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MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 8, 2018

Carla Suarez Navarro

Madrid, Spain

C. SUAREZ NAVARRO/E. Svitolina

2-6, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After the first set, you lost six straight games to lose the first. How do you think you were able to turn it around in the second and third?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: You know, I was thinking all the time she was playing really good. I start really good, really aggressive. But she come back really good in the first set and she play really, really aggressive. I mean, I was running a lot.

I was thinking all the time to try to play like this, well, maybe when I return a little bit longer, longer balls, longer points. But just think all the time that I can beat her running, fighting, also with the crowd.

Nothing special. Like all the matches, you know. Just try to fight. I was thinking all the time that she's playing good.

Q. Physically how are you doing with the fall? It looked like before you fell down the first time you were dealing with a little bit of a leg or knee injury?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: No. I fell down because I twist my ankle, my right ankle. But I feel good. I mean, I fell down in the second set. I can play all the final set.

Now a little bit of treatment. But I will be fine for tomorrow.

Q. Is there something special about the Arantxa Sanchez court? It feels like you always have these dramatic battles every year. Is there something special when you step out there?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: I want to play not that longer. But, you know, if you lost the first set, you have to be there if you want to win the match.

Well, I am not a tall player. I don't have many aces. I don't have many winners. I really want to, but I don't have. I have to play long matches if I need it.

But, well, this is tennis. You know my style, so... Nothing different.

Q. The final game, can you talk through what was going on in your mind, in your hand with the racquet? How nerve-wracking was that last game?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Well, it's a really tough moment. You have to close the match. I was serving good. I have three match points. Well, I lost them. Then I have one more.

You know, the crowd is all the time pushing me. It's really good, it's amazing. But sometimes they say something before the point is finished. I just try to keep calm all the crowd, also because I need it. I mean, I need to be calm. I was nervous a little bit for close the match.

But, well, was a really intense final game. Finally I finish on that side.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.

Q. Winning at home, the No. 4 of the world, how do you feel?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Great. I'm feeling great. I'm very happy because at the end of the day, these type of victories are the victories that you need. I've said this a lot of times already. I have had two great tournaments, but this year has not been a really regular year. This victory at home, with your people here supporting, they give you wings, a lot of confidence.

I was feeling really good, I've enjoyed a lot to play here. Whenever this week is over, or if I lose here, it's difficult for me to get over it because it's a tournament that I would wish to have every single week. I would love to have the atmosphere we have here every week.

Of course now, I'm extremely happy. Right now you look at me, you don't think I'm really happy, but I'm really happy.

I know tomorrow I have another difficult match. I'm already thinking about it. But it's a relief because at the end I had to come back with a lot of small things that happened in the match. The nerves, the tension out there, also the will to do well here when you're here, your family is behind you supporting you, these are a lot of things you have on your mind whenever you're playing.

Q. Against Elina, you lost in Brisbane, but you beat her in Indian Wells. You do know how to beat her. This time it was on clay. Another thing, does it change a lot when they close the roof and it's indoors?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Yeah, yeah, very good question. It's true that you can tell the difference. All of these days I had been training outside on the outer courts with sunlight. The fact that it was raining today and they had to close the roof, you could feel it. The balls were heavier. There was a lot of humidity. It was completely different.

It's true that I played her twice. It's a style that I like. I like to play against her. Of course, she's a very tough player. If she has confidence, it's very difficult to beat her. But she's one of those players that allows you to play properly. If you read her movements, then you can beat her, which was the case today.

Q. You were talking about the atmosphere today out there on the court. Talk a little bit about the positive and negative things that a crowd like this gives you. Also perhaps talk about the negative side, maybe you can put some more nerves on yourself, especially the last game when they were shouting. What do you think?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Well, I have to say that everything is nearly positive. I hardly see anything negative. I just said it, I wish every week I had the atmosphere I have here.

Of course, I speak with Roger, Serena, Sharapova, and they have this in every single tournament. Of course, the people support them in every single venue because they want them to win.

At the end of the day there are feelings you have. Normally, I'm not used to these kind of feelings. I only have them here. I don't have all of the crowd supporting me. I feel that they are really supporting me. When I travel abroad, people support me, but it's not the same as here. Here I can see that 100% of the people watching are supporting me.

As time goes by, I have more experience. Also the experience I have here in Madrid, it also allows me to know how to handle this pressure.

Negative? I don't see any negative points. It's just in very specific moments that these things happen. It had never happened before. The last game I was having a tough time. I had three match points. I lost three match points. The people were really, really enjoying it. I asked them just to shut up. This just came out from my soul. I'm sorry about that. But I just needed the people to calm down and let me play my game.

The good thing is that we have a nice end of the story. I'm very happy about it.

Q. How do you prepare mentally? How do you control the mental side of the match? How did you handle the pressure of the people and the opponent?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Yeah, talking about the people, the crowd, it was just a specific moment the last game. We don't have to give it any more importance. But recently it has been difficult for me to maintain the calm.

I had my tactics clear today. I knew I had to play aggressively. I had to make her move around the court, make her run from side to side.

After 2-0 in the second set, she started to lead. She was succeeding. She was playing really good. I just had to face that. Mentally I had to click. I had to try to turn it around. I think that mentally was difficult because I had to turn around the match. In every single moment I had to be thinking about how to give her problems. It was a very long match.

I'm happy. As I said before, I think with the experience that I'm gaining over the years, I'm adapting, I learn. It's not easy for me personally at least to adapt to these situations. For now this week, I think I'm handling things good.

Q. We saw today Marc was down on the court with you two times. Did that give you that extra motivation that you needed to win today?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Yeah, of course. When Marc came into the court, we always know what to do before the match, but it's true that sometimes it's helpful when they come and they tell you a couple of things. Sometimes the match doesn't go the way you want it to go.

Marc sees things from another point of view. Maybe he sees things more clearly because he's looking at it from outside, sees things differently. Everything he told me, he was right. I completely agree with him. It was a very positive input for my game and for me.

If we were playing a Grand Slam today and Marc wouldn't come to the court, we would have another problem. Sometimes when someone comes on the court and tells you what to do, it really helps you a lot.

Q. The other day you said you had recovered from your injuries. Today we saw the physio on the court because you twisted your ankle, and also your knee. What is going on? Have you recovered?
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Yeah, the thing is that the knee I just had to do a couple of exercises. It was a little bit stiff. I asked for a little bit of pain relief, a little bit of cream on my knee, that's all.

Talking about my ankle, there are things that happened. I already have some tape on that right ankle. That's all. I think I'm not worried about any injuries or anything. I just said it before in the question. In the second set I twisted my ankle in the second set, then I was able to play all the third set. Everything is fine. A little bit of treatment today, I'll be better off to play tomorrow.

Q. We don't know your next opponent, Johanna Konta or Pera.
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: I know her because she has played a couple of matches, but I don't know how she plays.

Konta, I do know her. I know that Marc, my trainer, wanted to see the match. He will let me know afterwards what he knows. I'm not going to stay for sure.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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