	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

CITI OPEN

July 30, 2019

Zarina Diyas

Washington D.C.

Z. DIYAS/C. Gauff

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Would you consider this your biggest win of the year? If not, what would you consider to have been a big win for you this year?
ZARINA DIYAS: I don't say it's the biggest win. Of course, it's a good win. She's so young, but she's a great player. She did good in Wimbledon.

I knew it's going to be tough. I'm really happy with my win.

Q. You've had some experience in these sort of matches, big-moment matches. You played against Serena at Indian Wells. You played against CiCi Bellis at the US Open. Do you feel this was at all the same, a similar sort of atmosphere? It seemed to me like you're always the other player in these sort of matches. I don't know if you feel the same way.
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, I knew there's going to be a big crowd and they going to support her a lot. So I was ready for it. I mean, I love the big crowd even if they're against me. I was enjoying it today.

Q. What do you think were the keys to winning this match for you today?
ZARINA DIYAS: I think I was playing more aggressive today and I served better.

Q. What did you think of Coco's game? We've obviously heard a lot about her. Your first time playing her. What did you think?
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, she's so strong. She has a great serve. She's moving well. I think she's going to be really big in the future.

Q. Obviously it was very hot out there today. How did you feel about the conditions on the court? Sitting in the stands, it was sweltering hot. What was it like courtside?
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, it was really hot today and humid. But I had a really good preparation, two weeks at home, where it's also hot but not that humid. So I was ready. Physically I felt good.

Q. Was there anything you could take away from yesterday's doubles match that kind of helped you today?
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, I think it little bit helped me that I played her yesterday, so I had a feeling for her shots. I returned some serves. So it little bit was helping today.

Q. Were you surprised this match was not on the big stadium? You've played against her twice now here with big crowds both times. Were you expecting it to be bigger? Obviously very popular match, very full out there.
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, I was a bit surprised. I thought we going to be on center court. I mean, the stadium was also not bad.

Q. Compared to last year, you were coming off an injury. How do you feel physically after a year, being in a different position?
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, last year was tough. I came here and I had the knee injury. This year I'm physically better, more prepared. I worked really hard on my physical side. So I'm feeling really good.

Q. Next up is Lesia Tsurenko. You played her twice. What do you think about the next match?
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, I played her, like, three weeks ago. It was a tough match. She's a great player. She's putting a lot of balls back. So it's going to be tough match.

But I know how she plays. Me and my coach, we're going to prepare the plan. I'm looking forward to.

Q. What do you remember of the CiCi Bellis match specifically? Against another young American, a lot of expectations. How different were these atmospheres? Did you think about that one at all?
ZARINA DIYAS: That was like four years ago, that match. Yeah, the atmosphere was similar, like today. I think at US Open was even more crowd there. So, yeah, it was kind of similar.

Q. What do you tell yourself when all the crowd is supporting the other person?
ZARINA DIYAS: I just try to not think about it. I just focus on the game. I don't really, like, hear the crowd actually. I'm just playing my game.

Q. Did you think you were going to get that many break chances? She gave up some break opportunities at Wimbledon, too. Did you think you were going to get that many chances in the match?
ZARINA DIYAS: I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.

Q. I'm talking about the breakpoint chances, you had a lot. In Wimbledon she gave up quite a few to her opponents. Did you think you were going to get that many? Were you surprised? At the beginning of the match you capitalized early, but on the other ones, you weren't able to.
ZARINA DIYAS: Sorry, I didn't understand the question. If I get a lot of breakpoints?

Q. Did you think that was going to happen?
ZARINA DIYAS: No, I didn't think.

Q. I just thought because at Wimbledon she also gave up some opportunities to her opponents. I thought maybe you didn't think you were going to get many chances to break her serve.
ZARINA DIYAS: I didn't really, like, saw her matches in Wimbledon, so I didn't know, yeah.

Q. Is there anything that you can pull from this win going forward for the future hard court season?
ZARINA DIYAS: Yeah, I think it give me confidence, this match today. I played my last match four weeks ago at Wimbledon, so I was little bit tight at the beginning today. So I think it's a really good start of the hard court season.

Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297