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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

January 9, 2020

Karolina Pliskova

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

K. PLISKOVA/A. Tomljanovic

6-4, 6-7, 6-1

Q. Finally getting your singles season started today. How did you rate how you played? What do you think was the difference in the end?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, happy actually that I played a match, although I played two doubles matches, but I felt I'm here like forever and without really having a match. So obviously a little bit, not really nervous, but I think I did kind of okay, but of course not my best performance. I think I could do better, but overall I think some stuff or the main stuff like serve was fine. Maybe struggling with the return. But also have to say she was serving great today so she went also for her second serves, and a lot first serves, especially in the second set. But I managed to wait for my chances and I think she reached some level and in the third set I got some chances, some mistakes, and I think I played just solid.

Q. What's the tricky thing about having to wait three days to kind of start your tournament, especially given how early you got here in Brisbane?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, it was not three days. It was really 12 days for me because I came on 29th, actually. So, no, but I just wanted to be here a little bit before. It was maybe too much. But anyway the conditions are just so different here, so no point of staying in Europe, really. So, but I was actually happy because I wanted to play outside on the courts, so I could actually play yesterday, but still center court is so special for me, so I just wanted to wait and I think it was worth it. And like I said, I just was happy that I could go out there and compete today.

Q. I'm curious about how important everything you do after a match. So today three sets. I know you went and worked out with Dani on court, but just in general how important it is, especially now that you're going to play those back-to-back days, that time right after the match, taking care of your body.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think I'm ready for it because to be honest, it's, of course, matches and practices is something different, but I did so much more in the off-season, so it should not really be a problem to play much around two hours, and then to go play another 20 minutes. But of course, I think maybe the beginning of the season, because I'm used to practicing for maybe four hours per day but still the match takes you some nerves and the body takes it a little bit different than the practices. But I'm sure I'll be fine because my recovery is great normally so I'm not going to be that tired. And as I said, it's still beginning of the year so I just want to build something that maybe will show up in the, maybe even the second part of the year, so that's why we do all of this.

Q. And then what do you like to, in a normal evening after a match, what do you, once you do actually get to leave site, what do you guys like to get up to?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, what is the time today? So I don't think that there is really normal evenings during tournament. If you play still all day it's pretty much here at the courts and still doing some recovery and then I might do room service, I do a lot of times. I just stay in, I watch movies or I read something. But well, Dani came yesterday, so we need to take him through the jet lag, so we might go dinner today. But yeah it's just easy dinner and then just maybe we talk or we sometimes we walk somewhere in the city. It's nice to stay in the city here in Brisbane, so there's a lot of options, a lot to do.

Q. Do you have a couple favorites in Brisbane? Places to go?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Actually, it is my first time staying in the city center. I was staying in the south bank every year, and I just loved it there. So I need to transfer a little bit to the center. But I think there is -- I like to shop, which is, like, from my hotel, it's five minutes to shopping mall. That's great. And I didn't go to any restaurant yet so far, which I was going last year because I was on the opposite side of the river, but we found some good ones by the river on the other side. So, yeah, we had a good time.

Q. The first set and the second set were very level, both were level --
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Was what?

Q. Was very --
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Nervous?

Q. No, level. Your level and her level was the same. So I was wondering through the third, the difference was your mental strength or your tennis, in your opinion.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think she was trying so much to be close to me, like those two sets, that maybe she just little bit like dropped mentally or even -- because I think actually really she was playing great. I think maybe the best match against me. And especially serving well, especially the second serve, she really went like every second serve over 150, 160, sometimes. So I didn't do many points on returns, which normally I do, so I think that was the main key why she was so close. But I think at least I managed to stay in the tiebreak. I think I could do better in the tiebreak a little bit. I start well but then I missed a couple opportunities. And then I just waited for my chances. I knew it's not going to be like this all match. And so actually sometimes you don't have to really miss many things just to lose. So I think she just played a little bit better in the second set and I think it maybe here and there if I do two more points the set would be mine. But at least I spent more time on the courts and practicing some stuff.

Q. So was it easy to reset your mind after losing the tiebreak?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I was not really upset. Of course it's always to lose a tiebreak in the second set, you are so close to really like being in the locker room already, but then you have to keep going. But I think I just, I knew that it was going to be some chances for sure if I keep holding my serve. I was sure that it's going to go maybe a little bit more my way than it went in the second set, so I was fine.

Q. You said about playing on center court how it's special, special for you. How sort of comfortable are you out there and like sort of how much does it give you a lift to sort of be out there?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, it's always great to come back to a tournament where you have won, especially here I won two times. There is not many tournaments which I won two times, actually only here in Brisbane (laughing), so I have to enjoy it. And of course great memories, great matches I've played, always. From the beginning of the tournament when I started to came, maybe like I don't know, it can be six, maybe even seven years, I think, I played some good matches here. I think the conditions can be great for me, so that's why I always come back here. I think that there is a lot of people coming, supporting. The atmosphere is always great everywhere in Australia, so that's why I just always choose to start the year here.

Q. I guess with Ash being beaten earlier, I guess it shows how strong the field is.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I think you cannot really judge the first week because of course Brady she came from qualies, so she had couple matches already, she beats Maria 7-6 in the third, which always gives some extra confidence winning these matches. And for Ash, it's just been first match, she's going to be fine, she's going to find her game, I'm sure. I didn't see much, but I think Brady can be tough opponent, so it was not a surprise for me.

Q. And your opponent tomorrow, do you match up well against her?
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Who I play?

Q. Riske.
KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Riske. Well I won I think last or maybe all, all the matches we played, I don't know. But everything was kind of close, there was some three-setters, some tiebreaks, we play a lot of tiebreaks, I think. But I think she really improved in the last especially year, so she really went up in the ranking. And she's beating good players, so it's not going to be easy. But I know how to beat her, so I just have to do my stuff and then we will see.

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