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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 28, 2017

Caroline Garcia

Kallang, Singapore

V. WILLIAMS/C. Garcia

6-7, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think made the difference in the third set? You had a pretty strong finish in the tiebreak. Where do you think the momentum shifted?
CAROLINE GARCIA: I was missing a little bit of energy in the second and third set. I mean, it was very intense this match. The match from yesterday was very difficult physically and mentally. I missed a little bit of energy.

But she played some great tennis. She was changing direction very well. She was aggressive.

So, you know, I just miss couple of occasion of short balls that I didn't make enough difference, and she passed me. But it was, I guess, very close.

Q. Arguably it was one of the biggest matches you have ever been in. How did you feel mentally on the court and how did you approach the occasion?
CAROLINE GARCIA: Actually I was feeling okay. I was feeling -- I enjoyed it. It was difficult, but I was very happy to be there on court.

It was kind of very difficult match, because it was so different from my past matches. She's hitting the ball very hard, very aggressive, huge serve, sometimes no rallies. And my last three matches was rally forever (smiling). It was difficult to play like so different style of game.

Q. The commentators seemed to think like at the start she was struggling a little. Did you get a sense maybe she was? Maybe that's why the rallies were a lot shorter?
CAROLINE GARCIA: Yeah, at the beginning she was doing some kind of easy mistakes, but she was still doing okay and some doing winners, so it was not a big difference.

And I think in the tiebreak she was getting fine, like, it was a battle. But after, she didn't do any more this kind of easy mistakes. She was really in the match and she was hitting the ball very well.

Q. Now that your season is over, I'm curious what you take from it. I feel like it's really a tale of two seasons, January to May and May to now. What do you take away from it in the aftermath?
CAROLINE GARCIA: I mean, it's only a lot of positive things about this season. It's a great end of the season. A lot of things happened. I learned a lot.

Like, I'm playing much better than I used to play in the beginning of the year. But I feel like I have so much to improve, you know. It's like it never end. You can still work as much as you want. You will never reach your full potential. You have to still going, and that's great, actually. With this experience of the Masters, I feel like I have so much more things to keep working on.

Q. You said that you have learnt a lot off the court outside of tennis. What do you think is the most important thing that you have learnt this year?
CAROLINE GARCIA: I mean, I learned a lot of different things. Even when it was difficult for me physically and mentally, I tried to pass over it and learn about it. I never got injured in my past, so I was not, like -- I mean, it's not a great experience to have, trust me. When you are struggling physically and you lost confidence in your body, it's really hard to come back.

But when you finally get it a little bit better every day -- I mean, it's not perfect yet, but it give me more confidence, and all the hard work we did outside, it helped me in this difficult moment or in these great matches.

Actually, yesterday my trainer asked me, Who would think this would be possible in February or March? And I said, No one. He said, No, us. We did believe it.

Q. What sort of things are you looking for to improve most in the offseason?
CAROLINE GARCIA: I mean, the list is so long, I cannot say a couple of ones. It's just like even if you reach the Top 10, I mean, I have the feelings that I can still improve so much my serve, my rhythm, my forehand. Everything can always be better. You never reach your limit. That's what is great with sports.

Q. How much did being here after the weeks you had in Wuhan and Beijing help you come into the off-season feeling that you belong at the top of the game? A week or two like this in isolation might not have given you the same kind of momentum. How do you feel now having this slate of really strong results?
CAROLINE GARCIA: Yeah, it was, like, it was difficult at the beginning to be here after the two great weeks in Wuhan and Beijing. But slowly I felt comfortable. And to play a great battle against Svitolina really helped me to be 100% in the matches.

I mean, that I was able to keep going after my great week, it's never easy. A lot of things happen after this when I got back.

So I'm really happy with the way I kept improving and I prepare myself. Like, I know the adventure is not -- the end of the adventure is not now. I cannot say I'm exciting for the offseason yet, but, no, I mean, I can't be sad to be out today.

Q. I'm sure you spoke with your father and your family coming into here. I'm curious as to what their reaction was I guess now that your tournament is over. What did your father say to you and your mother?
CAROLINE GARCIA: Oh, after the match? I mean, I was sad after the match right after, because, you know, you get used to win matches.

So it's always sad and disappointing to lose, but after couple minutes, I mean, we spoke about the match, what's difference, what did I miss to do even better.

I mean, after the match when we spoke, I say, I can't be 100% sad. So much happen last couple of weeks and month. I really learn a lot, and I was able to keep going on court for matches, after our matches, and that was great. You know, I mean, you can't be sad right now.

Q. In terms of now your season being over and getting the opportunity to take it all in and also not pick up a racquet for a little bit of time, I mean, what are you looking most forward to in the immediate couple of weeks? And then also when do you think it's all going to hit you what you did?
CAROLINE GARCIA: I don't know what I'm looking the most for, but last couple of weeks I have been very busy. Even when I got back to France it was some busy day.

And the image of who I am change with some people, so it was a little bit weird, actually. But, you know, you have to get not used to it, but deal with it. So I don't know how it's going to be when I go back to France, but I will probably do the things I have to do, and then I will lose myself somewhere on the beach (smiling).

Q. You have played against both finalists in Singapore, so do you mind a prediction for us who has a better chance of winning here?
CAROLINE GARCIA: It's difficult pick. They both play very good matches. I mean, with Venus, it's always surprising her level, the way she kept trying, keep improving every single time.

I mean, I would go for Wozniacki, but, I mean, I think it will not be an easy match, for sure.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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