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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 28, 2018

Elina Svitolina

Kallang, Singapore

E. SVITOLINA/S. Stephens

3-6, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You delivered a very emphatic message to all your critics today. Just describe the last set in particular for us and how you felt.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I think I have nothing, you know, to prove anymore to anyone. Yeah, that's definitely good statement for myself and good boost of -- can't say confidence, because confidence is -- I try to have the confidence, you know, as in myself always. And to have it is my personality.

I think for me it's just -- you know, third set really showed that, you know, I was mentally just, you know, tough. That's what made the difference.

Q. In the third set in particular, what do you think was the key point for you?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I had to stay very solid and to don't -- I just told myself I'm not gonna step back and just gonna fight for every ball, not going to give any opportunity to her and just gonna be very, very tough. I think this is what willed me to do it today.

Q. What do you think was the difference in the game that you were able to play this week? Seemed like you were serving a lot better and maybe more aggressive, maybe more solid? What do you think was the tactical change?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think it's a little bit of everything. I was clear with what I had to do on court. I have been working really, really hard. You know, even though that my results wasn't good, but, you know, since Wimbledon, I had four or five weeks where I, after Wimbledon, straight, next day I was on court and in the gym working.

You know, this past five months, there have been lots of work that I was putting on. That's why for me it was a little bit disappointing, and I was trying to stay very positive, because I was giving everything on the practice court and results were, like, not what I expected. That's why I was a little bit sad.

But, you know, I was staying very positive, and I think that's what made the difference in this week. You know, I was able to play well and to compete. And maybe not playing so well in Asia actually made me a little bit fresher, because other girls, they had played semifinal, quarterfinal, so maybe this was a little bit, as well.

Q. You showed a lot of positivity today on the courts. When you broke for 2-0 in the third, you engaged the crowd and got them on their feet. Is that a conscious effort, to embrace the moment in that way and feed off the crowd's energy and maybe not feel so nervous?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It can work on one hand but also it can work other way, I think. Because you can maybe spend too much, and then, you know, for example, when I broke 2-0, and then in, like, two seconds I was Love-30 down. So, yeah, can work both ways.

But you have to feel and that's why, you know, I think you have to be experienced to know what works and what doesn't. You know, for me, that's why I try to learn from that mistake, and when I broke on 4-2, I tried to know, realize what I did good and not spend so much emotional energy because it's third set, it's the very last match of the season, so, you know, you are kind of exhausted (smiling).

Q. What did Billie Jean King tell you after the match?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It's a secret (smiling). She congratulated me. That's the most important. It was very special moment to get the trophy from her, her trophy.

Q. Congratulations. I'm wondering if you remember anything about the 2010 Youth Olympic Games when you were here? And if you do, did you expect you would be back in Singapore with the biggest title of your career?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, I remember that experience. It was amazing, because seeing so many different sports, and at that time, I think I was actually No. 1 in juniors and unfortunately I didn't get a medal, which was disappointing, but it was amazing experience for me. You know, all these Olympics and, you know, seeing so many athletes. And definitely in that time I wasn't thinking about that I could one day get this trophy here (smiling). So definitely, you know, I was more thinking about maybe just playing few matches.

Q. Congratulations. What are you going to do now in your offseason? And what will your preparations be for next year in terms of your coach? And what are your preparations for Melbourne?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, it's very early to say now. I decided that I'm going to finish the season first and then decide what I'm going to do. I'm going to have time off, obviously, I think three weeks. I have to settle some issues with my health.

Yeah, just go from there. I'm going to speak with Andy and see what are the best options, which coaches are available at the moment, and try to work, you know, for some time. You know, it's a little bit easier to work during the offseason, because obviously you're not like under crazy pressure. It's not the same as you start, for example, you know, in the middle of the season you take someone.

So that's why it's a bit tricky. So I have to really think -- I don't want to take, like, just a person and then, you know, split in two weeks. So it's a big decision.

Q. When you're out there on that court and you're playing against Sloane, who is incredibly difficult to play, she can do a little bit of everything, where do you think, after you dropped that first set, that was kind of the key for you to continue to press?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, just told myself that, you know, you have to -- you have to be there, you have to bring your best intensity. You know, I think mental toughness is that's what I really had to, yeah, to show.

I just, you know, said that play your game, and then if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. She's a great player. She was striking the ball really good.

I didn't really have any answers in the first set, because she was playing great tennis. For me it was very tough match, but in the end, you know, I found a way here and there, one, two points that made the difference in the second, and then, you know, we were in third set already, and then the fight began.

That's, you know, that's tennis. That's what happens. You know, a few points here or there can decide.

Q. You have now won your last nine finals. I think in Rome you were saying that the Wimbledon junior final that you lost was kind of the moment where maybe the way that you approach final matches changed. Can you talk a little bit more about that process, what your mind was like before that and kind of what your mindset is now when you take the court in a championship match?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Actually, I thought about it when I lost the first set and I was like, Oh, my God, I'm never gonna say this again (smiling).

Yeah, of course I know that I won lots of finals, but for me every final is a big challenge. You know, I always, you know, try to be there for that challenge and be -- yeah, today not everything worked in the first set, but I fought back and that's what brought me to the win today. I'm very proud of this. Yeah, that's it.

Q. How much will this WTA Finals win be in your bid to win a Grand Slam title?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, it's tough to say. I mean, I cannot look into the future and say, Okay, this is gonna help me. But definitely this is the biggest title of my career. I played against top players and the best players in the world, and, you know, I played my great tennis.

I cannot say that it was like a perfect week, that I played amazing, that I, you know, touched gold this week and everything was in.

But, yeah, I worked my way into the match, into the tournament, and, you know, this really shows that I can, you know, yeah, I can play great tennis and definitely gonna bring me lots of confidence.

I need to analyze. You know, it's very tough to say now. I just played the final like 40 minutes ago.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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