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HENGQIN LIFE WTA ELITE TROPHY ZHUHAI

October 23, 2019

Sofia Kenin

Zhuhai, China

S. KENIN/A. Riske

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. What's the key to you winning this match? Can you talk about that.
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, I mean I just feel like I played really well, I served well, Ali is a tough player, she's had a really good year and it wasn't easy for me to play her, we're really good friends and she's really nice. And, yeah, it was just a really tough match, but I just tried to put it behind me. And I just feel like I knew the way she was playing, I practiced with her a few times, and I used what did I wrong during practice to improve during my match. So I'm really happy with the performance and my serve was like 93 percent first serve that was winning, so this is just great.

Q. You mentioned having practiced with Ali before. What did you do wrong in those practices that you felt like you adjusted to today?
SOFIA KENIN: I didn't serve this well in practice. I felt like I adjusted to her game tactically, what she does, how she likes to serve, where, and I think I did a good job covering it. And of course she served aces, because she has really good serves, but, yeah, I feel like I just somehow just adjusted to her game. And it wasn't like in practice, in practice I usually am like not really stable when I play her, so I'm really happy to play more stable today. So it's good.

Q. Earlier in your press conference the other day you were saying that, like now players kind of know who you are and you practice, they ask you to practice and you get to know players a little bit more. Curious, from your experience who are some of your favorite players to practice with and then also were there ever any players that reached out to practice with you that you were particularly excited to be able to hit with?
SOFIA KENIN: I like practicing with everybody. I'm easy going. Of course, sometimes I don't have the best practices, so, yeah, that's not good. But let's say Caroline Garcia, she reached out to me and, yeah, it was really good. And she's like, Yeah we're on Ashe, you know, for practice. And I'm like, Okay, great. Just a bunch of other people, just practicing with me, so I'm doing something right.

Q. If you haven't spoken about the match, just talk about being here, the experience of being in Zhuhai, just what do you make of it so far?
SOFIA KENIN: You're a little late, we already talked about it. Yes, the experience is really good, I'm really happy.

And match-wise, I feel like I played really well and it was a solid win. I think it's -- I mean, I was pretty nervous before the match, playing Ali, I mean, one of my really good friends. And, yeah, I mean, it's never easy to play someone who you're really close with. And we have been to Fed Cup and we always chat and we're always laughing.

So I had to somehow put it behind me and just treat it like a normal match. I think I did really well and, like I told you -- sorry -- I won the first serves 93 percent. So, yeah, that's what I was doing after the first set, I was looking at my stats and I'm like, Okay, I'll take it.

Q. You're playing doubles here as well.
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, I know. Saisai was like, in the locker room, she's like, You know you're the only one playing doubles and I'm like, Great.

Q. Why? What was the decision to play it and obviously you seem close with Oksana, just what was the decision to do that?
SOFIA KENIN: I mean, we started talking in Wuhan. So we weren't really close, so, yeah, she said, Do you want to play? And, I mean, she's like, I really want to play, you know. So I'm like, Okay, sure, why not, I'm still here in China, so might as well play doubles. But I expected there to be more doubles players, not me. But in singles everyone was at the party and they're like, Oh, you know, you're playing doubles, so get out of here. And I'm like, Oh, okay.

Q. It seems like you and Alison are all very good friends with Saisai. So how do you know each other, how do you make this kind of friendship?
SOFIA KENIN: Me and Ali go way back. I mean we've been in Fed Cup and it was a really great experience, so we just bonded and like we're really good friends.

And Saisai, I mean, she's easygoing. I actually played her first time ever in Indian Wells qualifying, so after that I wasn't her friend, but (laughing) then as it went I'm like, Okay, I'll be friends with you.

But, yeah, she's nice and she always wishes me luck and always chats with me, so I wish her all the best of luck.

Q. Curious what you make of this opportunity to end your year in this way, to kind of be, have this nice party, it's sort of a year-end championships, you know, for players ranked outside the top-8. So what do you make of being able to, after having had such a good year, to finish it at a special tournament like this?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, I'm really honored to be here. Actually, in the middle of the year I didn't even know about this tournament. So then my dad's like, Oh, you know, if you're going to be like top-20 or something then you'll be able to play Zhuhai. And I'm like, Oh, my God, why did you tell me that, more pressure on me.

But, yeah, I think it's a really good experience, I'm really happy to be here and it's, yeah, it's an honor. And, yeah, it's a lot of top players, everyone's really good here and everyone's going to fight for their position.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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