	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ROGERS CUP

August 13, 2017

Elina Svitolina

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

E. SVITOLINA/C. Wozniacki

6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Fifth title of the year. What are your emotions right now?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I need some time still to really realize, because I had so many matches for the last two days. And it's been really, really tough physically. Today was very hot. So I've been really struggling.

So I'm just very happy that it's finished. And with a title, it's even more special.

Q. You're the first player ever to win three Premier 5's in one season. The only other players to ever win two all went on to be World No. 1. How does it feel to have this accomplishment and how do you feel it maybe makes you reevaluate your game and your career?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it's amazing that I achieved this. But, you know, I try to take one tournament at a time. Try to don't think so much about all the past titles.

Of course it brings me confidence, I have the experience from that finals, but I try to take it as a new challenge and always look forward to it.

Q. Congratulations on the victory. You said afterwards you were tired and obviously, you know, it's been quite a grind so obviously you would be. What would you actually do to sort of celebrate? What is the fun side. What do you do to celebrate?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Probably get myself something. I don't know.

I don't know. It's very tough question. Well, I'm going to go to Cincinnati tomorrow or tonight and don't have so much time to celebrate. So probably have to do it after Cincinnati.

Q. Congratulations on the victory. What do you see as your biggest strength?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Maybe I need to ask this question to you. Because what you think?

Q. I was going to think mental strength is pretty good.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah. Okay. Well, I tried to fight as you said. I only can speak for myself. Of course there's lots of girls on tour who are really fighting until the end like Caroline, like Halep, and Muguruza. They all, you know, fighters.

And I always try to play until the last point and never really put myself down in a mood or always try to be more positive and play, you know, until the last point is played. So maybe this is the strength.

But, yeah, I just try to give 100%. And, you know, that's why I'm pretty tired now because, you know, I left everything today. Because it was very hot. I was very tired.

Slept only, like, three, four hours because probably drink too much coffee yesterday because also was very late night. And then I needed to play first match on, sat down. So yeah, coffee probably kicked in.

Q. You're 5 and 0 in finals. You haven't lost in all of these meetings. What kind of mindset do you carry into these matches? Because obviously it's been helping out and working for you so far.
ELINA SVITOLINA: As I said, you know, I try to take one match at a time. Like today, I was going to into the match and I was thinking, Okay, this is not the final. Just try to think that this is a quarterfinal, because we could play with Caroline quarterfinal, semifinal.

Final is always a big pressure because you think that you are very close to win, but you are very far in the same time.

So that's why it's very important to have the right mindset for the finals and to don't -- of course there will be pressure, but try just to do everything what it takes to just don't think about it.

Q. What were your expectations coming into this week and in particular the final weekend where you had to beat three players in the top six in two days?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I tried to don't think so much. Actually when I was coming here, I had no expectations at all, because I was little bit injured. I didn't know how my body would react.

It was very tough when I came here. I didn't feel so good on court and that's why I came earlier. It was on Wednesday. And, yeah, I had some time here to adapt and prepare and be ready.

And I think this was great tournament for me. I beat four really good players. And, you know, it was very, very special week for me.

Q. You and Caroline play similar games in some ways. What do you see as some of the biggest differences between the two of you?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't know. I try to play my game. I don't think so much if I have similar game to someone. I try to think about what I can do on court, what I can do with the ball. Try to don't think so much about what she is doing or what is her plan against me.

I try to just play my game and be really focused on what I have to do with the ball and where I have to place the ball. That's my main goal.

Q. Just wondering after yesterday where you found the energy for today? Were you running on adrenaline and how well do you think you're going to sleep tonight?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Actually, I was very, very tired after the first game of first set. And I knew that I need to give everything because Caroline doesn't miss much. You have to work really hard to get unforced error from her.

And, you know, I just decided, you know, I'm going to just play every ball and, yeah, just leave everything on court. And that's why, you know, emotionally I was relieved when I won the first set, and then was playing better and better in the second.

And, yeah, just happened. I really couldn't believe that it all finished and I'm holding the trophy.

Q. You're having a great season this year, but do you think you're still a player that's seen as under the radar a little bit? Maybe you don't enter as the No. 1 favorite into tournaments?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't look for this kind of pressure. And I think it's fine. You know, the media, the fans, that's their opinion on things.

I have my own pressure. I have my own expectations. I have my own goals. So I try to don't think so much about it and I think it's all fine with me.

Q. Congratulations again. World No. 4 now. You told me on the court that you actually can't believe that you've reached this point. Can you just talk about, you know, how much work it's taken you over the last couple of years to kind of get here?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Of course. It's been a long journey and I still long journey ahead of me. I try to look only forward. There going to be lots of tough matches, tough tournaments.

You know, I'm 22 years old, so I still have career in front of me and hopefully for many more years to go. And, yeah, just always look what's in front of me.

Of course I'm very, very happy that I could win fifth title, but in the same time, you know, I need to move. I have next tournament already and, of course, US Open coming up.

So, you know, there's always something in front and that's very important for me to have this mindset.

Q. I couldn't help but notice that winner's check for half a million dollars that you were presented on court. And I know it's not your first big win of the season but how do you handle that financial success that you're having and have you made any big or fun purchases this year with the success that you've had?
ELINA SVITOLINA: You know, it seems like we are winning a lot of money. Of course it is, but in the same time we are playing for almost all year long. We have big team always with us.

You never know when your career is going to end, so that's why you don't really think about it so much, Oh, that's so much money.

Because you also spend a lot for the flights, for the food, for all your family, for team. So that's why -- you know, of course it's very nice to have these numbers, but in the same time there's also lots of expenses which people don't really know about.

You know, like, for example, going for the next tournament, I need to get flight last minute. So that's why, you know, the price can be very, very high. So it's all those small things that sometimes happen to the players.

And, you know, you never know when your career is going to end. So that's why it's always something behind, don't really notice.

Q. Do you ever get nervous? It seems like you're pretty calm now.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Of course I get nervous. Everyone gets nervous. If you're not nervous then something is wrong. Because all athletes, you know, of course they want to win so badly that sometimes it happens that it's too much.

So you need to really find your way of managing the nerves and do it all the time and try to find the zone where you feel comfortable and you are playing at your best.

Q. There's a trend in hockey and other sports to use statistics to analyze performance and to use it to improve. And of course tennis has lots of statistics. Do you pay attention to any particular statistic to help you improve your game and do you see a trend as a younger player on tour that the younger players are using stats to analyze their performance?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I look little bit into it, but not so much because sometimes it can play a bad game, I think, for you. Because if you're thinking, okay, that particular girl is serving always that place on the important points, you know, maybe today she will serve other way.

And I don't think you need to think so much about it. You just need to go out there and play your game. But, you know, this is my opinion. So I look little bit into stats of probably maybe serve, return, but overall not any specific things.

Q. Not winners or errors?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, of course, but this is, you know, automatic. You can see it straight away when someone is playing aggressive or passive. So you don't needs stats for it. You know, we're playing for so many years and we know already when you're doing something wrong.

Q. What is the feeling like for you when your opponent becomes so rattled they start showing signs of frustration like smashing their racquet against the court or the net?
ELINA SVITOLINA: For me it's tricky because some people say like, yeah, if you smash your racquet, then that means that the other person is going to get some, like, power or be more positive.

But in the other hand it's tricky because some players they smash their racquet and then they start to play better. They, like, let go and just can start playing amazing and make some great shots and be more relaxed.

So I don't really think about it. Of course sometimes it's nice to see that you're doing a good job and someone is, yeah, under pressure. But I don't think so much about it. It's not something important for me.

Q. As one of the other reporters indicated, you sort of came in here under the radar. But your last few matches you really dominated against your opponents. What do you make of that and how do you take that moving ahead to the US Open?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Of course it's a good sign for me that I'm playing well. I'm competing good. My mental part is strong. I'm playing good tennis.

It's a good sign for preparation for US Open. And, yeah, I just try to keep it up and do my best to prepare and be ready for US Open.

Q. Your second on the tour in hard court wins this season. What is it about this surface that you like the most and plays to your game?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't think so much about the particular surface because I won Rome on clay. I played good on hard court. So grass been good this year as well.

So it just shows me that what matters is only my game. I need to be really focused what I have to do on court and then it doesn't matter on which surface I'm playing.

Q. Last night you said you were playing better tennis when you won Dubai. In that final you beat Caroline 6-4, 6-2. Today you beat her 6-4, 6-0. How do you compare the two performances?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Each match been different. The one we played in Dubai I was under big pressure. It was the first time that I was entering top 10. And that win, you know, was just amazing. Of course I did maybe couple of more unforced errors than I did today.

But I got the experience from that match because she's very tough player. So you need to have a clear mind and clear plan what you do on court.

So I learned little bit more from that match and it really definitely helped me today to manage my nerves and be calm on the important moments.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297