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NATURE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL

June 26, 2019

Kiki Bertens

Eastbourne, England

K. BERTENS/A. Friedsam

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So far, so good. You're flying through the draw. How's it going?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it's going well, I would say. It was tough conditions today, though, with the wind. Really tough to play. But just happy how I got through today, two sets again. So, yeah, I think that's always good.

Q. Are you in love with the grass?
KIKI BERTENS: No (smiling). It's coming, it's coming.

No, it was, like, on days for today, for me, it's not really fun to play tennis. It's so tough with the wind and with the grass and then slipping again. I don't know. It was tough today out there, but I got the win, so another chance tomorrow to like it a bit more.

Q. So you're friends with the grass. You're not quite dating the grass?
KIKI BERTENS: No, no. We're sorting things out, yeah.

Q. You could face either Caro or Sabalenka. Both of them were finalists here. They know how this court plays. Your thoughts on that?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it's going to be a tough match, of course, but another great opportunity again, I think, to just play a great player and see where I stand on the grass. I think it's a good thing to have a good challenge tomorrow.

Q. What are your thoughts on either of those matchups?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, tough. Caroline, of course, she's playing really well on the grass, moving really well. So I have to see, like, then I have to play my own game, play aggressive.

And then with Sabalenka, she's hitting the ball so hard so it's kind of getting out of her rhythm with some more slices and stuff like that.

Yeah, I think it's a really different game it's gonna be, like, whoever I'm gonna play.

Q. With this being your less-favorite surface or least-favorite surface, is it an achievement every day when you get a result? How do you feel at the end of every day?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, I think every win I'm really happy with that, of course. I don't expect anything from myself on the grass. I know that I can play well, but I also know that it's really tough.

Yeah, I think every day it's another opportunity to play a good match. Yeah, I feel like this year every match I'm still improving on the grass. Yeah, it's not bad to have another match and still growing, yeah.

Q. Is it actually clever psychology that by thinking like that you take the pressure off yourself?
KIKI BERTENS: I think so, yeah. It's working pretty well so far, so I'll stay with it, yeah (smiling).

Q. Wimbledon's strange in that the grass season is so short, and most elite players don't play the week right before a slam. For you, what's the balance between, as you go deeper, at what stage does your mind start to wonder and think, oh, I've got to get to London?
KIKI BERTENS: Not really, to be honest. I feel like if you start a tournament, you play to win it. Otherwise, yeah, you should not play it. That's my opinion.

So I think it's only a good thing. Like, if you play a lot of matches here, you get a lot of points again. If you don't play, it doesn't make any guarantee that you play well in Wimbledon.

So I think every match -- and for me, personally, I need matches to be better. Last week I had a week off, so it's all good for me, and I really like to play the week before a Grand Slam, yes.

Q. So is this the psychology for you, then? It's about living in the present for you so that you don't think about the match you played previously or the next match? No the even the point before or the next point after?
KIKI BERTENS: Well, sometimes I do, of course. But I think in tennis it's, like, every day it's another opportunity. That's, like, how I would like to approach it.

I think that's the best way for me to approach it, also. Because any results in the past doesn't make any sense, like, what are you gonna do next? So it's just, like, every day you have to do your best and see if you get through, yes or no, and there is always another day again to improve and to be better.

Q. What does the evening hold for you? Quiet meal or watch a film?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, no, it's just dinner with the team and relax a little bit again. I have to still finish my puzzle which I have here, so, yes, and then maybe watch some soccer. I don't know if it's on tonight. But yes.

Q. I think it's on every night.
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah. Yesterday was the Dutch team. They won, so it was good, yeah.

Q. What's the puzzle you're doing?
KIKI BERTENS: Well, I like to do puzzles, so this week I brought, like, a 2000 pieces one. It's almost done. So yeah.

Q. So you have to stay long in the tournament?
KIKI BERTENS: I have to stay long; otherwise I could not finish it. That's another good thing, yes (smiling).

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