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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 24, 2018

Angelique Kerber

Kallang, Singapore

A. KERBER/N. Osaka

6-4, 5-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You seemed to be doing a lot of things a lot better, certainly in the first set. Can you talk us through the match, second and third in particular.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it was a really good match from both of us. I think the first set was good for me, and then she came back in the second set and I had my chances but she plays good. So I couldn't, yeah, I had no chances to do something.

And the third set I think it was a lot of up-and-downs, a lot of emotions. You know, I think it was, like I said already, it was just one, two points which decide the match. I was just trying to moving good in the last few points and trying to going for it.

But it was not so easy, because Naomi is, yeah, incredible player and I knew before that it will be a tough match. You know, for me, I'm just happy that I won the battle and having a match which I won, yeah, on my belt.

Q. Today, of all days, how much do you think your experience of having played on the tour and played here, how much do you think that helped you get over the line today?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, you know, I don't know if -- maybe a little bit, but you never know. I don't know if this was the reason, because also the match that I played the first match here, I mean, I had a little bit more experience, but, you know, if you cannot take your chances, yeah, it's always not the best.

But I think of course I have a little bit more experience than Naomi. She's still a little bit younger than me, and for sure she will play in the future a lot of times here, the WTA Finals. I'm sure about that.

Q. Naomi comes to net quite often today. Sometimes she made it. But also you made many passing shots against her. When she comes to the net, did you feel any pressure, or did you feel maybe more comfortable because you know that you can make great passing shot?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I think it is -- you know, I know what to expect. I played so many times against Naomi, so I know she tries to hit the balls really hard. And she's always trying to going for it, especially, I mean, already starting with the return and with the serve.

It's always depending. When I know that I have to pass her, I try to moving good and, yeah, taking the balls and trying to making the passing shot. But you never know if it's good or not, because on the other side you have, of course, Naomi.

Q. Compared to the first match, what details do you think have been improved in this one?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: After the first match? I think also in the first match I was feeling good. I knew that I played a good first set.

And then I couldn't do it for, like, two sets. Also today I had my chance in the second set, but then I was just trying to staying in the match, trying to staying focused and trying to, you know, playing point by point. Doesn't matter how the score was. You know, just trying to fight until the last point. This is what I learned a little bit from the first match.

Q. Two matches in, two really long three-setters. How are you feeling physically and mentally at this point of the tournament?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: I mean, we are at the end of the season. Of course I had really two long matches. But I have tomorrow, a day off, so, yeah, I will try to recover as soon as possible. I'm feeling not bad, so, you know, I will just try to just hit tomorrow a little bit and try to make, yeah, maybe a little bit longer the recovery.

Q. Did you spend yesterday's day off the same way?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, it was the same. I was hitting just like 30, 40 minutes, and that's it. Trying to, you know, come down and recover and taking my treatments and enjoying a little bit Singapore.

Q. You have got Sloane for the last match. Some thoughts on playing yet another US Open champion?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, against Sloane, it will be the same like the last two matches. I know what to expect. I know we will have again long rallies, and, you know, I think that I have to be aggressive. I have to go for it, and I have to take the match in my hands. And I think this will be the goal for the next match.

Q. Lastly, what did you do in Singapore yesterday?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yesterday I was spending a little bit time in the pool yesterday, so just relaxing a little bit and doing nothing.

Q. So of course Naomi won her first major tournament in US Open, and she said she has been a lot of pressure and she has feel very tired. Could you recall a little bit about what you have gone through after your win in Grand Slam?
ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, of course it's not so easy to deal with the pressure after you win a really big major, Grand Slam, especially your first one.

But it's just experience-wise I think that everybody has to get through, learning about, you know, good decision, bad decision, and then getting used to everything what's happen and what's going on off the court.

So I think it is, yeah, a long way still, but I think she's dealing already good with that. You know, I think she's still young and she has a lot more years on tour already, like in the future.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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