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WUHAN OPEN

September 26, 2017

Jelena Ostapenko

Wuhan, Hubei, China

J. OSTAPENKO/B. Strycova

2-6, 7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Another three-set win for you. You must be getting used to those sorts of long matches.
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, it was tough match today because I just arrived yesterday from Seoul, won the tournament there. Conditions were tough. It was heat rule today during we played.

Yeah, but I'm really happy that I was fighting till the end, even I was down in the second set, and won the match.

Q. Speaking of Seoul, that seemed like a pretty cool week for you. The crowd got bigger and bigger with each one of your matches out there. Seemed like they really embraced the way you played your tennis and also you. Talk about the title run in Seoul, what was that week like?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, it was a great week in Seoul. It was a very nice tournament. The people were very nice. I enjoyed to play in front of a lot of people. For the final was like 9,200 people. So it was almost full.

The final was a tough match because we were going for the title. Of course, more pressure. But yeah, I'm really happy with the way I played, that I won my second title.

Q. Does it give you any sense of relief? What mentally does winning the title after obviously winning your first title at the French Open, getting another one, does it matter more to you? Does it relax you a little bit, I can still keep winning titles, no problem?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, of course it's great to win my second title and keep winning. It gives me kind of confidence. Maybe today in the match, I had that confidence from Seoul, and it helped me to win the match.

Q. Anabel is not with you during the Asian swing, is that right? Are you still working together?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: She was not with me in Seoul because there was my mom with me. I just wanted to do that tournament with my mom.

But Anabel is here.

Q. When the weather is like this today, extremely warm and muggy, do you prepare differently? Do you eat differently? Rest more?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, today was very hot, even during the practice. I was practicing and I was feeling more tired because was very hard to breathe. But, yeah, I try to prepare a little bit different for that match because was the heat rule.

Q. There was a lot of frustration with calls in the match. How tough was it to play on a court without Hawk-Eye?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, was not amazing to play on a court without Hawk-Eye. But, I mean, I'm a fighter. I went out there and showed my best and fight until the end and won the match.

Q. How were you feeling when you were down a set and 3-1?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: It was not like the first set I lost 6-2 and was 3-1 down. Every game was advantage, deuce. It was not like 40-Love, every game was easy game. Every game was a difficult game. I had breakpoints. But the score was, yeah, 6-2. I was fighting, as I said, and won the match.

Q. It's the first time you're in the Race for Singapore. How do you feel regarding qualifying for this final? Is it adding extra pressure for the end of the season? Do you like this?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, of course, it would be great to qualify for Singapore because it's such a great tournament and WTA Finals. But I think I'm playing good now and I try to not think about anything when I play, just to fight and enjoy some tennis.

Q. How often do you still think back about the French Open? How often do you relive your experience in the French Open?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, it was unbelievable week, amazing experience. I think I'll remember it the whole time. Yeah, especially when I was playing final in Seoul, so I had more confidence because I won the final at the French Open.

Q. Speaking of playing that final and having that confidence of playing finals before, how different do you feel as a tennis player right now compared to six months ago?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, I think that I'm playing better. I'm more confident, and also more consistent. In deciding moments I play much better than before.

Q. How does the confidence feel to you? Is that because now you make the right decisions all the time? Is it just the belief if you're down in the scoreline, you know you can come back? What does the confidence do for you in your game?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think, first of all, I'm serving better. Even the percentage sometimes is bad, but I'm serving good in the deciding moments, just going for the shots. I mean, most of the time I'm not missing the balls that I used to miss before. So I think that's confidence.

Q. Some players have struggled in the past after winning their first slam. Why do you think you seem to have not? You've already won a title after. What makes you special, I guess, compared to them?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, you already won like a Grand Slam, you just try to enjoy every match, go out there. I mean, of course, I had more pressure, but then I did good at Wimbledon, won a title in Seoul. Now I don't have to get any pressure because I have to just enjoy my matches.

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