	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

CHINA OPEN

October 4, 2019

Kiki Bertens

Beijing, China

K. BERTENS/E. Svitolina

7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you tell us how you prepared for the match today.
KIKI BERTENS: I think I just prepared for any other match, prepared for a big fight. Of course, Elina is a great fighter on the court. We had great battles in the past. I was just getting ready and tried to give everything.

Q. Do you ever watch film of your previous matches?
KIKI BERTENS: Not really. I never really do that. I know in my mind what to do, what I have to do to beat her. I have to play well, aggressive, just get balls back in the court.

Of course, Elise is watching, telling me what to do.

Q. How is the foot? When did you start to feel that? How much did it affect you in the second set? You played pretty well.
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, I played pretty well. I think it didn't really.

But, yeah, I slipped a little bit through my tape. My right ankle is always taped. I went a little bit through it, but not full. I felt it with pushing off.

We have to see how it is tomorrow. But for sure I'm just going to give everything what's still in me and ignore the pain.

Q. In terms of your level today, you must have been pretty pleased how you were able to fight for the win in a dominating way?
KIKI BERTENS: I think it was pretty good. I think it was solid. I was stepping in where I could, coming to the net, which I didn't do a lot over the last few weeks. I think I stepped up my game today.

Yeah, maybe a few I was sometimes a little bit tight. But she was also, especially in the tiebreak in the first. I think in general I played some good points.

Q. Quite a roar you let out on match point. Was that relief? Celebration?
KIKI BERTENS: I think everything came out. Of course, really happy also that I could finish it in two sets today because I knew it was going to be tough because I also was a little bit in pain at the end. Then just being in the semifinal here in Beijing, it's a big thing for me at this moment.

I'm just happy that I could do it.

Q. Looking ahead to Ash, what is the biggest challenge playing her? Both players I would describe as tennis players. How does your game match up with hers?
KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it's tough to play her because she's playing so different than all the other girls. Most of the time they're playing really aggressive. Ash is also playing aggressive, but in her own way. A lot of slices, then some more heavy on the forehand, good serve. I think we play a little bit similar. Of course, she's coming to the net also a lot. It makes it tough.

But I just have to be patient, just try to play aggressive where I can, try to hang in the points where I have to.

Q. What is the satisfaction out of getting a result like this? Relief of getting a good result, happy that you made it?
KIKI BERTENS: I think this week I played some better tennis again. Over the last few weeks, it was a struggle. Then when you come here, it's my fourth week in Asia, when you start to play better, get the wins, be in the semifinals, of course also you still need points for Shenzhen, I think then with some pressure and playing better all the time, it's good for me. It says for myself that I was growing a lot over the last few years, yeah, that I'm able to do it.

Q. A lot cooler and less humid than your match against Polona. How did that affect you?
KIKI BERTENS: Well, I had to put some different clothes on today. Yeah, the ball is not doing so much. I think maybe today that helped me a little bit because she's then struggling a little bit more with the balls. Yeah, every day you have to go with the circumstances how they are. I did it pretty well today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297