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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2018

Karolina Pliskova

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

K. PLISKOVA/B. Strycova

6-7, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Do you remember playing a match that finished this late at a slam?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I think this is the latest for me. For sure I played couple of late night matches. I don't remember that I would play for that long, the match. Still the guys, they played around three hours. I think this is the latest finish for me.

Q. Did it affect you at all or did it feel like a regular night match?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I felt pretty good out there, I have to say. Just the conditions were not perfect for me. But, you know, I made a plan to play evening session, so everything I think was perfect. Like I said, just the conditions were not perfect. I don't know if I'm going to sleep, I just continue with the next day (smiling).

Yeah, this is little bit tough, but everybody has to go once through this in a tournament, these tough late matches. I'm happy that I'm through.

Q. There was talk before about the coaching situation. Did that feel like it added any extra dimension to this match?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, not on my side. I just try to put everything what happened between us away from this because it was a normal match basically. I was just trying to play my game because I know if I would get into it, think about what everything happened with the coaches and with her, I would not be playing the best.

I think this I did perfect. I was just really focused on my tennis, not on the things around. I think everything is, like, fine, at least with me. Obviously I'm a little bit more happy now in the end that I won the match.

But even though I would have lose the match, I would not be that sad because I think the match was quite high level. Whoever is coaching her, I'm just happy right now with my team which is choosed. These things are not my business any more.

Q. You seemed confused by her cucumber remark.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't know if this is something from Australia. I was surprised about this, yeah (smiling).

Q. After dropping the first set, it was a tight one, you had your opportunities with the breakpoints, what were you telling yourself? You didn't look too stressed or panicked.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I was fine. Obviously the first set took me some energy, some power. I had some chances. I didn't play well on them, which was those breakpoints. The tiebreak I didn't play well. A little bit unlucky. Everything came together a little bit. I think I could play definitely better at those moments.

She didn't play anything, like, any perfect shot. Everything was my mistake. Next time have to play everything better. Just the risk, I made bad mistakes on those points.

Overall I think the first set was quite high level. A lot of rallies. The conditions I felt was kind of slow. My serve was not working that much, my shots weren't working that much. I wanted to try to be a little bit more aggressive in the second set, not have those rallies any more. Still were a couple of them, but less than in the first set. It went a little bit quicker with the time, those two sets.

Q. Simona Halep next. What did you learn from the match at the French? Different surface, different conditions?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Hopefully better conditions for me, if I don't play again this late night match. She played couple tough matches also here. I think there is always chance to beat her. It's going to be about me. I have to play well to win. I do anything for that. I have to serve well, otherwise she has I would not say dangerous game, but if I don't play well I don't have the chance to win against her. I have to play something to beat her, have to have some winners, some aces against her. I have to get my mindset ready for this.

Q. Going into the final [sic], are you happy with the level, the way you're playing?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I can say it's improving. For sure I could play some points, some games better. Compared to the last two rounds, I think this was the best what I just played here. Even the match with Lucie was good.

I think those two matches were tough, even mentally, not only physically with the tennis. I think to play Czech girl here in Australia, it's little bit more tough than to play any other girl. Everybody is just fighting so much, especially between us.

I think the level is improving.

Q. How does it feel to be back in the quarterfinals?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: It feels good. I'm happy that I'm going to be again on the wall in the last eight when you're coming to the club. Actually, I was not sure about my tennis, my level, before the tournament. I was happy for every round. Just happy I'm back in the quarters here.

Q. With the quarterfinals set, any one of the eight that surprises you?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think there is a couple. Obviously Simona not, Kerber not, Wozniacki not, Svitolina not, Keys not. Maybe Mertens.

Q. Suarez.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Suarez is a good player. So Mertens only - and me (smiling).

Q. Based on ranking, next year there's only 16 seeds, this could be a first round match.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think first round could be so different compared to this. Everybody is getting better with the matches. I think for sure more nervous but for sure not the tennis we played now in fourth round. I think everybody is playing better with a couple of matches, especially her.

Yeah, I don't wish to have a first round like this.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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