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ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2017

Kristina Mladenovic

Paris, France

K. MLADENOVIC/S. Errani

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. I want to know, how is your back? I saw you, and I don't think it affected you at all today.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Well, I wouldn't say that. I don't feel like it's 100% yet. I think still struggling on my serve. Not serving my serve yet. But it's definitely way better than the first round. I mean, I cannot compare, you know, I was not struggling with those sharp pain I had in the first round where honestly I couldn't serve at all.

Less struggles today. Less double fault. Less pain, not sharp pain, but my back does still feel stiff.

Yeah, I think I played a great match. You know, it's not yet how I would like it to be. Especially on my backhand and some movement I thought I could be faster or coming in more in the court. I was not serving my first usual serve and second serve could be better, also. But I think, yeah, I'm satisfied it was enough for today.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about playing Sara on clay. It's always a difficult task, even though the results is straight sets this case.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Yeah, she's such a tough player no matter what, and especially on clay, especially when she's coming back here in Roland Garros. She was a former finalist. She was impressive from the beginning of the tournament. I think she didn't lose a set, I think. She won couple matches, so for sure her confidence was back. I felt I really had to work every single point.

I knew what she wanted to play against me, you know, like playing deep, spin balls on my backhand, trying to make me move, playing angles. It's not easy to handle her topspin, and she has great touch.

But, yeah, I'm very happy the way I play. Once more tactically I think that was almost perfect. Then in the commitment, I think I could have done things a little bit better, but that's okay, I think, with the outcome today. But was definitely not an easy match for me.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the relationship with the crowd. If I got it right, at the end, because my French is totally bad, just encouraged the people to applaud you?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: No, not me. I'm not doing sort of things. I'm not encouraging crowd. But Marion kind of did.

Q. They started to sing your name. Talk a little about that relationship and the feeling playing here.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Yeah, I mean, I expressed myself already in the past about this relationship. It's tough. It's either going very well or it's a drama, because lots of expectation, lots of, you know, tension, pressure, playing at home. I mean, you could see full house there. You always want to do great. Lots on the nerves, you know. You've got to play well.

But, you know, once you know how to deal with it, to handle that pressure, I mean, it's great. You just enjoy. I mean, from my side, I'm always trying to, you know, take only the positives. I love big events. I love big pressure. I love, you know, that kind of atmosphere. This is what I'm there for.

Yeah, I also think the French crowd are amazing, but they are also tough. I think you got to really try to be an example on the court, like show great attitude, so they kind of appreciate what you're doing on the court.

Yeah, I'm enjoying my time out there, fighting and trying to make them enjoy my tennis.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. You were saying in English that you're not yet 100% there. So where are you?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Well, I don't really know what the landmark is, because my back -- well, you know, it's a bit special, given what I had, it was blocked. I had muscular spasms. So I'm quite careful. It's something that might come back according to the specialists, and they were not wrong with what they told me during the first round, they said it's a question of time. And with care we can calm down your spasms.

It was the case. And there are still things bothering me in my back. I'm not yet 100% there, as I said, yet. I knew how to manage this.

And to answer your question, I think that today I was there 70%. Those who watched me know that I wasn't there 100%. Mainly when I was serving.

And also, my miles per hour, when I was serving, or my backhand, my footwork, I could have been faster. I could have hit the ball quicker after the bounce. Yet I'm very happy, because I think I played very well during this match.

Sara is a big player on clay, and what gave me a lot of confidence is to see the leeway I still have today. That is, I defeated her this way in this manner, and yet I was not there 100%.

Q. I know you speak Italian. I'd like to know why you were talking to yourself in Italian.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: I always do this. I use the word forza. Well, it's a long story between my brother and friends. When we were in Palermo in -- well, I can't remember the year, long, long time ago. I always use the word forza in my matches. Nothing against Sara, and if you followed my matches before, maybe you have noticed this. You should have heard this. This is not the first time I have used the word forza.

Q. You're talking about your relation with the crowd here, the audience. I have an impression you're not afraid of your emotions, whichever way. Is it your Slavic origins? That is, you're not afraid of crying? You show your emotions?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: No, I have no explanation to this.

It's my personality. It's my temper. Either you have it or you don't. Either you can manage or you can't. I don't know if you can learn this.

Maybe you can acquire this with experience. For those who have difficulties, well, I don't know what to say. I have no explanations.

It probably depends on your mindset, you know, to know how to manage this type of pressure, this type of atmosphere.

From outside, people might say it's extremely positive. There are thousands of people supporting you, encouraging you. But it's not that easy to manage. That's all I can say. I don't know. It's good for me.

Q. Now, what about your game today? Did you feel that there's something that you did really well? And that's how you stood out? The other question, when it was 3-All, 30-15, this dropshot and the volley totally turned around the whole set and the whole match?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Thank you for this question, which is very interesting. I think tactically, as I said before, I played really well. My forehands mainly, when I was using my forehand along the lines, it really hurt her. And tactically, she wanted to play on my backhand, high ball, so that I would use my backhand, or in the center. Then she would use her own forehand, and I would have to return with my backhand or across the court. It's difficult for the legs.

She does this well usually when both her feet are within the lines then the opponent has to run a lot. So she had her own opportunities. Sometimes she dictated the game, and when she was dictating she would win the game.

So I did well. My response was good when it was along the lines my backhand shots were really good or I would hit strongly before she would. I would hurt her. The key, as well, was what I did after my serves, a series of shots after my serves. And more pressure on her returns. I varied the zones, and therefore, I had quite a lot of free points, I would say, on these shots.

Yeah, the 3-All point was a bit of a turnaround, as you said, during the second set. And then after this, I had my own plan, game plan in my head. And even without this point, had I lost it, I would have continued. I was on the right tracks deploying my game plan.

Q. I think you said before that you were saying forza to yourself all the time. Now, I have just listened to Sara Errani, and she didn't understand, it got on her nerves, she was even angry. I want to know if you did it to provoke her or not, because I know there was a slight thing between the two of you at New Haven --
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: No, it's not true. It's Alize. Alize was saying, Vamos, vamos in Spanish.

Q. Well, she was not happy. She said she didn't understand why you were saying this, doing that. Did you do it on purpose?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: No, I didn't do it on purpose. I like her very much. As a woman. It's a pity she didn't know this. She didn't watch my other matches. Not many of them in any case. She should do this. Look at all my matches. Watch my matches. I always say forza. Just watch my matches. My first round as well I was saying forza. All of my matches I say that.

So it was nothing to provoke her. It's not my type of thing to do this.

Q. Next opponent is Shelby Rogers. What would you say about this next match?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: It's going to be a difficult match. This is going to be third round. This player plays really well, and she's not very famous. The crowd doesn't know her, but I think she reached quarterfinals here last year, so she has the right feelings here on the French Open. Her game is good for clay. She has good tools. Her serves, her kick, her forehand, that obliges you to move a lot. A solid backhand, as well, she has.

And again, that's similar to mine in a certain way, in some aspects, which means that I'll have to recover well. I'll have to play my best game, my best tennis.

She will be dangerous on the court.

Q. You'll be playing doubles tomorrow. Did you hesitate about this, given your back pain and what you can expect to do in singles here?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: I didn't ask myself the question. Not yet.

Had it been yesterday, it's true, I wouldn't have played doubles yesterday. But given the fact that my back is better, things are better, I discussed this with my team, and I could perhaps have practiced a little tomorrow. Now I'm going deeper in the competition and given what I did yesterday, you know, two days without playing, you know, it's a Grand Slam. I didn't do anything because I wanted all the odds to be on my side.

So I considered the doubles as a good way to be prepared, but things are developing positively, and therefore, I need to find again a number of feelings, when I serve, on a number of shots, I will be careful tomorrow but I'll be on the courts to play doubles.

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