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HENGQIN LIFE WTA ELITE TROPHY ZHUHAI

October 23, 2019

Dayana Yastremska

Zhuhai, China

D. YASTREMSKA/D. Vekic

7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. It was a pretty close first set and afterwards you seemed to pick up the momentum. Was there a turning point for you when you were down those set points.
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Again can you repeat your question.

Q. Yeah, you got some good momentum after winning the first set. Was there a change in the tiebreak that kind of helped you win in straights?
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Yeah, I think it was an important moment in the tiebreak, like I was 6-4 down, but still I was just thinking that I have to continue to play point by point. And I think that was the bright moment in this match. I think it's much easier to start the second set when you realize that you could win like that in the first set.

Q. We haven't spoken to you since you qualified. So can you just talk about what your reaction to obviously qualifying for Zhuhai and then also just what has it been like for you to kind of make the adjustment of maybe playing an event that you didn't know that you were going to be able to play.
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Yeah, exactly, it was everything so randomly, because after Moscow I went back home and I thought, okay, I won't get in because Muchova, she was really on fire and Pavlyuchenkova so I thought Pavlyuchenkova would win or Muchova gets to the final, so it was pretty tough.

And I arrived home, I relaxed I didn't practice for five days, and I just, I didn't know, I completely relaxed. And Sunday, late evening, I got the e-mail, Hi, we're texting you with a congratulations that you're qualifying. And I'm like, Wait, what? What?

And then just the same night we bought tickets, everything, and we arrived here, because it was also very necessary to be in the players' party, so it was everything so much in rush and yesterday I got just one day for practice and that's how I prepared. It was everything unexpected a little bit, but my parents, they told me that they knew I was going to get in but I knew no chance and, well, I don't know.

Q. You said you only got one practice session, but it seemed like you were very comfortable with the court and the balls tonight, 39 winners over two sets.
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Really?

Q. Yeah. How did you feel like you were striking the ball and do you feel like this court and this tournament could be one that's very good for your game style?
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I just don't put really pressure on myself. Yesterday after the practice I was like, okay, I mean, I'm a little bit tight, but it's fine. But I don't know, I just felt, the balls felt good and I just tried to stay calm, I realized that I didn't prepare so good, so I just accepted it and I played how I played and it's kind of good.

I mean, I also didn't expect I will play like this kind of tennis today, that I could -- I was able to play my game, but still to stay a little bit more during the point, you know, to be more patient instead of boom, boom, boom, boom. So, yeah, I don't know, I just don't really put pressure on myself.

Q. It's a round robin, but because you and Kiki both won your matches whoever wins of the two of you makes the semi. Just your thoughts on her as an opponent, what makes her tough to beat?
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: We played together in Beijing? Yes, Beijing, yeah. And she's a good player, a bit uncomfortable for me, but it's okay, I'm just going to go and play, I don't have other option. And, yes, it's kind of tricky because if you win you get semis. If not, you stay first in the group. But again, I don't put pressure, I just, I will go and enjoy it, because you don't play so often this kind of tournament. And I think there is no reason just to think about semis and finals, just play match by match and enjoy being here.

Q. How do you think about Bianca's break through at the U.S. Open? The first Grand Slam champion of your generation came much earlier than most people think. So is it kind of a motivation or some kind of pressure for you?
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: About Andreescu?

Q. Yeah.
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: She's really good player. I remember her since we played juniors, since 10 years old. And, I mean, it's normal she won, because you can expect that. She's really good player, now she's really on good form and very concentrated, very determined.

So it's, it could be -- I don't know how to explain it, I mean, you could understand that she's going to win because she's starting to play, and since Toronto and everything and Indian Wells, you can see that she's taking it to a really high level.

So, well, I mean, I didn't really feel like motivation, but I can say that I can learn a couple of things from her, yes.

Q. I know you arrived pretty late at Zhuhai, but how do you find the stadium and the tournament here?
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I love the tournament because it's something special and I've never been playing before. I love being here, I love the hotel, I love people, I love crowd, everything is really good, everything is very comfortable and I just enjoying being here. Good answer, yes? (Laughing).

I just love it here everything.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Chinese.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Oh, Chinese.

Q. We heard that you know you're born in the year of the dragon and how did you know that? The Zodiac year, Chinese Zodiac year of dragon.
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Dragon? Well, yeah, I born the year of dragon.

Q. But why do you know that?
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: How do I know?

Q. Yeah.
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I don't know, I don't know, I just saw the calendar and since then everyone tells me I'm born the year of dragon. And if you see the calendar, like the horoscope, in this kind of way you can see that you're born in the year of dragon.

And I also have a question too. Let's switch. And how do they know the year here in China? How do you realize?

Q. Well, we have 12 animals in the rotation, the Zodiac animals, from mouse, then moving on to the next one and then it rotates every 12 years, the same sequence.
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Yeah, we have also like this in Ukraine, every 12 years it's the same, the same animal. So in 2012 it was my year.

Q. When you go to press conferences, what kind of questions do you love to answer and what kind of questions do you hate to answer?
DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I like questions like you asked me, really tricky, when I don't have answer, but I have to answer. That's my favorite questions.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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