're a little bit more confident than you're telling us here right now? And secondly, when did you figure out you could win a lot of matches without playing your best?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: So far this year I think every match what I won there was not many matches where I would play amazing tennis. So probably since beginning of this year, when I made even those two titles, I don't think I was playing great tennis there, and it's still possible for me to win. So I have some weapons, which if at least one of my weapons, my forehand is working, I think I have a chance to beat anybody. So that's the first thing.

And I feel confident right now after, always when you win two or three matches in a row you always, it gives you a lot of confidence. And even like I said, still I don't feel I'm also playing my best tennis here. I just feel mentally I'm there. So it's going to be just tough to beat me I hope.

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