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US OPEN

August 26, 2019

Elina Svitolina

New York, NY, USA

E. SVITOLINA/W. Osuigwe

6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Really quick start for you, kind of a tense finish. What did you make of the match today?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I was expecting a tough, tough one today. I heard more than I've seen of her (smiling).

Yeah, I was expecting that she would come out and try to be aggressive. In the end, I was playing really, really solid game I would say. She was up and down. But in the end it was very important for me just to bring my game, to bring consistency. I think this was the key.

Q. Only a few years ago you were that young player. What do you make of that shift where you're the one competing against these younger players?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, I think it's experience, for sure. You learn how to play under pressure, you learn how to play on the big stages in front of so many people. Yeah, just focus on your action and what you can control. That's comes with experience.

For me, I wasn't that quick rise on WTA. I was quite steady and consistent improvement. I was learning with the hard, hard matches and hard experiences. I can say I have few scars.

Yeah, I could feel she was a bit nervous. I needed to step up my game.

Q. Is it tough to play an American in the States or at the US Open?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I think anywhere you go, you play the home player, it's always going to bring the best out of them. Maybe not the beginning because you're nervous. But at some point.

It's the same, I would say, if I play English girl in England. I mean, it's quite normal that they are getting behind her.

Q. Very similar experience in your next match against Venus, probably on a big court. What do you make of that matchup?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, for sure it's that kind of matches that you are training for. It's going to be another great opportunity for me to play against a great player, the legend of the women's tennis. It's going to be great match. I will just try to be focused on what I have to do on court.

I know little bit of her game because we played a couple of times. I've seen lots of her matches. I mean, I have to, first of all, of course, try to be aggressive because if you let her play her game, she can dominate.

I'll have to see with my coach, just go from there. But it's exciting I think to play such a great player. As well, early in the tournament, it's good I think.

Q. Quite hot a few days ago. Chilled out the last two. How do you adjust to these wildly changing conditions?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It's normal, I think. Tennis is about adjustment all the time. Sometimes you can start the match, it's very hot, and the temperature drops so you have to adjust. You have to be ready for anything what comes your way.

For me it's the part of tennis, sometimes you can start very good, you can win 6-0, then opponent throws everything at you, and if you are not ready, it can find you not being ready.

I've always tried to be ready for anything, to have the Plan A, Plan B, maybe even Plan C in my pocket.

Q. How much of the city have you gotten to explore before the tournament starts?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I explore quite a bit because I've been coming here not only for US Open but also, for example, for Tie Breaker Tens. I was also training here when I was a junior for a little bit. So I know little bit of the city. I know Brooklyn little bit.

It's a very, very I would say hectic city. It's very interesting because different areas are different atmosphere, so that's why it's quite interesting. It's very similar as well like to London, but even more hectic in Manhattan than center of London. I like that it's multi-culture. I think it's amazing such a big city, different stuff you can do.

Q. When you are here, how often have you taken the subway? How does it compare to the Tube?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Actually I took subway four years ago. I was with my brother. We were staying in Brooklyn, wanted to go to Manhattan. We took a subway because there was lots of traffic. That's why it was the only one. Almost got lost because we actually somehow went to a different area. It wasn't really nice, so...

Yeah, this was not great experience.

Q. Do you prefer to walk in Manhattan?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, now most of the time we're staying in Manhattan. Everything I do is walking. Sometimes when we go for dinner, for a walk with Gael, he always wants to take Uber. I'm not a fan of it because you're staying in traffic most of the time. So yeah, lots of walking.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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