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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2019

Petra Kvitova

Wimbledon, London, England

P. KVITOVA/O. Jabeur

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I saw you tell Barbara Schett on court you surprised yourself a bit with your level. How did it feel? You seemed to be playing really well.
PETRA KVITOVA: Thank you. Definitely I did. I just practiced three days before it. For me, it's always kind of different going to the court when I don't really have a bunch of hours under my belt.

On the other hand, I know I'm a player who doesn't really have to hit so many. So I going to have a day off tomorrow, for sure. Yeah, definitely I surprise myself, especially with the grass game plan. With her, it was really tough. She really had a great run in Eastbourne. She used to play on the grass. For me was the first match.

Actually, I surprise myself by the serve. It's helped me a lot today, even it wasn't really great in the practices... Some good things I can found, yeah.

Q. Have you had to adapt a lot to be able to play, having had such a long break?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, if I had to adapt? Every time I have to adapt, definitely. I didn't really have any, like, problems going from the clay to the grass. Of course, when I didn't hit on anything else, I didn't really have time to think about the transition from it.

Playing matches, that's really different compared to practices with my coach or just playing points. It's like a maximum one set in the practices. It's just different. I'm very happy that my arm stayed in a good shape.

Q. About the arm, you said you wanted to see how you would feel. You feel pretty confident it will be better than you expected?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, every day it's sore and tired on those muscle which I have there. The good thing is that it's no pain in the spot which I had a tear. That's kind of the sign which I have to really listen, predict clearly. Definitely I will be sore tomorrow. But I'm glad that during the match I didn't feel anything.

I was a bit scared, of course, going to the match like this, didn't know how my arm will responds. But was fine, so I'm happy I played two sets, as well. So it's good.

Q. Is it safe to say you and your team have decided to play this tournament effectively kind of cold? You're going to go into your matches, next day it's going to be recovery, stay home, work on the arm, play again?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, actually we didn't know, like, last two days, if I really going to play or no. Definitely going to the court was nice already. Playing at that level that I played was kind of a bonus of it.

Yeah, I mean, we are going to probably same plan as in Melbourne when, of course, I was exhausted from the matches which I played in Sydney. I don't have that many matches right now.

But my arm definitely need a rest. As I mentioned, I'm glad I'm not a player who has to hit every day for a couple of hours. I hope this can help me.

Q. This week is Independence Day in the United States, but on a tennis court, what is it like to have that feeling of independence to be completely on your own?
PETRA KVITOVA: I'm always on my own. I'm glad I do have my team. But of course England is special country. I like it. I like the English people, as well. It's nice to be independent, definitely.

Q. When you're on the tennis court, how would you describe the feeling of independence and self-reliance that you have?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I like it. I mean, it's an individual sport. I think for me, I'm preferring more than the team ones. It's only up to you how you going to play. If you play well or if you play badly, it's just on you. So I like it.

Q. Thoughts on your next opponent? You play Kiki Mladenovic.
PETRA KVITOVA: She's playing better and better, that's what I know. I played her in Madrid. Was a really difficult match from my side. I didn't play my best. But I found a way to win. It was great.

Actually I don't know how Kiki is playing on the grass. I should know I'm playing good on the grass, so that's probably the most important thing to know.

Q. In the past you talked about wanting it too much when you come here to Wimbledon. Is this year it different for you because you have your mind more on getting your arm healthy?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, maybe you're right. I mean, every time I put a lot of pressure on myself on almost every Grand Slam. But maybe the Australian Open helped me, as well, with that. I finally got deeper in the tournament, made a final. Maybe the pressure just came off of it, as well.

But of course, Wimbledon, it's always different. It's special. Of course, I still do have some kind of expectations, but not in this time. I really didn't know how my arm will respond, as I said.

It was more thinking about the arm than the result. I'm pretty glad that I played on the good level. That's really important.

Q. If you look back on the six months of this season so far, what do you think in terms of the tennis has been what has allowed you to get the results? What are you doing particularly well on the court?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think I'm winning more, yeah (smiling).

Well, tough to say. I think since I came back, I was really working pretty hard on everything. We increased in the off-season almost everything, like in terms of fitness, of the tennis. We served more, everything. Playing those matches, which always the key points are those important things.

I think I'm probably not that scared in those points, so I might be a little bit more fearless to go for it. I know that if I don't, I mean, it's not really in my hands. That's what I tried today as well actually, that every kind of breakpoint I had, I was really going for it, even I miss, of course. But I was just really pushing it. That's probably what made the biggest differences.

Q. Yesterday Naomi was sitting here upset. She felt like she wanted to cry. She spoke about the pressure she felt after becoming No. 1. You spoke a lot after your first major. Can you relate at all? What got you out of that?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I'm not really sure how she is feeling. But I remember how I felt.

For me, yeah, was totally different life after winning Wimbledon for the first time. I was 21. I just didn't really know what is going to be like. Was a huge for me. I mean, suddenly all the media attentions, the sponsor things. I just couldn't really handle it. Just put so much pressure on myself.

Suddenly I felt that I just have to win every match what I play because I just won a Grand Slam, especially Wimbledon. It's like, Okay, this is not really happening afterwards. It's always putting you little bit down. I'm not sure how she feels, but it's how I felt it.

Q. How did you get out of it?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think you just kind of, like, give up. If you love the sport, you just keep going. I always find the motivation to be better and better. That's how I probably kind of beat this pressure. Being on the tour for so many years with those expectations and experiences, being really in the top, it's make you little bit stronger I think against it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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