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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 27, 2018

Kiki Bertens

Kallang, Singapore

E. SVITOLINA/K. Bertens

7-5, 6-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It was so close and you played so well through three sets. What do you think made the difference in the end?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it's really tough, of course, this match. I think the beginning, first set and second set, the level was good. It was really close. I was just keep on fighting. I think it was good fighting spirit after all those set points already at 5-4 in the second set, and then I think the third set our level on both sides dropped a little bit, but I was just trying to keep my energy up, trying to keep on going. But in the end she was just a more stable player.

Q. You were trying so hard to continue to press and stay aggressive and go out there. How hard was that, especially with energy levels being what they're at, the stress of the event and the situation and her defensive capabilities today?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it was really, because you know you have to keep on putting pressure and she's a great mover, as well, so she puts a lot of pressure there. I knew that I had to play that kind of game, but that comes also with a lot of mistakes.

It's sometimes more accepting that, and that's the really hard part for me. Yeah, I still have to improve that part, but I did everything I could today. It was just not good enough.

Q. The tough three-set losses that you have had here at this tournament, are those confidence-boosting three-set losses, or are they gut-wrenching?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, of course they hurt a lot, so it gives better feeling like if you win those kind of matches, of course.

But I think it also shows that physically I'm good. I can, like, play against the best players of the world for, like, three hours. Doesn't matter. I can just keep on going.

That also shows that even when I'm not playing my best, I can still really compete against this type of player. So I think it's a lot of positive things I can take from here.

Q. Now that the season is over and we can kind of all stop and reflect on the last ten months, what do you make of your 2018 season?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it's pretty quick, like, after this loss to say that. But of course you're already thinking about this over the last few weeks.

It's been an incredible season. I can be really proud of myself. Like the only goal we set in the beginning of this year was just try to have more fun, and of course winning is more fun, so that makes it easier. But I think already like the first half-year it was great. I felt so much better. I felt so much better on court.

Then my season was already, like, a good season. But especially now, like, winning three titles, being here in Singapore, being in top 10 of the world, it's just, like, all amazing, yeah.

Q. I know that last year you said you couldn't find the joy, and now you said you were feeling better. Can you officially say that throughout the season you're feeling the joy on the tour? If so, how did you manage to find the joy?
KIKI BERTENS: I think it's just some small things. I'm just trying to not think about tennis too much. Like off-court, just doing some more fun stuff. Just walk around in the city. Just go for a coffee and do some yoga, as well.

It's just more not putting so much pressure about myself, not reading what you guys are writing about me, not watching anything. It's just like more focus on what I think is important in my life, and of course tennis is a big part of that, but that's like what I'm doing on court already for so many hours a week, so it's more like the tennis part I'm doing on court and of course talking with Raemon, but off-court I'm just trying to enjoy life.

Q. What are your next few weeks in your offseason? How much of a break do you want to take? What's that look like in terms of what you want to work on when you start working again?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, we just gonna take a break now, just doing nothing for a few days. I think that's what I really need. Just lay on the beach, read some books, and just think about this amazing season.

And then of course you start thinking about next season again, like how you want to improve yourself again. I think maybe just some small things again.

But I think I just have to keep on working the way I'm doing now, and then we see how I'm going to deal with the pressure next year.

Q. What are the things you think will be important in order for you to bring your form from this year to next year?
KIKI BERTENS: I think just trying to improve still every day. Just trying to keep on working hard every single day. I think not so many different things than what I did this year.

So I think it's just a matter of continuing what I'm doing now, and then just some small adjustments we have to make, I think.

Q. You already said the word, but "pressure," it's probably going to ramp up in 2019. More people are paying attention to you, more coverage and things. Was there ever a part in the second half of the season when there was more pressure on you to qualify, whether that or interviews and things, where it was fun?
KIKI BERTENS: I think it is fun like when more people, like, watching you, also in the Netherlands. Sometimes it's just fun that people speak to you in a kind of way that they are proud of you and like what you're doing. So I think that's a good thing.

I'm just trying to still be myself, and of course tennis is a part of me and that's what was going really well this year. So I'm still trying to do that, but also just to be myself.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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