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NATURE VALLEY CLASSIC

June 18, 2019

Kristyna Pliskova

Birmingham, England

K. PLISKOVA/V. Tomova

6-3, 6-4

Q. You must be happy with your performances in Birmingham so far?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Yes, I'm happy. I played last week at Den Bosch which wasn't the best and this week I feel much better. I think this grass suits me much more. It is faster, so I think I played solid matches.

Q. Is there much difference between the grass at Den Bosch and here, what is different?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: It is very different. It is much faster here and it is staying a bit lower. I feel if you serve well, you have a big chance to win.

Q. You served well obviously?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Yes.

Q. What is it you like about playing here in the UK, is it experiencing that whole British experience about how much we love grass and how much we love our grass court tennis players as well?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: I mean, the only thing which is not so great is the weather, so you never know. I was couple of times on court and then I went back to changing rooms, so it was not easy the first rounds. But I love to play on grass. It's very different. From the season, it is too long on hard court and clay court so it is nice to change for one month.

Q. I was going to ask you about that. Do you feel that the grass court season should be longer for those who prefer playing on that surface?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: I think here maybe one or two weeks could be longer.

Q. You play your sister Karolina next. You have played ten times so far; juniors, ITFs, qualifying. They are all matches that we didn't see. You have won five times each. Can you tell us what happened in those matches and what made the difference each time?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Yes, I just check, I don't remember. We played six years ago exactly in Eastbourne 2013, so I just checked all the scores we played (smiling). And so yeah, I mean, I'm surprised it happened already like in six years. We had chance to play in Prague last year, but Karolina withdrawn because she won tournament before.

So not sure about how it will be because it's very different than to face someone else. But I hope it will look normal (laughing).

Q. Karolina was in here yesterday saying how much she really didn't want to play you at all.
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: So she was praying for Tomova (laughing)?

Q. How weird is it playing this person that you have literally...
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Yeah, so many people are talking about it already yesterday, and I was like, "Come on, I still have one more match to go, so don't skip." But so far I'm feeling good, so they were expecting me to win today as well.

But it's very strange to play her. We stay in the room this tournament, so we share the bed (laughing). It's family, so you don't want her, like something bad on something but still I want to win as well. So yeah, not really happy about it.

Q. So what will you do tonight? Will you not talk about the match?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: No, no, we will go, I think, shopping tonight (laughing).

Q. The real important thing is whoever wins do they have to pay for dinner the next night?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: I don't know. But for sure we will talk about it and we want to stay cool, like we are now. So not sure what we will be after the match, but I hope we will be the same.

Q. You talk about the rain delays and things like that. Mentally, how do you deal with situations like that when one minute you are preparing to go out, then it stops? What do you do? Do you have a routine to get yourself or keep yourself focussed?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: I mean, it doesn't happen that often that we go four times on court and then you run off four times again, so I think I played on grass here like no-one else (laughing).

I spent so much time. But you have to just, you cannot do much with the weather, it is not in your hands so you have to focus again, warm-up and play, but it's not very easy because the situation changed so much.

I was set up and then I was feeling great but then you go to sit for one hour and then you start from zero and you feel a bit different, so it is not easy.

Q. And when you are away from the court, what do you do? You mentioned you go shopping, but are you interested in music? Are there other things that take your mind off tennis?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Shopping, first place (laughing). I try to eat a little bit now, and yeah, of course, phone is helping also (smiling). And I like music as well. I like to watch some movies, so I think like everybody on tournament (smiling).

Q. Music recommendation of the day from you?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Let me see (smiling).

Q. What is your last one?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: It's tough. The last one, I listen a lot Czech songs, but I like Selena Gomez.

Q. Could you name me one Czech song that we could go and check out?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Tough questions. I like -- there is a guy, he is very famous Karel Gott, he is old, but he is really famous in Czech and good songs.

Q. I will let you know what I think about him in the next round.
Q. Did Karolina ever let you drive the Porsche?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: What?

Q. Did she ever let you drive the Porsche that she won?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: I have a driving licence as well, she doesn't have, so she's not driving, but I'm not driving now, too. I have the driving licence but I don't drive so... I don't even know where the Porsche is. I don't drive as well.

Q. Would you ever like a chance to get behind the wheel of that car?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: Yes, but I'm not really into cars, so I don't care (laughing).

Q. Is there anything you really remember from playing Karolina when you were younger? Did you ever enjoy facing her? Has it got harder as you have got older?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: It was always tough to play and I know we spoke every time and we were both, like, a bit scared what we would be after the match, but so far we played so many times before, so it was not like here. It is like in six years, so it's like from the beginning.

It feels like first time, so I think it was different before and also the tournaments were small, so you don't really see it, so I think this one will be more stressful.

Q. Your sister is No. 3 in the world, what do you think of her chances overall this grass court season, maybe doing something at Wimbledon, how do you think she is?
KRISTYNA PLISKOVA: So far, she never played well on grass, especially at Wimbledon. So I hope this year she can do much better. She looks good on court now. So I wish her the best.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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