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ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2018

Petra Kvitova

Paris, France

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. How are you feeling about your preparations and your form and everything on the eve of this tournament?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, it took me a while to get rest after those two very difficult weeks. Really, I didn't really imagine that my body is as tired as I felt during the last weeks, but finally I'm much better.

I practiced this morning. It was fun. I didn't really have any pain in my body, which is great. Yeah, it's beautiful weather, so I really enjoy myself being on the court and playing here after a year.

I feel okay.

Q. How are you feeling in terms of, like, how long did the racquet stay in the bag? When did you start hitting again? Little more detail on the last couple of weeks.
PETRA KVITOVA: You know, I was withdrawing from the round and I still home. I already been doing some exercises on Wednesday. I took my racquet on Thursday for the first time, so it was a bit quick. But in the other hand, sometimes I think it's better to do something than just lying in the bed, and, you know, getting lazy and getting tighter.

So I think it was a good decision that I was still, you know, keeping doing something, but very slowly.

Q. Just looking at the way you have played on clay this year, do you think you have ever played this well on clay before?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I think I played good tennis in Madrid in the past, but so far to have, like, this kind of wins in a row, I couldn't really see myself probably playing better. I think the Prague conditions were totally different compared to Madrid. Hopefully the Paris conditions will be good, too.

As I'm saying every time, it's a different week, and it's always very difficult from the first round.

But so far I'm feeling great on the clay.

Q. (Question about news from Czech Republic.) What's your reaction to it and what does that mean for you?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, of course great news for me to hear that. It's great that they have him in custody. But probably the most, the happiest I will be when the story will end, when everything will be done and finished.

And, yeah, I can't really say anything more, but so far I'm very happy with this, and I'm just here to play tennis and we will see what happen after.

Q. It had been a long time for them to catch him. Had you always hoped he would be caught or did you try not to think about it? It was 17, 16 months, something like that.
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, it was a little bit of a wait for me. When that happened I wasn't really wishing anything more than just they catch him.

And then when I was focusing on the hand and I was really trying hard to be back or focusing on the rehab, then I a little bit forget and, you know, I have been telling myself that I can't really do anything, you know. It's the police and they do what they have to do. And in the end, hopefully they did great job.

Q. How will you manage to concentrate on tennis for the two weeks and not think about anything that might be happening at home?
PETRA KVITOVA: Like right now?

Q. Yeah.
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, probably the timing isn't the best, but it's great news, right? So I should be happy. I am happy.

I have great people around me, so they are still with me. They are supporting me. Especially on the court, of course. That's what matter right now.

I'm not the person who can do anything right now, so I should be focusing on the tennis only. (Smiling.)

Q. You talked about sort of the stress and the looking around to see if anyone is there. Do you think him being in custody will make your life more peaceful, more relaxed, bring you some sort of calm, hopefully?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, it's just from yesterday, right? I don't know. Of course that I will always feel a little bit weird when I am somewhere in public probably alone, but on the other hand this should be a little bit better. But I don't really feel that, the relief, because it's not the end.

So I'm still same as I was before.

Q. What were your emotions coming back on site here as opposed to last year? How did it all feel? Weird, different, like...
PETRA KVITOVA: It's different. It's not weird, I have to say. Weird was the last time to be playing here.

I don't know. The last year I was very happy to be back. I'm happy to be here again. So that's probably the best feelings what I have to be here, to have those great memories. Of course, the memories came back when I step here in Roland Garros.

So everything just came back to my mind, and it's great to be kind of healthy, to be well-prepared, to have the matches before, so it's a better situation.

Q. Could you have expected one year ago that your last 12 months would be so successful on court?
PETRA KVITOVA: Can you?

Q. No.
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, that's probably the answer from me, as well (smiling).

No, not at all. I didn't have to use my special ranking at any time. It's been great 12 months so far. Of course it was up and down, but to having five titles since I came back, it's kind of unreal. Sometimes it's unreal for me, too, to sit and say, okay, I won four titles this year already, it's a little bit weird. But that's why I actually came back, not only to play tennis but to be better. And, yeah, I think I'm not playing bad tennis right now.

Q. You have won multiple titles on all the different surfaces. What do you think makes your game so flexible that you're able to do so well across all?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, it's great, for sure, to have kind of these tournaments that I can play on all surfaces. I'm very happy for that, for sure. I don't know, sometimes it took me a while every time I step on the different surface to have, like, more practices, the best practices, the matches, right? Sometimes it took me a while to get used to the surface, but on the other hand, trying to get it faster and faster, which I think it's happen on the clay right now.

I don't know. Hopefully it's a good hand. And I don't know what else. Sorry.

Q. Normally when people ask you if you think you can win the French Open, your eyes roll a bit and you start laughing. If I ask you again will you do the same? But in your heart, in your head, do you think that you actually can win here?
PETRA KVITOVA: No, I'm not acting with my eyes, but I don't really feel that. You know, the clay, it's been always the difficult surface to play for me on, especially probably here in the French Open.

I know I played semifinal and lost to Maria one year, but overall it's not the great surface for me.

But overall I think last couple of weeks show that I can play well on the clay. But this is a little bit different conditions here, as well. It can be hot as today. It can rain and be very cold. So the balls are not really flying as I wish. But that's how it is, and that's probably why it's the Grand Slam, right? So you have to be ready for two weeks of the best you can show.

Now I think there is probably bigger favorites of the Roland Garros. No? Than me? And just for me to play my first match, we will see how it will go, but of course I will do my best, as always.

Q. I think Courtney talked to you about your belief with yourself on clay when we were in Charleston at All Access Hour, and even then you were doubting it. Since then you have won two clay court titles. So what's it going to take for you to believe in yourself on clay? All the evidence is there that you're very good on it.
PETRA KVITOVA: And Courtney is great, right (smiling).

First of all, in Charleston was the first week of the clay. Wasn't really great. Didn't really have the best preparation for clay. And as I said, it took me always while to get used to.

But for sure I'm more confident right now than in Charleston. Sorry, Courtney.

So I'm feeling better, for sure.

Q. Serena is here, but she's not seeded because of her ranking. Wimbledon say they might change her seeding. Do you think more tournaments should have flexibility so they can change seedings, or do you think there should be a special rule for women who return after having children?
PETRA KVITOVA: I don't really think so. You know, sometimes, I know from my perspective that when I came back I didn't really feel like a player who is top 20. So, yeah, I was seeded, but because of the points which I earned in the end of the year before. So it was a little bit different situation, but I don't really think that should be the rule for this.

Q. Last year when Ostapenko won here, she said that she thought that the clay on Chatrier was faster than the grass at Wimbledon. I'm just curious what your thoughts are if I tell you that.
PETRA KVITOVA: Okay.

Q. I mean, you have been around. That's my question.
PETRA KVITOVA: Okay. Wow. I don't really think so, but obviously I think that Roland Garros overall is a little bit like faster clay than, for example, in Prague. I think it can be compared to Madrid a little bit, but not with Rome. Even I didn't play Rome, but I do remember.

Well, she has a very aggressive game play, so for sure when she's hitting it very hard and probably for the opponents look like it's pretty fast.

So it can be my case, as well. But grass is grass. You know, it's not bouncing that high, so that's why I do feel a little bit differently than Jelena.

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