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MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAÃº

March 29, 2018

Jelena Ostapenko

Miami, Florida

J. OSTAPENKO/D. Collins

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A nice win today. Can you talk through the first set a little bit? First of all, were you surprised by her level tonight and how tight that opening set was? What do you think was the key in kind of getting past the line?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, of course she was playing very, very well today. She had a set point in the first set.

I saved it, and I was just fighting really hard. I knew it's gonna be a tough match, because I saw a couple of her matches this tournament and she was playing really on a high level, so I expected her to play this tennis.

Q. In the past she's played maybe a little bit more of a defensive-style game, but today it seemed like she was really trying to hit with power and things. Did it surprise you at all tactically?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Actually, not really, because I remember when we played in juniors. I was, like, 14 and she was 18. She was also hitting quite hard the ball.

Yeah, but of course now she improved a lot. She was not missing today. She was going for the shots, serving well, very consistent. So I wasn't surprised with the way she played.

Q. Once you got the first set in your pocket, did you feel a little bit more relaxed? It seemed like you were composed through the second set, very calm as you were playing through it.
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I still knew that I had to play at the beginning very well and consistent, because the match can turn the other way. But I think I played well in the beginning of the second set and held my serve. Also broke her serve. Yeah, it just went my way.

Q. What do you think the key has been in Miami? You had been trying to get that rhythm and everything throughout the season, but it's all come together here. You haven't lost a set. Has there been something different you feel the last couple of weeks here?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think I'm calmer, and also mentally I'm stronger now. Yeah, just more consistent and more confident and just going for shots sometimes and not afraid to miss it.

Q. Why are you calmer these two weeks?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I don't know. Just I was working of course on myself and just trying to take emotions to help me to play.

Q. How does it feel to make your first final of the year? What do you expect on Saturday against Sloane?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, of course it's great and great tournament here. First final this season. Really happy to be here and playing on such amazing court with the crowd. I'm just looking forward to having another great match.

Q. What do you anticipate that match on Saturday is going to look like? Obviously you bring the aggressive game. Sloane kind of has a lot of speed around the court and also has the ability to be aggressive. What do you anticipate is going to be the difference on Saturday for you?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think I still have to be very aggressive and try to go for shots when I have to. And of course she's a great player and it's gonna be a tough match. Yeah, I'm just looking forward to it.

Q. I'm curious, because you mentioned the match from the juniors that you played against Collins. Do you remember it well? Because she doesn't remember it well. Do you?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I honestly don't remember it so well, but I remember that I played her and she was playing -- she was playing quite good. But I was 14 and she was, like, 18, so I was, like, young girl. But I remember that we played on green clay in Eddie Herr.

Q. Knowing that you guys played at that level then, and fast-forwarding to this match, did you talk to your coach or your family and kinda think, ah, that's a little bit weird?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: No, actually I didn't talk about it, but I just remembered -- when I had to play her, I remembered that I played her in juniors.

Q. Dave Taylor obviously has been a big important part of this, not just your off-court work but this couple of weeks. I'm curious, when he's on court and you call him down, I mean, how much do you take in what he's saying? He talks a lot of very heavy tactics out there in terms of telling you what to do. So I'm curious, how much can you actually absorb in that two minutes?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I'm just trying to hear what he's saying and just trying to bring it on court. For example, today he was very positive. He didn't say any negative things. He was just very pleased with my game. Yeah, I just call him on court just to see what he's gonna tell me.

Q. Indian Wells and then now Miami, there has been now three players born in 1997 to make the final, you and Kasatkina and Osaka. Do you think that says anything about kind of your little group of players and the success that they are having on tour?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think actually the year of 1997 is quite strong, because I think we are maybe like 10 players in top 100. It's quite strong year.

I remember back in juniors we had some tough matches and some great players. We played in juniors, and now we are sometimes playing here on WTA Tour.

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