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U.S. OPEN

September 6, 2017

Karolina Pliskova

New York, NY, USA

C. VANDEWEGHE/K. Pliskova

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously a tough battle out there today. Coming in as top seed and having been to the final last year, I'm sure you had some higher expectations. Just talk about how you're feeling about the match and overall the tournament.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think overall now I can say I was not playing my best tennis this tournament. Still made it to quarterfinals, which is pretty good, I think. I think with the tennis, not always you can get that far in the tournament.

Just happy that I at least did this. Today the match, I think, was very close, about few points. I had set point in first set. Some breaks in the second. Some break chances. I think she played very well. I think she can play much worse than she was playing today.

I can play much better than I was playing today. I didn't feel the best, again. But with this game, I think you never gonna feel the best with the game what she's playing.

A lot of good serves, a lot of fast shots from the baseline. There is not much sometimes you can do wrong.

But anyway, I got my chances. I didn't make it. So that's it.

Q. How does her play compare to some previous times you have played her just in the recent times?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: It didn't change. Still the same. I think she just have one plan, so either it's working or it's not. I think was just much better today.

Q. Can you pinpoint any reason why you were not playing your best throughout this tournament? You were able to fight off obviously match point against Zhang. Was there undue pressure you think you were putting on yourself?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I think I had quite high expectations, and obviously I knew I had quite okay draw, so there was nobody, like, unbeatable for me. Even this match today was not like, without chance, so maybe I put too much expectation on myself.

But still, I was just, you know, I could win all those matches, even the one today, and I was somehow playing like, okay, not the best but not feeling the best, but still fighting and -- actually I was feeling better and better during the tournament, during the matches what I have played.

But this one is totally opposite. Like I said, like, even if I would feel great, there is sometimes not much you can do.

Just happy that this tournament is over now (smiling).

Q. Is it particularly difficult to deal with the pressure when you become No. 1 but haven't won a Grand Slam? Because then the story becomes, she's the No. 1 who never won a slam. Is it better the other way around, do you think?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't know what's better. I have never been in that position, so I cannot tell.

Whatever, there is always going to be somebody who says something. I just don't care about this.

I didn't choose to be at this position where I am now, so hopefully I have many more chances. There is many more Grand Slams to come, so I believe I can win one.

Q. What are your feelings about no longer being No. 1? Some players have actually said it's a relief. What are your feelings?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, I don't care. I don't think something is going to change if you are No. 2. Like, I don't see any difference between this. So for me, no changes.

Q. Were there any perks to being No. 1 for you? Was there anything special other than maybe just some endorsement money, extra endorsement money?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, not really. Like I said, I don't think something change. I was there for a few weeks. Maybe if you are there for one year, it's different. But like this, not.

Q. You talked about putting too much pressure or having such high expectations. What can you learn from this tournament?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, as always, I can learn as I was not always playing my best tennis, as I was feeling like this, a lot of times this year, but I was able to, you know, go through those matches.

Even though I was down match point, even though I was down a set, I was still able to -- even today, I mean, like I was not playing the best. She was playing quite good, I would say. Still got my chances even in the second set.

So I think there is always a chance to win matches if you're not playing the best and not feeling the best.

And with this pressure, what I had here, this tournament, it was something new for me. So I never felt like this before. I was never actually defending final of a Grand Slam. So it was totally different. Maybe I'm going to feel better on next Grand Slams.

Q. Do you think she has the game to go on and win the title?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, tough to say. There's three more very good players which I think they can win the title, as well.

Q. CoCo can be quite wild and go up and down. Were you surprised how consistent she was considering how deep it was into the tournament and the pressure of the situation?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No. Like I said, her game doesn't surprise me at all. I think there was no changes. Even when she changed coach, I think, for me, nothing change. I think she can still do mistake. She can do winners, do aces. That's just her.

So I don't think there is something new. Maybe she's playing home, so she's a little bit more pumped and not giving those extra few points which she can really give sometime. But that's it.

Q. How will you prepare for the Asian swing? Obviously it's all hard courts from here on out. More opportunities for you. Will you do anything different?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I think I'm going to -- I don't know if I will prepare -- I just finish this tournament, so I'm not really thinking about Asia now.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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