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ROGERS CUP

August 10, 2017

Karolina Pliskova

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

K. PLISKOVA/N. Osaka

6-2, 6-7, 1-0 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It looked like it was going to be a long day out there and it kind of ended pretty quickly. What was going through your mind and all of that?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, quickly? I started at 11:00, so it's not really quick day for me.

Q. For singles.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, but still I think we played about two hours. So good two sets for both of us. Unfortunately that she retired.

But I didn't have any idea that she was going to retire. I think she played quite normal. But, in the end, she said she felt her stomach little bit. So definitely before a Grand Slam it's not worth to risk it.

But, yeah, better than the first round, so good day.

Q. What was your plan going into the third set? Were you planning to change things up or just try to cut down on your errors? What were you planning heading into that set?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Actually, I was trying to change a little bit my aggression and the position on the court. Because I think, in the end of the second set, she was more aggressive than me. So I wanted to push little bit more so she doesn't have the time to do this.

And obviously I was serving well through the whole match. I didn't lose my serve once. So just wanted to continue in this serving in that game.

And I got that quick break, so maybe that's why when she retired because she felt it with the serving.

So, yeah, but I think the serve was definitely better than the first round. I didn't have many first serves in the first round. So better today.

Q. Where does she rank in terms of the hardest hitters on tour, and can you kind of compare your power against her power?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Sorry. One more time.

Q. Where do you think she ranks amongst the hardest hitters on tour and can you compare your power with her power?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think she's one of the fastest hands on the tour. So definitely she's going to be one of the bigger hitters, I would say. Even with the serve, I think she went over 190 kilometers per hour with some serves. So that's pretty good. So definitely I would say she's playing faster than me, at least today at some points she was playing.

And me, I don't think I'm playing -- my shots are flat. That's why it's so fast. But even the serve I think it's not that fast, but it's more about the placement.

Q. Can you tell us about your decision to reach out to Genie to play doubles and how did you enjoy playing with her this week?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Obviously, after Wimbledon, I didn't have any matches to play, so I just wanted to play a little bit more this week.

And usually I'm not playing doubles this year that much. But I just thought it's going to be a good match-up to play with her. So I just tried and she was for it.

So I think we played -- the first match was pretty good. Unlucky today with the match points. But I was not the best today from my side. I think she was pretty solid and playing well.

So, yeah, was a good choice. Two good matches for us.

Q. Genie was saying again today that she's been struggling with her confidence and is looking up to you and playing with you. If you were going to offer her any advice to try to get that back, what would you say to her?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think from her, definitely it's a good choice that she started to play doubles a little bit. Because if you win few matches, you can still get confidence back from doubles.

In singles, it's tough. Obviously, you don't have to have good draws on the tournament, especially on the big ones. It's tough to find two, three easy matches, you know. Or she has to go to play some lower tournaments. And you still have to win few more matches in a row, and then she's going to have the confidence back.

But I think it's in the head. I think overall she's playing well. I saw even her singles, even those two doubles what she played, she's not missing much. So definitely probably just in the head. But with the game, is nothing bad there.

Q. So it's Caroline next. It's the fourth time you've been playing. You've beaten her two out of the three times but she's beaten you on hard courts. What is the game plan going into that one?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, it's one, two, fourth meeting this year. So is it 2-all? No. 2-1.

Yeah, the last one on hard court was pretty tough in Miami. So I think it's going to be similar to here. Obviously, hard is for her the best, as me as well. So I think it's going to be about the serve as it was today.

So I have to serve well and try to be still aggressive. Otherwise, she's not missing much, so I don't want to play long rallies with her.

Q. You're No. 1 in the rankings right now but you're getting some competition in the ace, sort of, leader board from Julia Goerges. Is that important to you to have the most aces and do you keep track of that stat?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, it's only important if you win matches with those aces. Otherwise there's no importance at this ranking of the aces.

But just still happy that the serve is there. And yeah. Otherwise, I don't think this ranking is really important.

Q. Going back to the match today and how hard Osaka hits the ball, obviously you're one of the biggest hitters in the game and I imagine most matches you're feeling in control and able to dictate play. Were there moments based on her power that you didn't feel in control and how many other players might you feel that way against if that's the case for her as well.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, she's one of them, and I think there's few players like this. There's Lucic and few other girls, obviously Sharapova, Serena, all those girls, which are trying to play aggressive.

It's tough, you know, for us, I think for both of us, because we both want to play aggressive. So it's about who is first going to hit harder and then the other one doesn't have time. And then you're already in the zone and you can dictate the rally.

And I think it happened today. Especially in the first set, I was the one that was more aggressive and she was missing. And the second set it changed a little bit, but still I got my serve.

So definitely this is something what I've been working on to play against those girls to try to not -- they to push me from the baseline and just to stay there and try to push as well.

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