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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

January 5, 2020

Karolina Pliskova

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Who has the first question?

Q. Welcome back to Brisbane.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Thank you.

Q. Can you start off by talking about just kind of how much time you were able to take for your off-season, and then how different or not different was this pre-season for you.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I was about, I had about two or three weeks off completely from tennis, but I started this time a little bit earlier than last year. So I really started beginning December already playing tennis, so I did one more week than I did last year. And I felt like I did just better things because last year was everything new, Conchita, also my fitness coach at this time, we a little bit moved and I felt like I improved in that year so we could do much stronger stuff. And, again, in (inaudible), which was great. So my second year in a row and still love it there, so I had a great time. Of course, then it was for me about two weeks. Olga was there, so I had a lot of people from my team, my family was there, so I had a great time there.

Q. In terms of talking through bringing on Danny and Olga and what you're coaching situation and team looks like as the year begins. How did you meet Danny, how did that start? And then how is that going to work with Olga as well?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, of course, when I finished with Conchita I was, immediately, I just wanted to plan for next year and just to have somebody in my team. Of course, Olga was immediately my first option because I won this Chinese tournament with her and I really enjoyed, and she's my longtime friend, so it's like, of course, she helps me on the court too, but it's, we have a lot of fun off the court and so we can talk about stuff, which maybe you don't talk with coach sometimes. But and then I was thinking about somebody to add, like, maybe to lead a little bit to do the practice schedules and plans and so I had couple names and then I just tried to ask couple and then Denis said yes. So he was actually thinking about it, which I was surprised because so far he didn't coach anybody from WTA, so I think it's also new for him, new for me. But hopefully I think or I feel he can add some good things to my tennis.

Q. The fact that this coach has years to prepare your first season and then (No microphone.)
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, so far not, but, of course, of course it's going to be different, so far, which is did two weeks in the off-season so there was not many matches, almost nothing because I didn't play a point when he was there. And then tournaments, we will see how everything goes in tournaments. So I think it's going to need some time to also for him, also for me to get used to it, but I think he's coming from me, he's a clever guy and it's still tennis. It's not different sport. Of course, sometimes it looks like it, but it's actually not. So I think he will adapt. And I'm quite, I think I'm quite easy, like, tough on one hand to work with, but on the other hand like easy, so I think he's not going to have problems with me.

Q. I'm curious on that note, what makes you tough and what makes you easy to work with?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, like, of course, I change coaches a lot so I think everybody's kind of scared right now (laughing). But, yeah, so I think this is the most difficult part. But it's not about, you know, I don't like the people anymore, but I just want to improve and do different stuff and I don't want to stay in one place. That's why I change. Yeah, so I think this is a difficult part. But, of course, sometimes I have my own way, how I want to do stuff, but I try to listen because in the end they are there to help me.

Q. I was a little surprised when you spoke with Conchita because you had a very good year. You were No. 2. What made you want to go in a different direction?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, that's what I said. I didn't want to stay where I was. Of course, the year was great but I felt, of course, I played some good tournaments, so many good matches, and I finished actually like so close to the top. So there was, I think, not only you were surprised that I changed, but I felt that there's no way she can maybe help me more, so that's why I changed.

Q. This tournament's different than it's been in years past. You've been here before with the ATP Cup coming in and with all the women's matches being outside the main stadium for the first three, four days. I'm just curious what you think of the changes and what it's like, how different it feels given the different status?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, actually, I don't, for me, I don't feel like it's huge change, because I was, I'm here for a week already, so I was able to hit on center court, which was nice, because I hope to play some matches there too. So it was nice to just get on the center court, but now of course it's so busy in the day and so for some players it's tough to, you cannot really get, unless you go maybe from 7 in the morning, you can only get a practice there. But it is what it is. I think the ATP Cup, at least I'm having fun to watch it on TV or I even went to watch couple matches here in the stadium, so I think it's great. Maybe I think the timing could have been different because, of course, we have a tournament too. So I think they moved a little bit like us on a certain spot, and then they do their own thing. But we have the center court from Thursday, so I might start on Thursday, so it's actually not that bad. But I think they could either start a little bit earlier, which I think for them is still to start, or somehow like whatever use court like, 1-2 or just to make somehow to have also women's on the center court, I think that's how it was the last couple years with the tournament, so we were actually sharing. So it was women's matches, men's matches, too. So I think that would be fairer. But on the other hand, I think it's, of course, for people, it's great because Australia is playing here, so I think it's tough to say. But of course, women's, I think they're not going to be super happy that they were moved to court No. 1 and 2.

Q. Are you requesting to start on Thursday so that you can get on the stadium first? Is that something that's important to you?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yes, but I would actually like, if it's not this way, I would actually love to start on Wednesday. But of course I prefer to play on center court, so I hope to play on Thursday.

Q. You sent out that tweet yesterday about the aces and how you're going to donate money for the relief for the bush fires. I'm curious what your reaction has been kind of being here for as long as you have, and so you've seen all the footage on TV and stuff like that and also you hit a lot of aces, so that's, that's a lot of money to put on the table.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Hopefully (laughing). No, of course I saw so much on TV and of course not only here on TV but also in my country. It's so much in newspapers and also on TV. So I think everybody, like my family was worried about me, of course I'm fine, but they don't know much because this country's so far away from Europe so we have some news but most of the people I feel like they don't know that much how bad it really is. So you feel here how bad the situation is. And, of course, I said coming out here and it's almost, I think, 32, 33 degrees and I cannot imagine to be close to fires, like, I think for the people it's of course horrible, and for animals and for everybody. So I just thought, I saw this news, actually, Nick Kyrgios I think started, so I thought it was a great idea, and I do these things sometimes. I support with my aces some, mostly people in Czech, so I said why not. If I'm in Australia, I think it can be interesting just to help also other countries, not only my country. So maybe elsewhere I can sometimes help my country too.

Q. Last year you were travelling with Rennae Stubbs and Conchita, so I was wondering if it would be the same situation like someone's going to go do some tournaments and the other is going to go after the other.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, look, for now it's, I don't want to think about the past and not even about future. So right now here's Olga. Denis is coming in couple days and we are set for, obviously, they are going to be together because it's beginning of the year. So I want them to be a little bit together, just to have the same, whatever, thoughts and plans. And then I think I'm deciding after Melbourne who is going to go where and then how are we going to work.

Q. Just a question on the new format, tournament here. Do you get, did you know what to expect before you got here in terms of what the schedule would be like? Was there communication from the tournament or from WTA or something to keep you informed about the status of the stadium and everything like that?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I knew, of course, how everything's going to kind of be. Maybe not really if we start center court Wednesday or Thursday, but to be honest, I was not really interested, so I just find out yesterday, like, that we start on Thursday. But I'm, it's maybe my mistake. I think the people around me, they try to tell me or even like WTA or, so there was some information, but, you know, I feel like I don't really need to know months before I come. But, of course, we knew and it was maybe about the timing of the day, so I was not sure when we were really start on center court, but I knew what is going to happen here.

Q. Would you still have played here regardless of that schedule, or do you imagine that this change of format changing any players' minds about where to play this week?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I'm not sure. I think no because I don't see any, I feel like the tournament, if you like the place, I think one match on court 1 should not change your mind to play different tournaments. And of course for me it's not only that I play great here, but it's also I think the conditions are so tough, so it's so good to start here because then whatever where you go I think it just feels so much better. So that's why I go. So this would not change my mind.

Q. I was just wondering what -- you, obviously, play, like, one day and have a break, and then you have the next day of playing. I was wondering what your schedule looks like on that day off when you play the next day.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I still go hit. Maybe I play doubles. This week, I play doubles so there could be a match on this day off. But of course I try to rest. But maybe I still play maybe an hour of practice, and then I just do a little gym and just to stay in shape, because of course this is the first tournament of the year, so I really take it more like a practice. I still do some stuff on this day off, but maybe in the off-time I just focus more on recovering, just to stay fit, especially in these conditions here in Australia, I think you need to really save some energy.

Q. What's your favorite tournament to play?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I actually like everything here in Australia. I just love the country. As I said before, I just like the people. I think the atmosphere here is always great. And I like New York, also, to play, like, just for those two weeks it's nice to go and it's a good change for us to go to the City. And, actually, all the tournaments on the hard court I like. Clay is quite awful for me (laughing).

Q. What do you look for from a coach? What are some qualities that you look for from a coach?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think it's more about positivity, because I need to be positive and I'm, most of the time I'm not, actually. So this is what I need, because then if we are both negative then there is no chance I do well. Yeah, just have some fun too and just, I get bored sometimes by playing the same exercises all the time, so I just need some variation, just to do little bit different stuff every day and just to enjoy a little bit.

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