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CHINA OPEN

October 5, 2017

Petra Kvitova

Beijing, China

P. KVITOVA/C. Wozniacki

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You have a good record against other Czech players. How do you feel going into tomorrow's match?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, hopefully good. I don't know. I mean, probably it's always extra motivation to play some of the Czech girls. But on the other hand we are pretty friends. We are playing Fed Cup. We won many times already. We have a good friendship anyway.

It will be difficult tomorrow, for sure. Barbora has to play well, otherwise she's not in the quarterfinals. That's how I going to take it. I hope I will show some good tennis tomorrow.

Q. Welcome back to the China Open quarterfinals. Caroline is your second top-10 win since you recovered from your left hand injury. Today you hit a lot of winners and aces, served good. What do you take from this match?
PETRA KVITOVA: If I can, I take everything with me (smiling).

I think it was a pretty good match from my side. I didn't really made any easy mistakes or unforced errors or whatever. My serve helped me a lot, as well. It was improving all the match. Especially from the second set, I really attacked her.

If I can, I take everything for tomorrow.

Q. Caroline said there's not much she can do when you're playing like that. Do you feel as though the time, the rest you had after Wuhan, not having to play yesterday, it looked like you were moving out there?
PETRA KVITOVA: Thank you. My fitness coach will be happy (laughter).

You know, after that marathon which I played in Wuhan, I really need a few days off. I really couldn't move myself. It was pretty challenging.

From like the first round here, I didn't really felt good. I didn't feel the balls. It was flying everywhere. Suddenly I couldn't really have the timing.

Of course, when you playing more, the timing is better. I feel better, especially today probably because I really played well. I moved well, as well. I got a lot of balls back. Caroline, that she had to play one more ball, that's always probably she didn't expect that, I think.

But anyway, I mean, she has a great record this year. I mean, she's playing unbelievable. That's how I was preparing for the match. It will be not easy. I know how tough is to play her. It's a lot of rallies. It's nothing really easy from her. That's how I went there.

Q. In terms of the motivation through this last section of the season, is the possibility of potentially qualifying for Zhuhai again on your mind at all?
PETRA KVITOVA: To be honest, it is little bit, yeah. I mean, it would be very, very nice if I qualified after everything which I been through. And I didn't play the first five or six months. It would be nice present to be there.

But I'm not stressing about it. I'm not putting any pressure on it. I mean, we said with the team after Wimbledon everything what I going to play now is just bonus, kind of preparation for the next season. That's what I'm trying to take like that.

Q. I would like to ask some more general questions about the China Open. What would you say is your general impression of China and Beijing, apart from playing in the China Open?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think the first time I been here was 2008 for the Olympic Games. It was my first Olympics. The experience was great being in the Olympics. Then suddenly I'm here to be part of the big event.

I didn't know much about China. I think I find out more when I make friend with Li Na, so I knew little bit of the humor and the personalities of the people living in China.

I'm pretty unhappy that I didn't see the Great Wall or Forbidden City. I really want to go one day. That's how I kind of see China.

Q. Can you give any suggestions to the growing tennis girls who come from a relatively humble family background?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I'm kind of one of them, too. We didn't really have a money to travel. My father was my coach until my 16. I think that he prepared me real well, so...

I think I have everything, kind of personalities from my parents. They gave me a lot. I mean, they spent a lot of time with me on the court, on the tournaments. They took some unpaid vacation from their work to be with me on the tournament. So it was a bit tough for them anyway. I hope they are happy now, but...

I think the kid has to really love tennis, playing for fun. That's what I started to have it as a hobby, playing for fun. I was just going real easy. Suddenly I'm here. I really like that.

And I know that the hard work is the key, as well.

Q. The comparison between the China Open and the other tournaments you play around the world, how would you describe your experience of playing in the China Open as compared with other countries? And what do you find the most rewarding playing in the China Open? What do you think is something you cannot find elsewhere in the world?
PETRA KVITOVA: For us, we have a really big tournament here. It's pretty nice that everyone is playing here. The field is always very difficult, pretty tough. Everyone is prepared. That's I think sometimes it's different between other tournaments. We are moving around the world, but not every time we are all on the same place except the Grand Slams and other big tournaments. This is kind of one big thing.

I feel like here in China Open we do have our teams of the fans, as well, always there and cheering for you. Doesn't matter from which country you are, they have always flags. They are kind of living with the players. It's fun to see when the players are playing each other, they have two fan clubs there, they are cheering for it, as well.

Is beautiful stadium, I have to say. All of the courts are very, very nice. Like from my side as a player, it's such a nice to play on these big courts here.

Q. Could you tell us some more details about your tennis school in your hometown.
PETRA KVITOVA: It wasn't really school, have to say. We have, like, four courts in our city which I born. I think from that time I was just only one who was playing there (smiling).

I always played with my father or with my two brothers, so it wasn't really fun. I'm trying to, we are trying to, build a little bit tennis school in Fulnek now. In the time I started to play, wasn't really anything more. But I was happy to play anyway.

I was really happy that my father took the time and spent it with me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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