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AEGON CLASSIC

June 22, 2017

Kristina Mladenovic

Birmingham, England

K. MLADENOVIC/S. Zhang

6-4, 7-6

Q. Congratulations on the win. Would you say you're playing as well on grass as you were on the clay?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Absolutely not. Not yet. Not yet. No, I think my favorite surface is clay, and you know, I improved a lot so far, things in my game, the movement and I'm also stronger, like I'm running way more from the back, and my footwork is also different. Like I'm using way more my forehand; I run around my backhand to use the forehand, and I have kind of heavy shots with lots of spin, and I'm trying to open the court. And that's what I was doing really well in the clay season.

And I feel like I need really some time to adapt, to adjust my game on the grass. I love grass as well. I always say that I love the challenge to switch my game depending on the surface. But I still feel I have those reasons to play a little bit differently, to play more flat, because the spin and angles doesn't like mean that much on the grass. And so I'm trying to use more my backhand, my slices, maybe drop shots and volleying, and it's important to serve well.

You know, it's not easy to play heavy spins and angles. So I gotta play a bit more aggressive, more flat, more take the balls a little bit earlier than maybe on the clay I'm using more the rotation, the spin. But yeah, I'm still trying to look for my best game. It's not there yet, but so far I still think the game is quite positive.

Q. When you compare your game now, especially after the clay court season you had, actually this year that you've had, compared to 2015 when you ran to the semifinal, do you think you're a far more accomplished grass court player now or do you think it's reset to match the same level?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: You know, we don't play that often on the grass, so that's what makes it a little bit tricky. And I think I improve a lot, so it shows more on clay especially, that's my favorite surface, and also on hardcourts where we play lots of months during the year, maybe, you know, Aussie, U.S., and maybe just tiny difference of hardcourts, but it's still hardcourts.

And it's tough to compare. I think, of course, I have more consistency overall in my game. But I still feel like I need couple more days, maybe a week to establish even a better game because I feel I have way more shots maybe than 2015 where I already had great wins on grass. But I still need to work on a couple of things, and hopefully it's going to, yeah, pay off for this grass court season.

Q. How much would you say making Grand Slam doubles finals has helped your singles career?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: A lot. A lot. I always say it. I always knew that it's going to help me. You know, my experience, either in juniors or on the challenger circuit on the ITFs, then on a pro level, I always thought, you know, either the experience when I arrived my first big matches in singles, I was absolutely not discovering big stages, big emotion, big stadiums, crowd, expectation. I already felt this in my racquet to serve for Grand Slam title in doubles or that kind of stuff. And it helps, because you -- like you don't lose time to achieve things. You feel like you belong there.

And overall in my game as you can see, I am trying lots of things in my game, and it's part of my game. I need these doubles to be creative, to be accomplished of the net game and all the variation I'm putting in.

Q. How much would you say you're adapting to life as a player that everybody wants to beat because you've been playing so well?
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: So far really well. I mean it's a very, very enjoyable situation to be at. This is honestly what I'm working for. I want to be myself a better player, you know, to move on up the rankings and be the best I can be. And I was in the past always kind of the underdog, being the lower ranked player of the match facing top players and sometimes pulling an upset.

But it's also like the process, the journey, I had tough draws. You gotta beat those top players, you gotta fight your way to the top. And yeah, you want to be the one that girls are coming kind of really no pressure, playing always their best because they know there's nothing to lose. So it's always tough in tricky matches.

But it's such a great feeling, and today to go get through those first matches and go deep in the events. It's really my motivation. I try to do well every single week to enjoy the tournaments. It's a great feeling. Tomorrow we are, what, Friday? And to be going deep in the tournament, and yeah, seeing this ranking with my name, it's a great feeling.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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