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U.S. OPEN

September 2, 2018

Karolina Pliskova

New York, NY, USA

K. PLISKOVA/A. Barty

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. She's been such a tough opponent for you in the past. How were you able to get it done so comprehensively?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, it looks easy, the score, for sure. But we played hour and a half and was not easy at all.

She had a lot of break points, so it could go, I think, both ways today. It was really like couple points. I was just able, I think, to play much better on the big points. Especially the break points.

Especially when she was serving, I was putting a lot of pressure on her second serve which I felt I was winning a lot of them.

But anyway, I felt like she was maybe a little bit more aggressive. But I didn't have that many chances because of her game, the slice, so I didn't really feel like I have, you know, chance and time to be aggressive.

That was my plan, just to, you know, stay in the rallies, hold her on backhand, and if I have a chance to attack and hold my serve, that's what I did perfectly today.

I didn't lose my serve, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Q. You saved all of the break points. Is that a stat you'd like to keep up and particularly happy when it goes your way?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, of course, and after a while, I was able to not lose my serve, which I think was great. I don't think I was serving that great, but just, you know, able to stay in rallies, didn't miss much.

Sometimes I just put some first serve in, which on break points, it's pretty important. Didn't do any easy mistakes. Pretty happy about my serve today.

Q. How do you think your win against Serena in this stadium will affect your confidence and your thinking when you play her on Tuesday? She's close to beating her opponent right now.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think maybe it's going to be third set, no? But anyway, it will be, for me, a dream to play again on Arthur Ashe, for sure, and to play Serena, because obviously last match we played, I won. Since then, we didn't play. A lot of things happen between. That will be, I think, a match where I want to repeat on Arthur Ashe where we played in 2016.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: So for sure, we will see who wins. I think they both have great games. Both will be tough that play because they have big games, very aggressive, good serving. So it's going to be difficult, doesn't matter who wins. Obviously I want Serena to win.

Q. When you look back on why you won that match against Serena, what stands out in your memory of that?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I really was feeling great that year. I'm feeling great now, too. But it was a little bit different story, 2016. I was, like, dark horse. Nobody was expecting me to get that far. But I just went on the court just to get the win, you know. So it was not for me just to go and enjoy or just to go and do some games against her.

I know she was the best at that time, but I just wanted to win. So that's why I won, because I believed I have a chance. I have a game to beat her. That's what I would like to do if she's there this time, too.

Because anyway I know she has a big game, but I have a big game too. I have a good serve. So I have some weapons, too. So, for sure, there is always a chance for me.

Q. I think there are only three top 10 players left in the ladies draw. What do you make of all these upsets?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, it's better than in Wimbledon. There was nobody. Only me in the fourth round. Things happen there. So many tough matches. Even for me. I didn't have any match easy so far, and I'm also top 10 and the girls were not even seeded the first few rounds.

I think it's a Grand Slam so for seeded players, there is extra pressure. Not seeded players, they always want to do well. They just try the best, because it's dream for them to just be here.

Obviously it's very hard for everybody to be successful in the Grand Slams, so that's why some of the players, they lose and they should not lose.

But it's very open. I think there is not even one easy match now in any tournament. So that's why a lot of things are happening.

Q. What makes you such a strong, sturdy person in the slams?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I would not call my Wimbledon, like, successful. I was fourth round. Like I said, not easy for seeded players to get that far in the tournament, all the pressure what we have.

But I feel like I'm strong mentally. Look, I'm not playing the best tennis this year, but somehow on the Grand Slam, I was just able to find, you know, my mentality was working. So that's why I win a lot of those matches which are not great, not easy. I'm just able to beat those girls and just to go through somehow.

Doesn't matter if I'm not feeling great or if I'm playing bad or whatever, they play great, but I'm just able to get through those matches.

Q. Playing off that, the slams weren't always easy for you in the beginning of the career.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Now it's easy (smiling).

Q. Yeah, has your approach changed just having that experience, being at big tournaments?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it's also about the experience, for sure. I'm feeling much better now, even though the pressure is still there. But I just feel like I'm handling those situations much better. I know how it is to be in the final, actually in the second weeks of Grand Slams. So that's what makes me confident that I can do it again.

I know how it is to be losing in the first round, so I had a lot of experiences with Grand Slams now, so that's why I feel pretty confident coming to all of the Grand Slams. Finally also in Wimbledon.

Just Paris I didn't do second week, I had a tough draw. Almost every Grand Slam, I'm in second week which is pretty positive for me.

Q. Seven Grand Slams champions in the last couple of years. Is there a belief in the locker room that maybe every girl says, I can do it as well?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think there is couple players which, for sure, believe that they can win the Grand Slam and for sure I'm sure that there is going to be couple in next few years, different ones, too.

Young players are coming. So the older -- I don't want to say bad, but they are just, you know, the age, you cannot stop. It's everything a little bit changing. For everybody it's tough, but everybody has the dream to win Grand Slams, so everybody is working for that. I think a lot of girls believe that they can win here.

Q. What is the key for you mentally to be at your toughest when the situation has the most pressure?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I'm always trying to, you know, relax and don't think that the situation is that difficult.

That always makes me feel a little bit better and not to overthink some things. Just to play easy, to play the, you know, first thought what I have and not to make things complicated.

And especially when it's on my serve, I have weapons. Even if it's on returns. I have so many shots what can play. I can do a lot of winners, so I'm pretty confident about playing big points.

Q. How do you feel about that word "pressure"? What does it mean to you?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think, you know, everybody has pressure, so it's about just handle the pressure a little bit better than the opponent. Because, you know, even if they are not seeded, but they have the pressure to finish the match, everybody just has the pressure. So you cannot play without it.

It's just, you know, sometimes make things a little bit easier in the head. It's just tennis. It's just tennis. So it's not stress about winning or losing. Losing is bad (smiling), but it's not like horrible, and there is next tournament almost every week. So I'm trying to not make tragic thing from that.

Q. How have you been spending your off days? Have you had a chance to see any shows yet?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yesterday I had two hours of practice (smiling). Pretty much here, because, you know, it's one hour -- you spend two, three hours in the car every day, which is almost half of the day. Then I'm on court. I'm doing my warmups, and I'm having some regeneration. So a lot of things.

It's about the tournament, so...

I did a little bit of shopping. I didn't see any shows yet. Maybe I'm going to get a chance maybe tonight or tomorrow, because I'm having a day off tomorrow, too.

But nothing really special. Nothing great. Just enjoying the city. Enjoying that I can still be in the draw.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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