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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

January 10, 2020

Petra Kvitova

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

P. KVITOVA/J. Brady

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: First question?

Q. Very good performance today. That first opening set, outside of the opening service game, it seemed like you were able to get that serve cranking. Talk about how well you played today and also just how you saw Jen Brady's game as well?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I think that we can't really do anything from the first game. I mean, I didn't serve well at all the first game, but since then I served much, much better and that's helped me a lot through this match today for sure. But her serve was very difficult. And, yeah, I mean, she's young, definitely she improved her game, she's more confident as I see. Sometimes you serve the second serve like a first serve so it was like, yeah, okay, that's pretty understandable that she's going for it. And yeah, I think that she's playing more aggressive that she didn't before and definitely her serve, it's a weapon.

Q. Outside of the first set that you played against Anastasia, you've played six very, very good sets of tennis since. Talk about how happy you are with the form that you're starting the season with as you head to the semis?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, you know, in the beginning it's always a bit challenging, that nobody really knows how it's playing and how the form is and so on. But so far, yeah, I'm feeling good and that's important. My body's still not falling apart yet, so that's good as well. Yeah, I think that since the first set with Anastasia, I think my serve got better, for sure, and I feel more confident in the ground strokes as well. So that's probably the biggest differences.

Q. I saw a photo today of you holding the trophy here back in 2011 --
PETRA KVITOVA: I saw it as well. I look a little bit different (laughter).

Q. What do you think when you see that photo?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, actually when I see that photo I do remember that great season I had, which I won at Wimbledon and the WTA Finals in the end of the year, so it was a great season from it. And, yeah, I do remember, it was my first big tournament and, yeah, it was a good one.

Q. I was going to ask, what do you remember about how this tournament, this place sort of maybe started the ball rolling for that whole great year you had and your whole great career ever since?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I mean, for me, I'm up-and-down, so. I'm good that this week so far it's up. But you really never know with me, so it's always better to start the year with a winning match, of course, than struggling. I had a year which I lost in Melbourne against Petkovic in the third set and it was a really tough one for me from the beginning. But then I won St. Petersburg and so it was getting better. So, yeah, so far it's, of course, it's the better way.

Q. You had a great time in Australia last year as well. Is there something about Australia that you particularly like or is it just something about starting the year that you seem to agree with?
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I think I like Australia overall. I mean, I love the country. It's a beautiful country, and the people are here very friendly and all the time smiling, and so it feels great to me.

Q. Can you just talk about your next match and how you're approaching it?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, Madison, of course, is a tough opponent. I think that she is playing unbelievable tennis. And with her serve and forehand it's really tough to play, so I need to be focused. Same as today probably, I need to just play my game and wait for some chances if it comes. And, yeah, we played many times already and it's been always tough. So I do expect the same.

Q. Just back on that theme about Brisbane and the success you've had here in the past. You don't know what the future's going to be for this tournament, but does this tournament mean something special to you, given that year that you had?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I'm playing here for so many times already and definitely it's a special place to, for me and in my heart. And as I mentioned, winning in 2011, that was a great one. It was a key from bigger success which I had in my career, so, yeah, definitely it's a great place to be.

Q. There's talk maybe it might give way to a WTA Cup. How would you feel about that?
PETRA KVITOVA: We will see what will bring in 2021.

Q. But how do you feel about a women's team event?
PETRA KVITOVA: I do like team events, for sure, so if that happens, I think I will be happy to play.

Q. Does that have anything to do with the fact that there's two Czechs in the top-6?
PETRA KVITOVA: No (laughing).

Q. Just checking.
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah.

Q. But just in terms of how well you started this season, just in terms of the level that you've played in the first three matches, when you look back on once you had the arm injury at Roland-Garros and the rest of the last year, how much do you chalk up what happened for the rest of the season to the injury? Like, how much did the injury -- is it a hundred percent that's, when you think about it, the reason why it was a little bit more of a struggle the rest of the year was because of the injury? Was it other things? What do you think?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think so. Yeah, that's what I would think. I couldn't practice as much as I want and some special stuff. But I was able to play Wimbledon, which it's kind of different playing the grass with the strokes and so on. But still I couldn't really have full practices as I wanted. I still felt the arm even I played Cincinnati and U.S. Open, but the arm was still getting swollen after the matches and wasn't really great. So I think it was one of the things that I didn't really feel well on the court.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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