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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 20, 2018

Karolina Pliskova

Kallang, Singapore

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What has the last week been like for you as you have found yourself back here? It was dicey in the end.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, it was tough week, for sure. Not only week but for sure tough month for me. A lot of traveling, a lot of tournaments. A lot of matches, which I appreciate, but the last two weeks were pretty tough by playing Tianjin till the final, and then after the match quickly I took the plane to Moscow. It was not an easy trip.

And I just had a day there, not really a good day. And then I was lucky to move that day, same day where I lost here. So just a lot of traveling. But I feel better today.

Q. You did play a lot, but you had good success, as well, in Tokyo and obviously in Tianjin. Do you feel like it was good for you to kind of play that many matches to find some pretty good form? Was it a little too exhausting?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think overall already from where I started in Montreal, I just felt much better on court, maybe by those changes what I did on my team, but I was enjoying more, even though I didn't get that many wins before US Open. I just somehow felt better on court. US Open was much better for me.

And then all those tournaments were pretty good. So I had a lot of wins, a lot of hard matches, which I felt and won so that was good. Actually, I think the pressure a little bit helped me just to stay really focused and stay fighting, because, you know, how is it in the end of the year, if you just don't fight for something, then it can be really bad, at least for me.

So I think on one hand it was a little bit stressful, but on the other hand I was able to find best tennis in the end of the year.

Q. You were in this situation a couple of years ago having to play Moscow and seeing if you'd make it, and didn't make it in 2015 but now you did. Did you learn anything from that situation to maybe not take it so seriously to be so stressed out? Were you thinking about that at all in Moscow this week?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think 2015 was completely different, because I think I remember I needed to like win or maybe do final in Moscow. So it was different. I didn't really come with -- coming in here, it was the first year. This year I would be really upset if I don't make it here. It was different.

But it's tough to don't be in stress when you're fighting, when you need to win one match to be here. So obviously you have it in your mind. But this year I was in a little bit better position. I think Kiki, she had a little bit worse because she was still behind me. So I knew, like, I'm still like there.

So pretty much all the year I was there, even close, but I was there. So it was a little bit different.

Q. From all that stress, you fly here and it's kind of like a party atmosphere. Galas, photo shoots. What's that environment like for you? Do you like it?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I would love to have more time here. Obviously I like the city, I like the tournament. I would like to spend more time. Unfortunately it was like this this year. Next year I try to be a little bit quicker with the points.

But the gala was obviously nice. It was a little bit too long, but I managed to practice quite a lot yesterday. Today, as well. Has to be enough.

Q. What is it like spending that sort of quality time with the other top eight players? When you're preparing for a Grand Slam, you're maybe by yourself and with the team. Here you're spending time with players, taking pictures, hanging out in holding rooms.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't think it's that different. Only eight players or maximum nine. I don't feel that difference about it.

Obviously the gala was nice, we just did some nice pictures. We pretty much talk with all the players together, so it was fun.

And it was not like -- it's still two days to go, or like now one day to go to competition, so we were not like fighting and not looking at each other like if we're -- and we actually didn't know who we gonna play yesterday, so it was pretty fun night. I think the competition starts tomorrow, so everything change a little bit, so everybody has the team here. There is not going to be much of fun between the players. But look, I'm fine with everybody. So I didn't need any dramas in the locker rooms or somewhere. It's just the match on court. That's it for me.

Q. You have practiced on that court. I know last year you were frustrated by how slow you had to play through the court, so how is the speed of the court this year?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: This year it feels different, but I don't know. Maybe I'm too slow, but the court feels a little bit faster than last year. Also maybe, I'm not sure, but of my traveling and of the tournaments what I played, I just didn't get that much time to get used to it but just felt it's a little bit faster. Maybe Moscow was too slow for me somehow. Maybe compared to Moscow it's just fast. But I felt okay in those practices. I just had two so it's not much. I felt okay. I didn't feel that slow. The balls, I appreciate Wilson balls compared to the ones which were in China, so should be fine.

Q. I asked the same question to Petra. Since 2015 Czech Republic brings here highest number of players, singles and doubles. This year there are seven of you. Another one is playing for United States. What does this mean for you and for your country?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I know we have -- we were actually counting one day that there is going to be seven Czech players in here, which is amazing. I think it's the most ever. We have obviously me and Petra in singles and then we have five more in doubles, which is amazing.

I think for a country it's amazing. They are just following all the tournaments pretty much a lot, and especially if there are Czech players. It means a lot for them. And obviously by having also successful team in Fed Cup, it means a lot. You know, for me, it doesn't mean if there are Czechs or Chinese because it's still competition, you still have to play against them. I think for the country, it's great.

Q. You have had more extended time with Rennae since the summer and through now, so in the conversations that you guys have had in terms of what needs to change or be refined in your game, what are the main things that she kind of -- how does she see your game?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: It's pretty much the same what I told you in the beginning. I think she's just the most positive person which I know, and I'm not feeling the best always, not always it's easy. She didn't come to an easy situation when I was really fighting for a lot of points.

And I think she is just really fun on court, working on few things. We are having tournaments every week, so there is not much time where you can just change things or practice some different things which we want to improve.

Obviously it's coming to the net more often, using my shots which sometimes I don't use that effective, to try to use my serve better. There is a lot of things which we want to improve, but I'm sure there is going to be more time in the offseason. She's gonna be in Australia, too. So I'm sure we improve together.

Q. You have had Czech coaches all the time. Your English is obviously very, very good. Is it different having coaching timeouts in English as opposed to your native tongue?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Sometimes, yes. Not always you can explain all the things in English. But I'm getting used to it. I think she just understands my bad English. So it's not that I feel like, you know, bad about my English or something.

But I just try, I feel I try to explain whatever I feel, but it's a little bit different. I think on one hand it's a plus. On the other hand it's sometimes just difficult when you want to quickly say something and you just cannot find the words. But it can improve my English, so it's only positive for me.

Q. Have you picked up any Australian phrases?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, but we were working on few phrases, American, but I cannot tell you right now, but Australian not yet.

Q. You mentioned working with Rennae in Australia. Will you spend any time with her in the offseason? How close are you in terms of making final decisions in terms of next year?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I pretty much have some plan in my head. I think it's still too early to talk about off-season. I'm also going to work with Conchita, as I said before. So I think it's easier for me to be with her in the offseason because she's in Europe. I maybe just go to Spain or I have few options.

Rennae, she's gonna be the beginning of Australia, she has a lot of work to do so maybe Conchita will join us there too. It's still not sure.

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