	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

WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 18, 2017

Karolina Pliskova

Cincinnati, Ohio

K. PLISKOVA/C. Wozniacki

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you feeling after two matches in one day?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I feel pretty good. The second one was not that long. Still pretty hot out there today. I recover well, so definitely I will be ready for tomorrow.

The first one was -- still, we played three sets, but I don't think it was physically that hard because obviously, with Giorgi, no rallies. (Smiling.) So I'm okay.

Q. I think you played two matches in a day in Doha? I think you did it in Eastbourne.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I'm pretty good at that. (Laughter.)

Q. It's worked out well for you in the past. What's the secret to playing two matches in a day?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, not always is it going this way. I think it's just lucky that I always won both of them.

If you have it tough, the first one, it's just tough to play another one, especially on this level of tournament. So there is not really an easy match.

So I think it could be tough then to play, let's say with Caro, if I would play third set, I think it could be the difference there.

Yeah, but so far I played always, I think, the second match or at least one of them I played only two sets, so that helps. And always try to recover and do everything to be 100% ready for the next match.

Q. If you had to rate yourself in mental toughness from 1 to 10...
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: 10 (smiling).

Q. And why?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, not always 10 but some matches 10 and some days 10. It's changing a lot, and especially in women's tennis. It can change quickly.

I think I can be mentally tough at some moments in some matches when it's getting close, or when there is some kind of pressure, I think I'm handling it pretty well. Not always. Doesn't mean that you're still going to win when the match is close, but I think I have even good percentage of winning three-setters matches.

So just believe that if the match is going close that I have a good chance to win it.

Q. How much do you listen to how your own shots come off your racquet? They have a very nice sound to them most of the time.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I need this kind of feeling that I hit it exactly in the middle of the racquet, and when it's not in the middle of the racquet, I feel bad about it (smiling).

So I will just try, but it's everything about the movement. Not always it's like that. Not always you have the ball where you want to have it, but, yeah, it's just always I feel when I hit it right at the sweet spot.

Q. You have had some battles against Muguruza, including last year in the semifinals here. What do you expect from tomorrow's match against her?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, we played few times. I guess I won last all of the matches what we played except the first one.

So I think she improved, as well, so as me. So I just want to forget about the rest what was and just start from zero. Obviously I want to take the positive from the matches what I won but not really think about that I have that good record against her.

But still, I think these conditions could be a little bit better for me. I think it's pretty fast. Especially we play 12:00 tomorrow, so still, it's going to be hot. The balls are flying pretty a lot, so I think -- well, last year it was, I think was quite easy, the match. I don't remember the score, but two sets, definitely.

Yeah, I'll just try to take advantage from that and try to play my game as I was playing today against Caro. So I think I was playing aggressive enough and then they don't have the time to dictate, so that's what I want to do tomorrow.

Q. How satisfying is it to beat Carolyn, especially you lost to her last week. You played twice today and her once. Do those things add into the satisfaction of this win?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think even the first match helped me a little bit to have some rallies already today. Like I said, physically was not that tough. So I was warmed up enough.

I mean, obviously tough to play with her game style. Not always -- you know, it's not easy game for me this style because she's not missing much, so you have to pushing and be aggressive. When the conditions, like in Toronto, are a little bit slower, so then it's, for me, tough to close the matches.

Today I think I was playing great tennis from the baseline, serving pretty well, especially in the second set. She didn't have much time for anything to do. So, yeah, in Toronto a little bit unlucky. I think there is always a chance against her.

Q. Lucie is going to be the No. 1 in doubles on Monday, and so there could be two Czechs atop the singles and the doubles rankings.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I know. We talked about it already.

Q. With Lucie?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yes. She was, like, Please, can you still be winning? Because I know I'm losing some points at this tournament. And there is potential some girls, if they win -- I don't even want to follow this, but she told me, like, If you can stay at least one more week that it could be good for Czech Republic to have two world No. 1s.

I'm doing my best (smiling).

Q. What do you think it would say about Czech tennis that you guys would be on top of both rankings?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think we have so many good players, even in doubles. Not only now. I don't mean only me and Lucie, but overall there is a lot of girls playing good tennis. And even in the doubles, even in singles, there is few options.

I mean, it's great. Obviously you can see with the result with Fed Cup, we always -- not always, but we have won so many times with still some other players. It's good sign that in Czech Republic the tennis is working well.

Q. Do you think it's helpful for you right now to have a tight pack of other women that could challenge for No. 1? When you have a large lead, you can get complacent, thinking, well, there's a big point spread?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't know. I think for everybody it's a little bit different. Maybe would be -- especially before Grand Slam, I would prefer to have a little bit lead. But, you know, whatever comes I will just take it. Even if I would be second coming to the US Open, it's still better than I was last year.

So no pressure about being world No. 1. I was there a few weeks already. I don't want to push, you know. I know I'm defending a lot of points now, so it's going to be difficult to really stay there, but maybe it's good for me.

Q. Having just played Caroline a week ago, going back to the match today, do you see that as a challenge in some ways or as a benefit to be able to play the same person so close together?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, if it's a person which you can beat and which is like quite open, which I have the record against her -- it was 2-2 before this match this year -- then I think it's quite good. Obviously the matches are strange because we played so many times together, already practiced so many times together. We know what to expect from each other.

But I think it's the worst case is when you are still losing to somebody to play them again and again. Then it is just tough. But like this, I think it's okay.

Q. Do you pay attention or wonder how soon Serena is going to come back from her maternity?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, not at all (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297