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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2018

Anett Kontaveit

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. KONTAVEIT/J. Ostapenko

6-3, 1-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to get a top 10 win and make the fourth round?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: It feels amazing. What else could I say? Yeah, I'm definitely really happy with the win. It was a really tough battle. Yeah, just extremely happy to get through.

Q. She was surging through that second set. How did you turn things around?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: Yeah, I mean, she was playing really aggressive and really well. Yeah, it was very difficult for me to hold serve today. So, yeah, I got these few service games in the third set. I was just trying to stay with her, keep my energy up, just fight for every point. I think that's what I did well.

I managed to get that break, go 4-3 up. I think that gave me a bit of confidence.

Q. Did you feel the crowd was rooting more for you?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: The crowd was great. I didn't really compare if they were rooting more for me or for her. The atmosphere was really good. I felt the support.

Q. The long 12-minute game in the third set where you got the break, how do you articulate what's going on in your mind during a game like that?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: Yeah, very important game. I was just taking it point by point. I think that's the only way you can look at it.

Q. Do you not count how many deuces are going?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: I had no idea (smiling).

Q. Do you remember the last time you played against Suarez Navarro?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: I think I was 14, 15, Fed Cup.

Q. 2011?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: Yes, that's a while ago now. I remember being really young. We played in Estonia. She beat me very easy.

Q. After you had some really tight matches last year, how does it feel to get over it, get a big win?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: I felt like last year was last year. I started this year with a better energy. Like, I've done my pre-season, it was really good. I feel like I'm fresh, I mean, playing well.

Q. Did you feel with all of the work you put in in the off-season, how you were feeling, if this had to go five sets, you were ready to go five sets if that was the case?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: The match was physically quite, I mean, demanding. She's a very hard-hitter. I was just running for every shot, trying to get as many balls back as I could. So I don't know about five sets. I mean, I'm glad it's not five sets.

But I'm really happy that I managed to get my energy back up in the third, sort of stop the roll she was on.

Q. What did your coach tell you before the match in terms of tactics?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: He was just telling me to try and stay aggressive, not let her dominate too much. Try to get every ball back, make her play an extra ball.

Q. What is the toughest part of playing Ostapenko?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: Well, her strokes are extremely fast. She was hitting the lines, cleaning the lines well in the second set. Yeah, she's a very good player. She's tough. She fights. I mean, she's good.

Q. When she does clean the lines like that, do you have to just let it go?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: That happens. I caught the line a few times today, as well, so... That's part of the game. Yeah, I just try to win the next point.

Q. With a quarterfinal on the line, Carla in your way, do you go into the next match thinking it's just another match? How do you think you're going to approach it?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: I haven't thought about it yet. I think, yeah, I'm just going to take it as another match. I've had three good wins, three tough matches. It's just going to be another challenge.

Q. How are you enjoying Melbourne otherwise, tennis notwithstanding?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: I've always loved Melbourne. I've come here for a few times already since the juniors. It's a great city. I love the atmosphere at the courts as well. Everyone's really lovely, very loud. I like the atmosphere.

Q. On off days, is there enough to do? What are the off days looking like for you?
ANETT KONTAVEIT: Haven't been able to do too much sight-seeing yet. Yeah, it's mainly training, trying to recover for the next matches.

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