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CONNECTICUT OPEN

August 24, 2017

Daria Gavrilova

New Haven, Connecticut

D. GAVRILOVA/K. Flipkens

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You play with a lot of emotion obviously. For some athletes, sometime it's not so good to have highs and lows. With that, does it help you to play with such emotion?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I've always been an emotional player. I guess I show different emotions. Sometimes I'm positive, sometimes I'm not so positive.

Yeah, I've always been like that. I try and use a lot of self-talk to get myself going, just to be positive. And I think, yeah, the self-talk and good body language helps me a lot. But sometimes I still get negative.

Q. At the end of the first set, you kind of showed some of that emotion.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: First set?

Q. You had the set under control, but looked like you were talking to yourself a little bit.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I think we had some long games where I would play a good point, and then I would make an unforced error. Then it was just a lot happening, like she was giving free points, and then I would. I just had to keep myself going and moving. I was also getting annoyed because there wasn't much rhythm, I guess.

Q. What went well for you today? What did you think you did well?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, clearly saved a few breakpoints (smiling). I was just brave on the big points. I stuck to my plan. I think I was actually coming into the net a lot more than I actually expected myself.

Yeah, I was pretty aggressive.

Q. I think it was the third game, about a 15-minute game, which you won. How big is that when you have a game that's going deuce, deuce, deuce, to give you a big boost?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, it definitely gives you confidence. It was also a tricky situation because I was up 3-Love, and having a lead 4-Love is completely different rather than... Yeah, it is only one game, but it is a big difference. So I was really trying to win that game.

And, yeah, it was a very long game and a lot of errors, free points. But I was really happy with the way it finished.

Q. What about now? How much is this going to help you in the semifinals, a court similar to what you're going to play in New York next week?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, New York, US Open, is a completely different tournament. I'll probably have different feelings about the tournament, different emotions. I'm not there yet, so I'm not thinking about it too much.

But definitely getting a few wins and making semifinal is a boost. And, you know, even if someone, whoever I draw, they'll be like, Okay, she just made semis. Or I could do more damage here (smiling).

Q. You had a big break to go up 4-3 in the second. You jumped on one of her serves, great return of serve. Do you pick your spots when you're aggressive and you can jump on a spot and take advantage of?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I think in women's tennis, girls, we're trying to be aggressive on second serves because -- well, just because I think it's the nature of women's tennis. I know that I could take opportunities. I do work on that a lot.

I think, to be honest, women practice returns a lot more than men - or that's just what I think. Because from what I saw, girls would always hit a serve, then return. Where guys, even for the match warmup, they're just banging a few serves and that's all.

Q. Did you come into this week thinking, This is a part of my game I have to get better at heading into the Open? If so, what was it? Do you feel you've really improved on it?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Uhm, I felt like I was playing pretty good tennis throughout the whole U.S. series. I had a tough one in Toronto where I lost to Strycova, being a set up, I think I was up 4-1 in the second set. It was tough, losing that match.

Then I had a tough one against Giorgi. But I kept my head high. I knew that I was really close. I lost to a pretty good player.

So everything I worked on in the training block, I was still showing good signs. But now it's just paying off a little bit more.

Q. Do you feel like you're playing well enough to get that first WTA Tour title here?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I've come close before. Made two finals, so... I think I'm capable of it, of winning the whole thing.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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