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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 9, 2019

Petra Kvitova

Indian Wells, California

V. WILLIAMS/P. Kvitova

4-6, 7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A tough outcome. What was it in the final set that just made...
PETRA KVITOVA: Don't ask (smiling).

I don't know. Who knows? Well, it was such a weird match, to be honest. We started, I think, pretty nervous, both. I took the first set. Suddenly I was leading in the second, but somehow I just gave her a chance again to be back in the match, and she took it.

Suddenly, she just started to play better, I started to play worse, and that's why that happen to the third set, which I didn't break up, but I don't know. I was so frustrated with myself from the half of the second set to the end, which shouldn't happen to me.

Yeah, I didn't have such a bad match this year like this one. I really played bad, and, yeah. I want to swear, but I will not.

Q. You're among friends. It's fine.
PETRA KVITOVA: It's okay. I'm very polite. I should be nice.

Q. When you say you were frustrated with yourself in the...
PETRA KVITOVA: I'm still.

Q. I can tell. What were you frustrated about? Why were you frustrated with yourself?
PETRA KVITOVA: I don't know. Suddenly, I was, like, playing, but I wasn't really there. It was such a weird feeling. Like, I didn't really have this through this season yet.

I just started to miss so much, and I didn't put the first serve in. And if that happen, like, any other match which I already played, I just would be that strong mentally that I gonna change it, but I just couldn't do that today, which I thought that I did it when I break her and I was 4-3 up in the third. And suddenly I made two double faults, which I can't do that in such an intense match. That's really what put me down again.

Q. Talking about the frustrations, how do you get through that? And if you had to change something, what would you change as you think back on the match?
PETRA KVITOVA: I will not go there if I can change something (smiling).

It's pretty tough. It's a game which you are playing with yourself; not with the opponent at all. That's what I lost today. I lost with myself. It's probably more frustrating that I lost to opponent, but I don't know.

I really tried. I breathe a lot, as well. I tried to hit it. I tried to play some rallies. But always when I had a chance, I just didn't make it. That probably was the most frustrating.

And it's always tough to play Venus, for sure. We always play three-setters matches, and suddenly we have been there again and playing until the end.

And in the end of the match, she definitely played better than me.

Q. Can you remember a time before where you have had this kind of level of frustration when you have been playing?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I had it many times already, so it's not the first time. Hopefully the last time, but I'm not sure.

But, yeah, definitely I had it few times, but I think any other player had it. I think I'm not the robot, we are not robots, so that's happening sometimes.

Q. Is it harder to focus? What goes through your mind when Venus starts hitting big first serves, and then suddenly she is much slower and then fast again? What goes through your mind?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I let her play her better game, so it's my fault, anyway. Nothing was in my mind when she started to play better. It was just there and tried to play better, as well, and kind of compete with her and do and keep my serve alive, and still kind of try to have a chance on her serve, which I had and I took it, but then I lost it again.

That was the point which I took it and I should kind of serve better and play that game better than I did.

Q. Kind of a tough question at this moment, but last night we saw an incredible match with Serena, and of course today's match with you was a wonderful match. Can you just put Serena and Venus, 37 and 38 years old, in context in terms of what they have done for the women's game, their impact, that sort of thing?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I didn't see anything from the last match with Serena played. I don't know.

But definitely both of them, they are champions. They did a lot for the women's tennis, for sure. They are still playing great in that age, which it's nice to see, for sure. They have a great serve, so I think that's still a big weapon for them.

Q. Just going back to the serve, her serve speeds I think went from 83 miles an hour to 116. How challenging was that? Knowing what to expect and, you know, kind of...
PETRA KVITOVA: Actually, it was a bit weird for me to see kind of weak serve from her. So I don't know if she did it for purpose or she felt something. I'm not really sure.

But then she started to play better the first serve. Really, don't know what was it, but I really need to be ready for every serve and shot from her, because I didn't know what's coming.

Q. Many of us and of course yourself had this week booked here in Indian Wells. What are your plans now? Is your schedule just...
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, definitely we gonna stay here and practice. What else I can do?

Q. Is there anything you're looking forward to in the short term?
PETRA KVITOVA: Maybe lie to my bed and sleep and try to forget (smiling).

I don't know. We will see. I mean, hopefully I gonna try to do some funny stuff, but I'm not sure what yet.

Q. It seemed like it was kind of a weird match, and Venus said in her on-court interview afterwards that there were times she didn't know what was coming off her racquet. Was it just one of those things where things just got progressively weird as the day went along?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I didn't know what is coming from the racquet, as well, sometimes. It was the same feeling from both of us.

Yeah. I mean, she had few games when she didn't hit at all; then I had few games when I didn't hit.

Yeah, what? I'm not sure. Then she started to hit much better. Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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