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ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2018

Mihaela Buzarnescu

Paris, France

M. BUZARNESCU/E. Svitolina

6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. On your singles match, what are your thoughts on the keys to being able to pull off a big win like that against a top player at a Grand Slam?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Well, I knew from the beginning it's going to be a really tough match.

And I only wanted to be aggressive and wait for the good shots and just go for it, play angles and move on, move on in the court. Because, otherwise, she would just take advantage of every short ball that I was hitting.

And I kept thinking that it's just one match as another match, and I just need to play my own game.

Okay, of course, when you start seeing that you're kind of winning and leading in the match, thoughts are coming. So I had some ups and downs, but I really managed to get through it and play a good match today.

Q. You have had a great year since 2017, climbed a long way up the rankings. Why do you think you've only done that comparatively late in your career? You had a lot of injuries, I think.
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Yes. I did have two surgeries on my knee, and I didn't play for two-and-a-half years, and two years, and then started again, and then stopped for six months, freezing my ranking.

So last year I had not a good start, of course, with pain again, and it was really, really tough.

And, yeah, I started working with a coach in June last year, and he really helped me a lot and gave me good advises and gave me good confidence, and then it was really good.

Q. And the operations on the same knee?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Yes. Both of them in -- year after year on the left knee.

Q. On the left knee. And the knee is good now?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Yes, since last year, May, it's good. May/June, actually, it's good.

Q. Just to build on your first answer about the game plan today, especially on returns, on second serve returns, you were already inside the baseline and trying to go for a winner on the return. And also on the second shot right after your serve, whenever she returned short, you moved to inside the baseline. You usually play aggressive anyway, but was today an extra effort to do that maybe?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: No. No. I was just trying to play the same as before and not trying to change and trying to look for the aggressive shots when I have the occasion.

Q. This is your first time in the third round of a Grand Slam. What gave you sort of the belief that you were ready to win today, that you were ready for this sort of achievement?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Well, I didn't think that it's the third round, actually, until maybe, let's say, end of the second set. I just took it as a regular match. And I'm happy that I was able to do this from the beginning and keep my old thoughts away.

So, yeah, I think it's something that I should keep doing from now on. So that's -- yeah, it's good.

Q. Do you think there can be a bit of an advantage for you or something that helps you, the fact that some of your opponents might not have played you before or be maybe very familiar with your game?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Well, yeah, maybe it can be also. Maybe they are surprised, let's say, a little bit.

But, you know, now with the TVs and YouTube, you can always see how the opponents are playing. So I'm sure she looked and see how I play.

But I don't know if they feel some pressure or not. Maybe they do; maybe they don't. But I assume that having that experience for a long time at this level, I think they should be fine. But, yeah, it depends on their day, I think.

Q. And if I could ask another question not really related to the court, but I read that you have a Ph.D. degree. Wondering if you could explain a little bit about that, when you got the degree, what you're degree is in, and why you got it?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Well, when I had the first surgery before I stopped, I said that I didn't know exactly how it will be with the surgery, how it will be the rehab, and if it will be good. So that's when I started the Ph.D., which is in sports science.

And then it was three years, because I didn't play two and three years, and then the last year was in -- I think I finished it 2016, December. That's when I finished it. And I was playing in 2016, so it was a bit harder than the other years.

But I'm happy that I did it. My father also did it. So I was a little bit more -- how do I say? I knew a little bit how it working. So I said, Well, if I'm not going to play tennis, maybe it would help me on my resume to have a job somewhere in Romania or abroad. That's why.

Q. Do we need to call you "Doctor"?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: No, no, no, no. I mean, I know it's a degree, but, you know -- however. I don't know. I mean.

Q. You realize today a good surgery?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Yes, I did. Yeah, a good one. I managed it.

Q. Caroline Wozniacki said today, I think, that she remembers you when you were in Juniors together and that you were a very good player then. Can you tell us about the 10 or 12 years since then? I know there were times when you were injured, but was it difficult to keep your motivation during that time because you saw someone like Wozniacki become World Number 1 playing Grand Slam finals. You were, obviously, very talented but you couldn't make progress.
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Yeah, well, that's true. I was good in ranking in the Juniors. And I was there with them, with my generation, Azarenka, Radwanska, and so on, and Caroline.

But then, when I was 18 and I was still, like, four or five in Juniors and 214 in singles in WTA, I got an injury on my shoulder that stopped me six months. So that's when I kind of lost some sponsors that I had. And when I came back, it was not so easy with the coming.

And then, of course I didn't have the same results as before. And it was not easy to continue, because I just went to 114 in 2011 and 2012 when I stopped.

So, yeah, it was really tough time. I had comments in that period as well. But that's -- you know, I'm here now, so it means I didn't give up. I always thought I don't want to finish tennis with an injury that doesn't give me a chance to play again.

So I'm really, really happy that I was able not to give up.

Q. How did you manage financially in that time? Because a lot of the tournaments you were playing were small tournaments with little prize money?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Not easy. I really didn't have any sponsors, so everything was paid by myself when I was -- yeah, depending how I was doing in tennis, in the tournaments.

I was also playing some team matches in Romania and some other countries that were covering some of my expenses for some tickets. So that was a bit of a help.

But it was always really not easy at all, yeah.

Q. Thoughts on your next match, which is against Madison Keys? You've never played her. What do you know about her game and what do you expect with that matchup? Because she's one of the hardest hitters in WTA.
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Yeah, she's really great player with aggressive game and good shots.

And I know, once you're there, for sure you have some "atouts" -- or how you say in English? Yes -- for being there.

But, you know, I'm just going to play my own game and just go on the court as a normal match against a player like me.

Q. You speak very good English. Where did you learn to speak English?
MIHAELA BUZARNESCU: Well, I started when I was in the kindergarten, so then in the school. And I also speak fluently French and Spanish. So, yeah, I guess I like to learn languages, so that's why.

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