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ROLAND GARROS

June 2, 2019

Petra Martic

Paris, France

P. MARTIC/K. Kanepi

5-7, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your first quarterfinal. How does it feel to make this sort of breakthrough, whatever it feels like for you?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, it was tough mentally for me today, especially because I was stopped four times before in the fourth round, so it really felt like, you know, I was doubting whether I was ever going to get that fourth round.

That was close, two years ago. I was two points away. Didn't happen. Today it played a role in my mind. It was not always easy to focus on my game, but I really just -- I just tried to fight as hard as I could, and thank God, I finally made it.

Q. What do you think was the turning point today? Please sum up the game from first set to the last.
PETRA MARTIC: I think it's tough to say what was the turning point. This match was so up and down that I don't think one thing made a difference. And it was so close in the end, 6-4 in the third. It could have gone both ways. I mean, I was down badly in the second set, in the third set.

Yeah, I think emotions also played a big role today. She also wanted it badly, you could see.

I feel like I managed to run out a few long rallies, gave me some confidence and I felt she got discouraged. In the end, yeah, I just managed to stay calm at my last service game, and, yeah, I think that kind of, those few points in the third set made a difference.

Q. How hard was the match physically? Because it was pretty hot and Kaia said wind also did some work.
PETRA MARTIC: Yeah, it was pretty tough. It was pretty cold days before, and today suddenly it was 30 degrees and pure sun.

So I was also struggling a little bit. I got headache, and, yeah, it was hard, especially with the wind which was sometimes there, sometimes wasn't. So it was also, you kind of had to stay alert when it was coming.

I made a few double faults because of it. But all in all, I mean, yeah, I'm just happy how I managed to kind of deal with all of this and to pull through.

Q. What do you make of Marketa, looking ahead? Is she someone other players in the locker room are talking about, considering her age and her game?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I know her pretty well. We played three, four times already in the last year and a half, I think. Yeah, I know her on and off the court. I think she's a great player, great person.

I'm really looking forward to this match. I think it's going to be a fun one. She's also got a few tricks in her game, but, yeah, I mean, I like that. It's going to be fun, I think.

Q. What do you think of the surprises that happened so far in this tournament? Even on your side of draw. Which way do you look at them and how does it affect your game?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I think in women's tennis, this is part of everyday's life. Surprises happen all the time. So I don't think -- I mean, from the ranking point of view, yeah, there are surprises, but they happen so often that I don't know how to call it anymore.

But definitely it gives you confidence, because, you know, that you can go out there and beat anybody. And girls are proving this every single day. I think that makes it easier for girls that are not top 5, top 10 at the moment, who just, you know, go out there and feel like they can do some damage and they can beat those players.

Q. Two years ago when you had your great run here, you said that you would have a glass of red wine after every win. I was wondering, is this tradition ongoing? Are there any other rituals you're having here?
PETRA MARTIC: No, I can't afford it right now. It's too dehydrating for me. Right now I need to focus to stay hydrated and rests. But after this tournament, I'm going to have a few, I promise (smiling).

Q. Does this result after the great year you have had feel like a validation of what you have been working on, decisions, working with Sandra, decisions like that that are paying off now?
PETRA MARTIC: True. When I started working with her, everybody was doubting my decision. People underestimated it, people even laughed at it, said I did a crazy thing, what am I doing? I'm not serious about my career because she's so young and inexperienced. But I always knew, I heard this girl talking about tennis and I knew she knows what she's doing.

So it was not easy for me to make that move. It was a pretty bold move, and I was a bit shaky at the beginning, because I also wanted to prove that I did the right thing.

But after a month or two, I really kind of just let go of this thought and I just kept on playing my tennis, and I was just improving, I think, from week to another and, yeah, here I am. I think there is no better reward.

Q. After your last win you said you have bigger goals than just beating Pliskova or second seed. Is Roland Garros something you have dreamed about particularly, or is it just desire to win a Grand Slam?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I would love to win any Grand Slam. It doesn't matter which one. If it happens, I will be the happiest ever.

But this one is my favorite one (smiling). Yeah, I mean, if this one would be the one, yeah, that would be, yeah, a dream come true, 100%.

Q. Back in Charleston when you were dealing with the back injury a little bit and you had that coaching talk with Sandra and she was talking about challenges, okay, these are bad things, we take them on. So obviously you have played incredibly well through the clay season, what have those discussions been like as you have progressed through the clay season? What were the challenges that you had to kind of accept and take on as you kind of played through?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I think every day you have some new ones, some different ones, you feel differently. New things pop up in your head and she really helps me kind of get over all those things, and she really -- we talk every single day about them, especially before the matches.

Yeah, I mean, coming to Roland Garros, I was -- I felt a bit of pressure just because I played so well on clay, and I had so many wins. I would lie if I said I didn't have ambition to go far here.

But it was tricky for me at the beginning, but, yeah, I mean, I'm really happy with the way I deal with it and the way I managed to overcome them and especially that I beat Pliskova the round before and I managed to kind of keep that winning streak and still play some good tennis and not get kind of empty after such a big win.

So it's another big step for me, and I'm really proud of what we have done.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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