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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 22, 2018

Jiri Vanek

Kallang, Singapore

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you make of the group that Petra has obviously been drawn into in the White Group? And what do you think was the issue last night in her performance against Svitolina?
JIRI VANEK: I think Svitolina play amazing match yesterday. She was not missing at all, no errors. And it's tough. Petra had couple of chances in the first set. Even she was like 3-2 up on Elina's serve. And I think that was the key for the first set, like if she would have broke her, then maybe the match would be different. But it's maybe. We cannot play for maybe.

And to the second set, also, she has so many chances. Like first three games always Love-30 on Elina's serve, and she didn't take the chances. That was the key. And probably I hope tomorrow is going to be different, different story, different match. She's positive. That is most important for me.

Q. Petra is a very expressive player in her shots. She's always going for her shots. Sometimes maybe too much. I don't know. But do you have to find a balance with her on how much she should go for and how much she should not go for?
JIRI VANEK: Yeah, of course. That's supposed to be my work. Always, during the season, season is long, and she has unbelievable beginning of the year. She played so solid, so many tournaments. She won five titles. For girls, it's tough to be solid for 10, 11 months without mistakes and everything. We always know that Petra is going to be the player who is deciding the match until sometimes you need to handle it and you just need to be positive even if she makes so many mistakes. Because if I come on the court and tell her just push the ball back, it's not her game and it's going to be even worse.

So just always it's about to be positive, and she needs to be positive and believe herself. And if she believe in herself that she's one of the best player.

Q. What's the key when you come onto court with her? How much do you tactical information do you give her? Or is it mainly keeping positive and just trying to lift her?
JIRI VANEK: Yeah, like I said before, with Petra, it's always I try to push her and to be positive and don't thinking about what was, what happened, because everything you have to thinking about what coming with the ball.

And then for her, because sometimes she's struggling not with herself but she's not believing herself if she's playing right decisions. I just push her, like, Come on, smile and enjoy tennis, because everything what happened to her, it's so nice to see her how she's playing, how she improve and what she's doing. So just enjoy tennis, enjoy tennis, enjoy tennis, that's it. That's what I tell her.

Q. We saw Petra yesterday in press conference with the T-shirt, "Pojd, Never Give Up," which was also what you and the team had. Who had the idea?
JIRI VANEK: Actually, I don't know. Probably our fitness coach, because before the match I come to the locker room, and he said, Look, look, look what I bring. He gave me the shirt. He said we have to be wearing, also the parents, Petra has it.

And before, when she come back after what happened to her with the hand, we come back and we have, every Grand Slam we have the shirt, different color with her "Pojd," because it's her sign. When she make good points, she always scream, "Pojd."

So we somehow try to support her that we are for her and we catch her back.

Q. There is a lot of discussion on coaching and on-court coaching. What is your point of view on this? Do you support it?
JIRI VANEK: Actually, in our case, I think it's help a lot with Petra. But, you know, for tennis it's tough. I think the tennis is such a big sport, and it's only sport where you are not allowed to coach.

So you have just one minute and it's not enough for one set. For me, better if not coaching at all or to sit on the bench and be there all match like during the Fed Cup matches or Davis Cup matches. Otherwise it's going to be always a problem between umpires and coaches, coaches making the signals and everybody does that.

For me, you try to coach somebody, and he's coming on the match and you cannot help him there. So it's tough.

Q. Kiki is a new face in Singapore. You know her very well, obviously. What can you tell us about her game?
JIRI VANEK: About Kiki Bertens? Yeah, Petra played her this year three times. She beat her one of the best matches on clay I see this year in Madrid. It was big fight.

Kiki is a great fighter. She's running all over the court, can put so many balls back. I think this surface can be good for her. Such a nice girl.

I know pretty good her coach, Raemon. I play with him. Same age like me. We played from juniors, and he's good friend of mine. That's it.

Q. Obviously Petra eventually is going to play Karolina Pliskova at the end. You coached both of them. What do you make of what their rivalry or nonrivalry is? Because obviously Petra has won all the matches, but they are the two best Czechs. They get very, I think, excited to play against each other when they do.
JIRI VANEK: Of course. I think for them it's going to be tough match, and every one of them, they try to do the best and try to beat the other one.

I hope in our case Petra, first of all, she needs to beat Caroline tomorrow to have a chance to pass the group. I think it's going to be different match if Petra wins tomorrow or not. Then you never know. It's gonna be how she gonna be mentally when you lost two matches already and you know you cannot pass the group.

Anyway, it's going to be big fight, what can happen. It's tough to say for me, because I have coached Karolina before. Always, you know, the eyes between us, sometimes looks like she's not that happy maybe that I change from her to Petra, but that's the life.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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