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QATAR TOTAL OPEN

February 13, 2019

Elina Svitolina

Doha, Qatar

E. SVITOLINA/J. Ostapenko

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. She's been a tough opponent for you in the past. What did you take from those past two matches to have such success today?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think I was striking the ball really good and serving much better than I did in the previous matches against her.

So I think this was the key today. The tricky conditions, the ball is flying and the wind is very tricky, so I had to be extremely quick with my feet. In the end I was very pleased that I could finish in two sets.

Q. How tough was it at the end maybe getting a little bit frustrated with the call to get your focus back? How happy were you then to get it done in two sets?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it was a little bit tricky one. The call, I don't know what was right, but for me, my opinion, I think I hit the ball the same time as the call was made.

So it was not easy, but in the end I told myself that I had to stay strong and, you know, I'm up for the challenges. You know, this was the challenge, and I'm happy that I could take my chance.

Q. Getting past Ostapenko, I think you're playing Muchova in the quarters now. Do you think you stand a very good chance of being in the top here?
ELINA SVITOLINA: In the top? I take one match at a time. I take one day at a time. For me, that's always been doing this all my life. It's tough to look further than your next round. I don't see the point of doing it, because every opponent can produce a really good game, and you have to be good, you have to be ready physically and mentally to fight.

So, you know, my next round is going to be another player who can play well who deserve as much as me to be there. Yeah, I'm just going to go out there and try my best.

Q. Are you affected by the weather here, as some of them seem to be?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, it's, as I said, it's tricky, but, you know, it's tennis. It's two players in the same conditions. You have to be ready for this. You have to adjust. Every tournament is very different conditions. Some are flying, some are, you know, the ball is just stopping, so you have to adjust. And this is a part of tennis.

Q. How do you feel physically? Because you're injured.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I take one day at a time. It's been not easy, but I have been getting lots of treatment. You know, I always try to -- I want to play tournaments. I want to win matches, the titles.

You know, I have big motivation for each week, so that's why, you know, I'm here and trying my best.

Q. This past couple of years, WTA had many, like, No. 1 or Grand Slam winners. Of course you had a chance to be a No. 1 before Australian Open. And eventually now we have Osaka who has won two consecutive slams and being No. 1. How do you see the situation of the WTA and your chance to be a No. 1 or to win the slams? Do you think that it's get wide open or it's different situation now?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think it's very interesting who can win a Grand Slam, gonna become No. 1, and I think that's how it has to be. You know, Naomi, she deserves to be there. She won two slams. That's why she's No. 1.

She played some great tennis. She beat some great players. She's been very consistent at the slams. It's, I mean, fully deserved to be there.

I think it's very interesting and motivates every player to work hard to improve their game. That's why it's very interesting, because there are lots of good matches and tight battles. Yeah, it's tennis, women's tennis, and everyone has a chance to play really good. You know, I think this is great and brings the best of us.

Q. You and Monfils have decided to support the cause with every ace you hit. Could you tell us a little bit about that?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, luckily I hit seven today. He hit probably more than me, 12 or something. You know, I'm trying to work on my serve.

Yeah, it's something that we have been thinking about. I think it's very important to give back to the people, to the kids, because, you know, they are enjoying watching us, supporting us, giving us lots of, you know, support and love.

So we are trying to find the ways to give something back, and I think it's very important, so we are doing it together and I think together, by doing it together, makes it even better.

Q. Just going back to physically, what specifically have you been struggling with and how close to 100% did you feel out on the court today?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I have been struggling since Australian Open with my neck. I mean, it's tough to say, because every day is changing. It depends, you know, on the practice, on the match, what I have, so it's tough to tell how I'm going to feel tomorrow, but every single day I try to get a treatment, I try to get some work done, and, you know, it's just a process.

So getting stronger, getting treatments, and, you know, just taking my time. So we will see how it goes for my next matches, but today was -- I mean, I was serving better, but, you know, there is still some work I have to do.

Q. Up next is Karolina Muchova. At this level there aren't that many unfamiliar opponents. She's fairly new on the scene. I'm curious if you have had a chance to see any of her matches and what your thoughts are ahead of that match?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I know very little about her, but I know she can play really good tennis. She's been beating few good players. The only thing I can say is I'm going to try to prepare as well as I can. And tomorrow it's very important for me to play well, and I will try to do my best to execute this.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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