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U.S. OPEN

August 26, 2017

Karolina Pliskova

New York, NY, USA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you feel generally coming into this tournament this year? You have not always played your best, well enough to win. How well do you feel you're playing right now?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Obviously definitely feeling the best on hard court. Had couple of matches in the last two tournaments, I think I played quite okay, not the best, but some matches were better, some matches were worse. There were good moments in that matches.

I feel good here. I've been here for a week practicing and feeling good on this court with this ball. Hopefully I can show it in the match, as well.

Q. Does it feel any different to be at a Grand Slam tournament as the world No. 1? Obviously you have been No. 1 for a few weeks now, but much bigger event arguably.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, but for me, nothing change and I don't feel any difference compared to the other tournaments. Obviously this is a Grand Slam, but for me, I think it's a little bit difficult with the way that I got to world No. 1 and I'm defending now every week something, and quite a lot of points. And so it's a little bit different situation.

Yeah, I just try to handle it. Yeah, just take match by match. And, like I said, I have been feeling well here, so I don't want to put any extra pressure. I have enough of pressure (smiling).

Q. And a lot of good memories here. Do you feel like those will help you over the next few weeks?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Definitely I will try to take it as a positive that I was playing so well here last year. Hopefully I can play on some big court.

I didn't see that much of the draw, so just my opponent first round. Yeah, I think it's going to be tough from the first one. Hopefully I can play good tennis from the first round and then go far.

Q. Obviously, as you said, you're coming in as No. 1, but one thing that's very different is that eight women, including yourself, have a chance of walking out as No. 1. What does that do for the openness of this draw? What difficulties does that pose?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it's tough to say before the tournament. You know, everyone is feeling different. It's last Grand Slam of the season. Obviously we have a few tournaments we played already, each one of us. So everyone is feeling a little bit different way.

Tough to say. I cannot speak for the others. For me, I just gonna try to stay there. I know it's gonna be very difficult with obviously so many girls playing for this position, but I think I have a good chance to stay there if I play well this week or two weeks.

Q. Even beyond that, players below the top 8, does it give more opportunity and hope to everyone?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it's very open now for those eight players, not for everybody, but, I mean, every tournament is almost different winner. But it's still between those eight. I would not say it's like that open. Between us, the eight, we have almost similar points and there is just a little bit of difference between us. That's why I think it's open for us eight.

Q. One of the big stories coming into the tournament is Maria Sharapova's return. When you think of her as a player, what comes to mind? What are your thoughts about her being back?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, I played Maria once. It was in Fed Cup in Prague, so that was a good experience for me to play her, and especially in the Fed Cup at home.

But I think she's very professional in all of the things what she's doing, on the court and off the court with the media.

Definitely she's really good at that, and obviously I didn't see her playing much of the matches what she played this year. She was somehow injured or whatever. I think it's a good story for the tournament that she's back and having this draw what she's having for her first round. I think it's going to be a very good match, hopefully on Arthur Ashe so we can watch.

Q. What do you think of her being given the wildcard by the tournament?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it just depends on the tournament, if they want to give her. I think for the people always it's amazing show when she's playing. It's their decision.

Q. At the French Open you said in the finals you would bet everything and your house on Simona. Do you have any idea how will that turn out between her and Maria?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, most of the time I'm bad at betting. I will stay with Simona still again. Even if she lost my bet in the French Open, I think she had more matches and more consistent this year playing, definitely, yes.

Q. You talk about having the pressure around you now. Billie Jean said pressure is a privilege. Do you see it that way?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it depends. Definitely you can take advantage from it, but sometimes on the court it's just tough to, you know, change it to the positive thing.

So sometimes I feel like it's helping me that, you know, the players behind me are pushing me and the media and all the people are pushing me to feel better. Sometimes I feel a little bit too much pressure on myself so I cannot really play freely and enjoying that game too much.

Last year I think I have been doing well with this, and I don't have that many matches under stress. Obviously there is always some kind of stress and pressure, but I think I have been handling it pretty well and still trying to play freely and enjoying it a little bit at least.

Q. Definitely is a different place to be playing a big tournament. New York is such a big city. What do you make of New York?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I love the city. I was saying for those three or two weeks in a year, I think it's always good to visit New York. Not more, because still there is a lot of things around and a lot of people everywhere.

Sometimes it can make you tired, but obviously the city has huge energy. So I love staying here. I'm staying downtown obviously in Manhattan, so a lot of things to do. I always love to coming back here.

Q. Being here for so many years now in a row, are there certain places you like to go to or have to go and check off on the list when you're in New York?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Not really. Obviously there is Fifth Avenue for me. I think it's not only for me. But I have been staying in several places last few years. Last year and this year, I'm staying to the same one, close to Central Park.

I have been to the theatres on Broadway, which I like. I saw "Lion King" actually yesterday. Probably the best show I ever see. There is lot of things to do in New York.

Q. You have a thing on your finger.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yes, actually, guys, I'm engaged (smiling).

Q. Okay. So how did that happen? When?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: It happened after Wimbledon when I had the time off. So it's almost, yeah, a month and a half. At home.

Q. Any story about how...
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, not really, I would not say about it.

Q. (Question about memories from last year, a Grand Slam breakthrough here.) Does it feel amazing to be back?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, like I said, amazing to be back last year what I played so well here. First time I played on Arthur Ashe last year, so obviously so important to get back on this court. We will see with the schedule. I play on Tuesday so I think there is a chance to play on this court.

I think there is a new Louis Armstrong Stadium. I think it's nice to get on any court. From last year, I have good memories from all the matches I played, so I think I was playing very well the matches, even the one what I lost the last one.

Yeah, I just feel well here. I feel a little bit in the practice -- not all the practices were good, but I feel a little bit on the court that I feel like the surface, it's enough fast and not that fast. And the balls are flying pretty, you know, quite -- for me, for my game, it's okay. I feel well here. Hopefully it can be good in my first match, as well.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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