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AEGON CLASSIC

June 21, 2017

Petra Kvitova

Birmingham, England

P. KVITOVÃ/N. Broady

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: First question for Petra, please.

Q. A good win. Did anything surprise you from Naomi's game today?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Actually, I was prepared for that game which she showed today. My coach told me about. So I expected big serve and big forehand with a little bit of slice from there. But I knew I needed to wait for some chance to break her, and I think from that point she was a little bit down in the set always. I knew I have to, you know, keep my serve, that was important and just try to move her a little bit on the court.

Q. Are you surprised in yourself with how you're managing to play so soon into your comeback?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Well, I mean I played two matches. I think I played solid game, but I still think that I do still have some things what I can improve, which is always good to have. But I think I'm still not playing what I probably could play, but it's always taking some time and it will come with the time and with the practices and matches. But so far, yeah, it was the fourth match after my come back and I didn't think I'm playing badly.

Q. It looked like pretty much everything in your game was working well today. You said you felt there were some improvements to make. Where would those improvements be?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Well, I still think that I feel the first serve should be a little bit better placement, for example. I didn't think I am moving bad, which is a good sign always so I can be there on time and have good timing with the shots. But I think some kind of easy shots I can still play a little bit better. And when she's putting the pressure on me, I need to be more ready.

Q. Do you think you're hitting your serve as powerfully as you have done previously?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Well, it's difficult to say from my point. I need to ask my opponent, but when we were talking to my coach, he didn't really think that it was any big difference. Unfortunately, he started with me just in French Open. Like on the tour he didn't know me that well before that happened. So he knew me from the tour but not like -- not like as my coach. And I didn't really think that I'm losing some power or some strength from my shots.

Q. This is the first time you made the quarterfinal here. Does it surprise you at this stage in your career you're making a quarterfinal for the first time in a tournament?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Not really. I mean it's so weird. I always love playing on grass. I think always in the beginning when I started playing some tournaments and first matches on the grass, I always felt like weird and it took me some time to get used to movement and everything. And here, I don't know. I just came and I played well from the first practice which I had. So I don't know what is it, but I'm happy for that. I'm not complaining.

Q. Did anything feel different in your game? Do you feel like you're hitting any shots differently or maybe even thinking tactically differently?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Actually, no. I think I do have a clear mind, which is very important for tennis players. Everybody knows forehand and backhand and how to play, but it's always about a few things in the match. And you can't like learn it. You just need to experience it and then play what came into mind in that point of the match. And I think that I'm -- I do have a little bit different view for the tennis right now and for the matches. And when I'm playing, I'm just a little bit more relaxed, I think, and I'm not as nervous as I was before, even before the matches. I do still have -- I'm still nervous, but not as much as before, I think.

Q. It's a long time since you've played three matches in a row, you won the tournament. Will just that achievement give you a big lift psychologically do you think?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: I hope so. I think tennis is about the confidence as well. So I hope this will help me. I'm still glad it's not over yet and I will fight for another match to have under the belt to have more confidence. So yeah, I mean it's a long time since Zhuhai, yeah. It's almost seven months or -- yeah. It's great and I hope it's not the end.

Q. Is it tempting to let your expectations get away with you, in other words, come too high and that you have to control them and make sure that you seek limited goals?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Well, I'm not worried about that. I think that I never have high expectations anyway. I'm just taking it as day by day and match by match, and I know that I need more matches to play well and to -- you know, you can really try a few things to take points in the match and that's how I look at it after matches. I'm not setting any goals. I'm just here to play, and that's how it is right now.

Q. You've got either Mladenovic or Zhang Shuai next. Some thoughts on either one of those and what you expect?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: Well, both of them play fast. That's what everyone is saying. I think both of them can play well on the grass with the big serve and with the flat shots. So I think it will be interesting match to watch tomorrow. And yeah, I mean Kristina has a great run this year, what I heard, what I saw. So she has, I think, a little bit more confidence than Zhang Shuai, but she's very talented as well. I played her in Zhuhai, and she really kind of hit it very fast. So it will be interesting.

Q. If it is Mladenovic that you play, do you think she has the kind of game that can trouble you or can you still expect yourself to win that match?
PETRA KVITOVÃ: I'm not expecting me to win any match. So I'm just here to play, and of course, I want to win, but I can't really say it. It doesn't matter who I'm going to play. I will focus on my game. But Kristina, as I said, she has a great run this year. She is confident and she can play well I think on the grass, too. She is a good player, so that's what I think.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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