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SHISEIDO WTA FINALS SHENZHEN

November 2, 2019

Karolina Pliskova

Shenzhen, China

K. PLISKOVA/S. Halep

6-0, 2-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk about the final point. A little bit lucky?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yes (smiling). What can I say?

I think I did good job overall through whole the match just going for it. I think this was the reward. Even though just trying, the game was almost lost, I was Love-30, I just went for couple shots. I think I just got it like a present from somebody.

Of course, it was big relief after this point because I felt was going to end up in the net. I was kind of happy, of course. Felt sorry for her because the match was so close. This kind of point at the last point is not the best.

But I think overall was a good match. I think a little bit up and down from both of us. But that's how it is sometimes.

Q. It seemed like you started out on fire, couldn't miss much. She made some adjustments in the second set. How do you think you were able to pull things back in the third?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, definitely, I think I was playing great the first set. I think kind of she was playing the way I wanted, to have the balls exactly where she played. I just felt great. I was really going for my shots. Her serve was not really effective. I was really pushing her from the second serve. I didn't really miss much, that's true.

I think she did good job the second set. She just changed little bit the pace, played little bit more clever, was waiting more for mistakes, which of course to play two sets like this is really tough, especially on this surface where every point you have to really play. It's not that you going to do four aces in a game, it's not really happening here.

It was difficult even though I felt like I had some chances in the second set, too. It was 6-2, but could be different. Yeah, the third set was kind of open. I think could go both ways because there was big game on 2-1 or 3-0. I think it was very important. Then one more for 3-2. That was two big games on my serve.

I played good points. I took little bit of risk, good serves. I went for it and it paid off.

Q. Mentality-wise, talk about the changes in the Asia swing.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I didn't change much in two weeks. It's impossible to change something. But it's last tournament, so I just want to give everything. Doesn't matter how bad I played Wuhan and Beijing, I'm playing good now, so that's important.

Q. In terms of you, Ash and Belinda specifically finding yourselves in the semifinals, a lot of discussion was about the court. What is the reason? When the draw came out, people were thinking Simona, players who like a slower court.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think I'm kind of the player which I can get pretty much used to everything, but I need some time, which was here. It's now second week what I'm here. I felt in the beginning little bit struggling. The more I played, the more I get used to the surface. What can I do? I still have to play.

I really got used to it little bit. Of course, the amount of practices and the matches which I played here, especially the first one, I think it gave me a lot because we played a lot of good rallies and it was really close.

That's why maybe I felt better the next two matches. Normally I was always starting with a win. This time was super frustrating to start the group with a lose. But not every time is important the first match.

Anyway, still not happy with the speed of the court, especially today at some moments I was like, How can she get there? I thought it was a great shot.

Anyway, I'm fighting, doing my best. Of course, maybe my game is not 100% working here as I would love to. I play one more ball always. It's still working.

Q. Making it out of your group for three straight years, do you think there's any tricks mentally along the way you have learned?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Semifinal is, of course, great. Now third time, so there's always the chance to go little bit more. That's my goal for now. I didn't really believe or I believed that I can go out of the group after the first match because then was two matches against Andreescu and Halep. There is nobody who I would have a good record against. It was kind of tough situation.

Now I'm in the semis. I have nothing to lose. I play against Ash. Of course, she's world No. 1. Is going to be extremely difficult. She's also great on this surface. It suits her well. We did practice last week.

It's not impossible. Of course, my goal now is to go little bit more than last two years.

Q. This year you won titles on grass and clay and hard court. Now you have the possibility on indoor. People are confused. Where is your favorite and strongest surface?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: For sure it's not grass and clay, although I still make some titles. I don't really enjoy to play there. I like hard court. Doesn't matter where, but I like hard court. Of course, indoor, the conditions are perfect for me. Maybe not the surface every time. It's no wind, no sun.

I think for my game, because sometimes I hit too risky or flat, it's perfect. Overall I think the hard court I feel the best.

Q. Talk about getting through this season playing so many matches, going deep, physically being able to stand up well.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I can fake good. I don't feel good, but... Everything is inside.

Anyway, for me it's always good that it's the last tournament, so it's the last push. That's why maybe I'm doing so well. If there is maybe two or three more weeks after, maybe I'm not doing so well. Right now I'm giving everything I have.

But overall I think my body, I'm lucky that I have good body. I recover every time quite well after tough matches, tough tournaments, tough weeks. I've been playing a lot of seasons quite till the end now in a row. It's not always easy.

Of course, I feel tired. But I do what I love. If you win, I think you feel less tired than if you keep losing. Of course, I feel it now in my body. On my mind, as well. Even though you win a lot of matches, it still takes some power, maybe a little bit less than when you keep losing. You can still feel it on the body. I can't wait for vacation.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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