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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 5, 2017

Dominika Cibulkova

Wimbledon, London, England

D. CIBULKOVA/J. Brady

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just give us your overall thoughts on the game?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, today was really, really good match from both sides. I would say she was playing really well. She was going for her shots and playing really fast. The serve was really hard to return.

I had to find my rhythm, and, you know, I never played her before. I haven't seen much of her matches, so I was prepared a little bit, but it's always different when you stand against opponent for the first time.

I have to say I handled the situation pretty well. I was ready for her, for her heavy shots. After, when I found my return, found the rhythm on the return, I was just there, and I was just waiting for my chance to break her.

My serve was working really well today, and, you know, it was both for me, I had to play sometimes offensive, sometimes defensive, and I combined it really well today.

Q. In the second set toward the end, you seemed a little bit frustrated. Where did that come from?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, no, because I knew that this was, that it was the breaking point when I was 5-3 up and 30-Love, and I knew, okay, now I have to go for it, and I have to go for it even more and I didn't do the right thing. I didn't do it.

So I was a little bit upset with myself that I should go for more. I should be more aggressive. But then I forget the game and I was just focusing on my serve, and it didn't affect me at all.

Q. I remember last year at this time you surprised yourself with your play here because you had plans for something important.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah.

Q. How would you describe this year versus last year for you personally?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah. I mean, of course it was -- last year was just a great year, a great year on the court, off the court. And with the wedding, the end of the second week of Wimbledon, everything was just, you know, I had a backup plan. For me, it was just exciting to be here. I was really looking forward to the wedding, and it had really positive energy for me.

Last year was like, I don't want to say like a fairy tale, but it ended with me winning the Masters. It was really huge last year for me. This year I'm still trying to get on the winning level where I want to be.

In the beginning of the year, it wasn't easy. To be in this position for the first time of my life, to be No. 4, No. 5 in the world, it was a little bit different, but, you know, I feel that the second half of the year can be much better and can be again really well.

Q. What carries over from last year's Wimbledon experience when you had the wedding to look forward to and you were playing so well, surprising yourself, to this year's Wimbledon?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Wow. So before this Wimbledon, I had some of a few bad losses for me. I didn't feel I'm playing my best tennis. I wasn't mentally that strong that I wish to be. But before this tournament, you know, we had a good talk with my coach. And he said, you know, he told me, like, Domi, even you lost now a few matches in a row, you are a great player. You're really experienced player. And you played so many Grand Slams already. So you know what to do here. To play a Grand Slam is completely different story.

He knew I'm playing well during the practices, and he wanted me just to be more calm and to believe in myself and that this could be a new beginning for me. That's what I did.

Q. What do you make of Victoria Azarenka's comeback so soon after having a baby, and what are your observations of the way she's going about it?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, it's unbelievable. For me, personally. Because everybody is different. I don't see myself being back on tour after baby and not even so soon like she did.

It's -- wow. It's just for me really, it shows that she's a real athlete and she loves the sport and that she, even after she had the baby, she did everything to come back.

For me, she's a great player. And, yeah, all my respect for her.

Q. Why wouldn't you want to come back the way she is?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I don't see myself coming back after baby. I don't want this kind of life. You know, when I decide, okay, it was my time and it's over for me, I want to have family, and I want to stay home and to have different life with the baby. I don't want to travel with the baby around the tournaments, you know, and to divide myself.

Now I'm giving 100% to tennis and when I'm done I want to have my family and give 100% there. But everybody is different.

Q. Separate chapters?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yes, yes.

Q. So when you see what she's doing, what's most remarkable to you, do you think?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Wow. I have absolutely no idea how it feels to have a baby on tour or how she manages that, you know. It's not easy. It's something -- it must be completely different.

Of course, it can put a little bit pressure away from you that, you know, okay, tennis is not just everything, you know. She has her baby here and she knows, okay, there are -- I don't know how to explain it, but it's just -- I don't know. Probably wouldn't be able to do that, you know.

Q. In terms of the state of your game, how confident are you heading into the third round?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Oh, I'm -- this matchup showed me that, you know, with the hard work and with the way I was approaching now my trainings and practices and mental preparation, you know, it was really, really good, and I'm feeling much more confident after this second round, because it wasn't easy to play against Brady today. She was giving everything out there, and I handled tough situations pretty well, you know, and I feel much more confident right now in the third round.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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