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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2018

Kiki Bertens

Wimbledon, London, England

K. BERTENS/K. Pliskova

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How surprised are you to be in quarterfinals of Wimbledon?
KIKI BERTENS: Really surprised, yeah. No, I think before this tournament I could never think about that. Of course, you're always hoping a bit. But I think I was not even really hoping for this. Maybe hoping to win a round or two round.

But to be in quarterfinals is unbelievable.

Q. You've beaten two very good grass court players back-to-back. Talk about what you think it is. Just the aggression? What was the key to today's match?
KIKI BERTENS: I think it was a little bit similar to the match of Venus. I had to start well, start aggressive start away, try to be close in her service games. I think I did that pretty well. Trying to bring as many balls back into the court, even with some slices, then when I had the opportunity to attack the ball. Yeah, that was really the key today.

Q. The top 10 seeds are out. Was some of that psychological with Karolina, knowing the others have fallen?
KIKI BERTENS: I don't know. I think you should have asked her that. Maybe for her. For me, it was just like another opportunity to play a good match, too try and raise my level, try and play aggressive tennis. That's what I did today.

Q. Did you sense an opportunity?
KIKI BERTENS: I think every match here is an opportunity to play better, to try to play aggressive. For me that's really the key on the grass courts. Also on the hard courts. That was really the goal for this tournament.

Then every match it's going better, so I'll take it.

Q. Many new people who haven't seen you play will now get to see you. How would you describe who you are as a person and a player?
KIKI BERTENS: Well, as a player, I like the clay courts more. I think everyone knows that. But this year we try to play a little bit more aggressive, like, on the hard courts and on the grass as well. I think last few weeks was going well, but I didn't win the matches.

This week it's all pretty falling I think together. It's coming together. Playing some great tennis. I'm still here, so it's going really well.

Q. As a person?
KIKI BERTENS: I don't know. I hope I'm a nice person. It's just I think I'm honest, trying to work every day like really hard. I don't know. You should ask anyone else. Maybe that's better.

Q. What about facing your next opponent, who knows you very well?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it's going to be tough. We know each other so well. I think we are also friends off the court. We have some dinners together. We played doubles also. We know each other so well.

I think it's going to be a great match for both of us. Either of us is going to be in the semis. It's going to be really exciting.

Q. What does it depend on?
KIKI BERTENS: I think she has a big serve. Again, I have to get as many balls back in the court, try to play aggressive again. I think it's a similar game style as my last two matches. Yeah, I think that's really good.

Q. You seem fairly composed when there's pauses in play. What is your approach to changeovers specifically in terms of what you're trying to accomplish mentally and physically?
KIKI BERTENS: I think physically this year I just try to every day work the best as I could, like training really hard, doing a lot of fitness. I think that helps me really a lot now on the courts, just trying as many balls back in the court. Physically I feel really well. Even today after playing singles and doubles, I still can keep going.

That also helped me mentally, to keep on going, fighting for every point, just to keep on working hard.

Q. When you have a changeover, what goes through your mind? How do you stay focused?
KIKI BERTENS: A lot. No, sometimes it's just, like, Okay, try to play your game again, try to play aggressive, keep on fighting, keep on fighting. That's the only two things that I'm really thinking about.

Q. Maybe the grass is different this year because of the weather. Do you think it helps you out?
KIKI BERTENS: I think the bounce is a little bit higher, for sure that will help me a little bit. I think also the courts are still pretty fast. You really have to play aggressive. If you don't do that, the ball is not doing anything.

Yeah, maybe it helps me a little bit, but I also have to really work hard to play aggressive tennis.

Q. You've been doing Yoga. That seems to have helped the physical side. There's a whole mental side of Yoga as well. Does that have any impact on you? Does it help you calm the mind?
KIKI BERTENS: I think it really helps me, yeah, to relax a little bit more. I think I'm really energetic person, like having a lot of energy. That's really one thing that calms me down. I think also now on court today, of course a lot of times you feel nerves, but I'm really trying to keep it to myself, just to be quiet, just to do my thing. Yeah, that's working.

Q. At what point in this tournament, has it happened, where you thought you were just going to enjoy this?
KIKI BERTENS: I think that's, like, what I'm trying. That was the only goal for this year, to be honest, just to enjoying playing more, just to enjoying the time on the tour more, doing my things every day, work hard, then in the end of the year you see how well you did.

I think that's what I managed to do, like, every day. That's really going well. Of course, you always have doubts or thinking like, Okay, maybe I should do this better, maybe I could win this match, I should have won this match.

In the end of the day, if you still keep on working hard, maybe it will come one day. I think this is one of those weeks.

Q. Does 'enjoyment' mean winning?
KIKI BERTENS: For me, yes, of course. I think for the whole team it's how I'm doing my things. Now Raymond said just after the doubles match, Maybe I'm even more proud of what you did in the doubles, you were there giving all the energy you have. Of course, you're disappointed, but you did everything you could. For him that's also maybe worth more than being here in the quarterfinals.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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