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NATURE VALLEY CLASSIC

June 21, 2019

Petra Martic

Birmingham, England

P. MARTIC/J. Ostapenko

6-7, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk us through the match from your point of view.
PETRA MARTIC: It's too hard. It's still so fresh. I still can't believe that I won this match. I mean, 45 minutes ago I was saving match points from one to another, so it's really incredible that I managed to pull this match through.

Q. What goes through your head when an opponent is making so many errors?
PETRA MARTIC: When the opponent is making so many errors? Well, it's tougher when the opponent is making so many winners like she did in those stages beginning of the first and second sets, which put me in trouble.

I mean, I was down double break twice. I mean, situation didn't really look good. I just tried to break her rhythm, because that's the only way. If she's in her zone -- I mean, she wins Roland Garros with the way she plays. I just really tried to break her rhythm and hoping for the best, and I managed in the end.

Q. What kind of things were you trying to do to break up her rhythm?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I tried to get as many first serves in as possible, which actually my serve was pretty bad today. Only the third set I managed to find rhythm, which was also not working out for me well.

I had to use slice, because I knew if I give her pace, she's just going to kill me and I'm just going to be running all over the court. I think that slice and in the third set I managed to get my first serve in. That kind of made a difference in the end.

Q. Did you notice that when Ostapenko started making errors that you just needed to be consistent and things would turn around for you? Or were you still worried that she'd suddenly come up with winners at that point?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, that's a tricky situation in the match when you see the opponent is kind of struggling and then you just try to put the ball in. Sometimes it doesn't work.

I just tried to kind of keep pressure, not just be hoping out there for her to keep on making mistakes. Yeah, like I said, I really served well, which didn't give her much opportunity on my service games. And, yeah, I'm really happy that she didn't manage to find herself in the end (smiling).

Q. Is this your best tournament on grass in your career so far?
PETRA MARTIC: Yes, it is.

Q. Can you sort of talk about the challenges of grass? Because it's not a surface you've had as much success as the other two surfaces.
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I never liked grass, but I think it's more because you don't get much chance to play on it. So by the time you kind of find your way and you figure out how to play, I mean, the grass season is over and you wait for the next year.

It was like this for me, like, from one year to another. And this year I just really try to forget what I'm playing on and just play my game, and, yeah, it's going well.

Q. Do you think the grass season should be longer in that case?
PETRA MARTIC: No, I'm okay with it (smiling).

Q. When you were down all those match points, what was going through your head?
PETRA MARTIC: I mean, it looked bad. I mean, it was Love-40 and then two more match points. But still, it was on my serve. So I was just hoping that she wasn't gonna hit some big return like she can often. Yeah, I mean, I was a bit lucky in those situations, but sometimes you need it, I guess.

Q. Jelena was getting quite annoyed. Did you notice what was going on down at the other end of the court? Or were you just focusing on your game?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I saw in the third set she got discouraged after not kind of finishing that match in two sets, and, yeah, I just tried to stay as tough as I could out there and focus on my own game. Yeah, that's it.

Q. Once you leveled the match and you were going into the third set, did you in your mind think this is possible and keep playing this way?
PETRA MARTIC: Yeah, that was the first moment I actually felt I have a chance out there. Because first I started Love-4, second set Love-4. It's no fun, especially against Ostapenko.

I think even though she won Roland Garros, I think this surface suits her best because she likes those low balls and then she just mix around. After I won that second set, I mean, I could feel the difference in her, and then, you know, more mistakes come and you kind of gain confidence from this.

Q. It showed in your game. Your slice really worked for you today. Do you think moving forward now that could be something you incorporate more in your grass game?
PETRA MARTIC: I generally try to do this. It's just my game style. But today I was also intimidated by her pace of the ball. So I feel I don't have much time to actually hit slice or hit as good as I normally can against other players.

But then at the end of the second set, I felt like I have nothing to lose, so I went for it a bit more, and it was the right timing.

Q. How did you get involved with tennis?
PETRA MARTIC: Well, I don't know if there are words for it. I think you just really need to like your sport a lot, because it's not easy to do it. It's individual sport. You travel 11 out of 12 months a year, and if you're not in love with the sport, you're going to suffer.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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