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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 17, 2019

Karolina Pliskova

Rome, Italy

K. PLISKOVA/V. Azarenka

6-7, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Another three-set win. Talk about what you changed in the second and third set. Seemed like the game got cleaner. How did you see it?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I saw the first set was obviously quite close, but I think I could do better. I think I could just go more for better shots from my side, of course. I think she was solid. She was playing good tennis today. I think she can also miss more than she did today.

It was a little bit windy so I didn't feel the best in the first set. Anyway, I don't think the level was just that bad. I think I was too passive. First of all, I wanted to kill myself after that set, but then little bit calm down and went for it little bit more, which paid off.

That's why the two sets, I don't think it was easy, because the score looked quite easy. I just had many chances, more chance than in the first. Also on the returns, I just went for it more. My serve was better actually, and that's why it end this way.

Q. You're the WTA leader for three-set wins over the season. Over the last seven years, you're the top player with three-set wins. What does that stat mean to you?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: It looks like I like to play a lot, which is not true. I don't know what is happening. Some of the matches you're facing the best players, so it's tough to really kill them in two sets. I think some of the matches, like the match today, I could really do better. Maybe there would not have to be three sets.

Anyway, if I'm winning all those matches, then it's good. Of course, maybe in the end of the tournament I'm going to be without energy, I don't know. Of course, would be better to play two sets.

I think sometimes I just need time to get into the match. I feel like in the third set I always play the best tennis. Sometimes it's not bad. Especially now, I was missing some matches, so I'm trying to play a lot.

Q. When you get in the third set, you've had so many times that you've come out victorious at the end of the match.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think the last couple years I know I'm playing a lot of three-setters. I'm not panicking if I lose first set or even the second. I'm just there. I keep fighting.

I feel quite confident coming to the third set, because I know I won quite a lot in last couple of years. Of course, is not great. Of course, with the best players, it not always has to go my way. But there is always a chance.

Fitness-wise, I feel great. There is no problem that I will lose energy in the third set. Anyway, I'm going to try the next one in two (smiling).

Q. A few years ago Rome semifinal might have seemed like a surprising result for you. Going deep in tournaments on clay, does it feel normal now?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Normal? Not normal here in Rome because Rome for me was terrible so far in last couple years. Especially last year. Here, I thought first of all it was slow, then I feel like every court here is little bit different. Tough to play of course with the people yesterday. There is lot of things happening here.

I didn't think this would be the tournament for me. But I'm in semis, so it's good. I have Conchita. She won four times, so that's quite motivation for me.

Yeah, anyway, I think I played Paris one year good, Madrid I played good. I did I think one title in Prague. There is possibility for me to play good. If the weather is like this, the conditions are a little bit faster, the clay tournaments is not like the closest slowest clay here. Madrid is fast and Paris can be fast, too. I think I can play good.

Q. Working with Conchita, first season on clay, does she have an especially magic touch on clay? This was her best surface.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, she tries to teach me little bit different things. Not to teach, I know pretty much what to do. Of course, to use a little bit more the forehand on clay where you have more time to run around from the backhand. Maybe to put little bit more spin, which I don't like much, but she like.

So I'm trying just to use sometimes different shots. I know the dropshot is working a lot. The kick serve. You need to maybe think little bit more on clay. There is more options. I feel like you don't have to always go fast shots like what I'm playing on the hard court. Sometimes I'm trying to think little bit more.

Anyway, we still have the same goal: to play aggressive, just to go for it. It's not really like a clay tennis, my tennis. But if it's working, then we continue.

Q. The previous Czech generation started playing on clay. Did you start on clay? What has changed from that time?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Of course I started on clay in Czech Republic. It's tough to say because I started on clay. But if you go indoor, there is indoor. In Czech, you have half summer and half you are in, like, indoors. There is normally some hard court or something like this.

I started on clay, but of course I was playing indoor, too. Now since I'm playing professional the tournaments, of course there is more tournaments on hard court. I feel like I'm more on hard court. I'm feeling better on the surface.

Anyway, we have clay courts everywhere in Czech Republic. It should not be a problem. Of course, with my game I think it's just hard court is easier for me.

Q. There's clay courts all over Czech Republic, but I can't think of any Czech player whose favorite surface is clay. How did that happen?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't know. I think actually Martina Navratilova, she could play on any surface. I think she won here, too. But I think we are all quite big, maybe slower a bit. I think we all go for it. There is not really much of thinking.

I know also, like, Berdych, Petra, me, even Lucie... Maybe now Marketa Vondrousova, she looks more like she's enjoying clay.

I feel like the power most of the time is winning a lot of the tournaments. So, yeah, I don't know what is happening with Czech people.

Q. Does seem like power players are winning more and more clay tournaments. Are you sensing that, too? What is changing, attitude or something in the tactics?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I just feel like the tennis is moving little bit in this direction. Who is more aggressive, not always of course, but is doing a lot of the points, a lot of tournaments.

Like I said, I think I don't feel like this clay court tournament would be the slowest. I think there is still possibility for slower clay than is here. I think it can be pretty fast. Look, I've been hitting more than 10 aces every match. Sometimes I don't hit this even on hard court.

I think there is possibility for us to play good tennis also on clay. You can see also Maria Sharapova, she won, big hitter, Paris two times. There is a chance. Sometimes also is tough to defend.

There is nobody really like Rafa in the girls who would be playing this style of game on the clay. I think there is Simona, she's the best the way she moves on the clay. I think everybody right now is beatable.

Q. The crowd seemed to be much more in favor of Azarenka. Did this bother you? Yesterday there was a lot of talk about how a bit wild is the crowd in Rome.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I had different feeling than you. I didn't feel like they are against me. Actually I felt she was taking too much time. I thought the people started cheer more for me. I don't know where you were (smiling). I felt the people are more on my side. If not, it was 50/50.

I didn't have any trouble with the crowd here.

Q. Could it be maybe being rainy, humid, you are Czech, weather more close to your background?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No. I mean, I didn't play here good in last couple years, so that's why I thought maybe this tournament is just not good for me. I'm still coming back. Yeah, somehow I just went through some tough matches here, so I'm still in the tournament. It could go the other way, too. Yesterday I was struggling a lot, especially with myself, with the people around. Court 2 was very tough.

I think there is lot of things happening here in Rome. There is the people that can be against you, they can be on your side. Sometimes the referees, they can also be not great.

I don't know, I felt like here every time was quite tough to play. Every time I had quite good players which play good on clay. I thought I was not playing the best tennis. But anyway, I kept fighting and I'm in semis.

Q. It's 37 years since the last Czech woman in a final, 41 years since one Czech won. Do you think you could tick one of these two boxes?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I will try. You can also see it's tough for people from Czech Republic to play here. Maybe not only for me. But I'm going to try.

Q. Did you talk to Sakkari about what happened last year?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: With her?

Q. Yes.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No.

Q. Then Mladenovic, can you talk about those matchups.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: With Sakkari I didn't play since last year, so I think everybody is going to be waiting for this match - even me. It was I think couple tournaments already close to happening, the rematch after this. But she always lost before. I think she was scared to face me (laughter).

No, anyway, I think she was playing great yesterday. I saw little bit with Petra. She was really playing great. Even last year she was playing great till that moment. She has a great clay court game. Of course, would be tough to beat her.

On the other hand I think Kiki, she won a lot of matches. Went from quallies here. Every time she's winning two, three matches on every tournament. I think her confidence is getting back up. We didn't play for a while. I think she likes clay because she can use the forehand and the slice and the dropshot. I think she's confident on clay. I think both going to be tough.

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