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US OPEN

September 5, 2019

Elina Svitolina

New York, NY, USA

S. WILLIAMS/E. Svitolina

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think made the difference out there today?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I think I didn't start so bad. It was quite good start for me, I would say. And first two games I had the chances to break and then to hold. Had the chances, but in the same time she played really, really focused and very precise on those two games. After she served in the third game unbelievable.

You know, those I think games little bit gave her not the confidence, obviously she's really experienced player, but it gave her this push to play more freely.

Q. Do you feel she really raised her level over those first few games? Anything you did differently after that?
ELINA SVITOLINA: No, I just wish I could take those opportunities. It could be maybe a 2-All or 3-All instead of 0-3, which of course gives you lots of, you know, push to play more freely.

Q. Do you take a lot of positives out of what you've done at this tournament and this summer?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, for sure last two slams been good for me. I'm very happy the way I could handle the tough moments. Unfortunately it's both times finished really one-sided, which I have to analyze, I have to sit down with my coach, I have to work a lot mentally on how I have to handle those kind of matches.

That's where you have to really step up your game.

Q. You have some points, maybe a little bit of pressure heading into Asia. How will you handle that heading into Asia?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, how I prefer, I have a flight on Saturday to go to Zhengzhou. I'm going to play my match on Tuesday or Wednesday. I have no time for preparation.

I'm going to recover and see how it goes because been little bit having some issues with my knee, which again I don't want to go back into what was in the summer, which is tough.

I will see how it goes, my health. I'm now going to play few tournaments in China. They're very important, of course. I'm trying to get back in Shenzhen.

Q. Were you feeling the knee at all today?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It's okay because it had some painkillers, which helped. But, you know, I don't want to take painkillers to hide the pain. It's not so good. I'm still 24, 25 soon. I still have a long career. Don't want to damage the ligaments so much.

Q. On the breakpoint chances early in the match, what do you think Serena did well to avoid that break?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I think half of them she played really great. She served really good and then went for a second-shot winner.

Then I had maybe one or two points where I could step, I could make a difference, but I didn't. I made a few unforced errors.

But, again, that's why she is who she is. You are playing in front of the best tennis player in the world. If you don't take it, she just grabs it and there's no chance to take it back.

Q. Talk about the two or three things that make Serena so special, the fact she won 23 slams, going for the 24th?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think she knows what she has to do. She has unbelievable strength. She gives lots of power. There's lots of power behind her shots all the time. That's what makes her unbelievable, legendary tennis player.

On the important moments, she step up, always step up, always brings her best game.

Q. How would you assess the level of her performance at this tournament from the first round through what you saw tonight?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think few matches maybe she didn't play her best. The first match against Maria, I think no one really expect that she would play that great, because it was a perfect match from her.

Also her quarterfinal match was, like, 44 minutes. It was a bit quick, I would say (smiling).

I don't think she played amazing today, but she played very high level at the beginning where you had to make a difference. I think that's what really made a difference today.

Q. When you think about what she's been doing at 37, talk about your thoughts on that.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I don't think I can do it, first of all. What she does is unbelievable effort on a daily basis. I know that you have to work every day. You have to be always ready, always prepared for any match because everyone most of the time now playing their best level against you. All the girls from the first round, they're ready to give a fight, take their chances.

What she does and what she achieved, it's something unbelievable. For sure, everyone who dream about it. For now, only her who can do it. It's really unbelievable.

Q. Not for you, though?
ELINA SVITOLINA: For me, I'm not sure I would be playing at 37 years old. I don't think so.

Q. What is the one thing you think you need to get over the next hump, to get to the next level?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think generally I have to improve my level, when I'm not playing unbelievable, because every day you cannot play unbelievable. My middle level, where I have to just improve everything from the baseline, my shots, my decisions as well, my serve. That's what we going to try and do.

It also comes from experience. You have to see where you are with your level. These kind of matches definitely show you big-time.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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