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WUHAN OPEN

September 23, 2018

Petra Kvitova

Wuhan, Hubei, China

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Someone from China this morning said you were Wuhan sister, I think. What makes it so special for you to play here?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think I'm sister, like, of everyone, of Li Na, of Wuhan (smiling). I'm not really looking Chinese, but...

I don't know. Actually from the first tournament we played here, I just felt great here. Obviously I like to play in Asia, in China. It's tough to explain why.

I know it's always end of the season and everybody is tired, everybody has something. But I'm always kind of enjoying the time here. Probably that's why it's seeing on the results, as well.

Q. This part of the season, can you talk about the mental and physical challenges after the US Open. How do you get yourself up to the standard that you want?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, it's a bit tough, to be honest. Especially for me this season probably I'm pretty tired already. I was sick after US Open, so I lied in the bed. I couldn't really practice a lot.

Coming here, I mean, the conditions here are pretty nice. We have everything what we need. Yeah, it's always kind of tough to be ready physically, mentally for these events.

But still a few events until the season finish. Last energy what we have, I just put it in.

Q. So my question about whether three weeks was enough time for you to recuperate...
PETRA KVITOVA: Not really (smiling).

Q. You got sick after the US Open?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, straight after actually. I felt already sick in the plane. From the time I came home, I was just lying in the bed with a fever, with everything. I didn't do anything for 10 days, but I was just lying in the bed, then I started pretty slowly. Yeah, that's how it is.

Q. When you're preparing for this section of the season, what are you telling yourself to kind of get up for this section? Is it Singapore? Is it one more title? What are you telling yourself?
PETRA KVITOVA: I'm not talking to myself so far yet (smiling).

Well, I'm pretty happy that the body is still kind of together, I'm not really falling apart. I need to be really careful with the balances of the practices. I'm saving everything for the matches. Then when the match comes, of course everything will be back, those emotions will be there, for sure. I'm not really scared about that one.

Of course, it can be a little bit kind of put it down of the mentally tiredness. But I think when you play, you just really not thinking about it. That's how it is.

And we'll see. Of course, still those big events are ahead of us still, big tournaments. Beijing is coming. Hopefully Singapore. We still have a Fed Cup final. Still lots of matches play.

Q. Naomi Osaka, the way she won the US Open, and in the final of Tokyo, what are your thoughts on how you managed to pull it out?
PETRA KVITOVA: It's amazing, to be honest. Straight after she won the US Open, she played Tokyo. Being in the final, it's great. Of course, playing in front of the home crowd is something really special. It's different compared to other events. But still a great effort.

She's not injured - that's great, as well - after so many matches. Yeah, I mean, it's great job.

Q. How does it feel to be back in the tournament where you have so many amazing memories?
PETRA KVITOVA: It's great always when you coming somewhere where you know you played well. It's great. It's amazing how the time flies, that it's fifth anniversary of the tournament. It's pretty impress how everything is going here. They are still trying something new. They have a beautiful center court.

It's just great to kind of be here, play here. The conditions are very nice. The people that are working for the tournament, as well.

It's nice.

Q. Have you met with Li Na here? How would you describe your relationship, her importance for Chinese tennis?
PETRA KVITOVA: Not yet actually. I think I going to see her tonight. We do have something on the center court. We'll be there.

But I'm really looking forward to see her. Yeah, not really seeing each other very often, so is always special to see her. Need to ask her how she is, how the kids are, if they are behaving well, listens to mom.

But she's a great person. Always I will have the best memories of her. I think that we still are in the touch. It's great.

Q. Last year was difficult trying to come back. You came back, did great. Perhaps the story of the season was you coming back to the court. This year with that behind you, I know the season is not over yet, but what would you say for you personally is the story of your season?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I think when I was really working to be back, I couldn't really imagining to have a season like this, not at all for sure. Who knows if I can imagine. Like, this was pretty early after my comeback, for sure. I don't know. It's happened so quickly. Sometimes I don't really have, like, time to realized what everything happened.

On the other hand, it's great. It's kind of something which I couldn't really imagine before. Even I didn't really have a great results in the Grand Slam, I'm very, very satisfied and happy with my season so far.

Q. At what point, which title or win this year, did it kind of dawn on you that you were having the season that was a bit unbelievable, from your perspective?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think was the Madrid one. I think was the tournament when, of course, the best are playing. Especially the final, I was just so exhausted. So I think, like, that was the one which I was, Okay. I wasn't, like, thinking about the whole season yet, but the special moment was there, for sure.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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