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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2020

Belinda Bencic

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

B. BENCIC/J. Ostapenko

7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said afterwards on the court that that was kind of a typical match, roller coaster qualities. Tell me more about what you meant.
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, I mean, this is exactly what I expected, this kind of match. Yeah, you know, it's three games how she's playing really great and then three games a little bit more unforced errors. So I think with her it was totally normal and I was kind of expecting this.

Yeah, I'm happy I didn't panic when things weren't going my way. And then, yeah, sometimes the matches turns and -- yeah.

Q. Given your experience in playing her before, what's the key kind of mentally to kind of stay in a match like that and not get too frustrated when she starts to get on those run of games?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, I think it's just really difficult. You have kind of, you know of this, you have this mindset. So, yeah, you just can't get too frustrated, like you said, and you have to accept that she's gonna play amazing at times and have great rallies even if you kind of deserve to win this point, but she's just gonna hit an amazing winner from this.

Sometimes, yeah, it's a little bit -- not logical or a little bit unfair, you might think. But, yeah, you just have to keep going every point, and, you know, try to put every ball back, because also she's going to give you a few. So kind of take advantage from those little opportunities you have.

Q. So how are you able to calibrate between keeping the ball in play so she can miss but at the same time you have to kind of assert against her, too?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, that's exactly the difficult point. It's kind of a balance between those two, kind of not giving her my unforced errors, as well, but also trying to be aggressive and putting pressure on her.

So I didn't do that too well until 2-5, I feel like, and then I started to get a little bit more loose and a little bit more aggressive. I feel like that worked well. Yeah.

Q. How do you rate through two matches how you're playing here this week?
BELINDA BENCIC: I feel like the first-round match was a typical first-round match, a little bit shaky and on and off. I feel like I played better today.

Yeah, just in practice you can feel which level you are and how you're feeling. So I feel like I'm getting better and better with matches and, like, with time. So I feel like it's going into the good direction (smiling).

Q. Have you ever experienced the tournament with so many different kinds of weather effects, like rain and then dust, and then like everything we have seen this week?
BELINDA BENCIC: Yes, I played in Hobart (smiling). So, yes. But it's very special today. I mean, I'm super happy to get the match out of the way. I didn't know the courts were, like, wet and dirty and all that.

But for sure it was difficult today. It was sometimes was sunny and then suddenly was almost raining. Then windy. Yeah, you just kind of have to accept it and go with it and try your best.

Q. You have had your share of ups and downs in your own career between injuries and things like that. How have you adjusted your own playing style and approach to the game through this time, particularly these last couple of years when you have really started to stay among the top?
BELINDA BENCIC: I mean, I don't really feel like I adjusted. I just kept, you know, playing my game and I think last year I really, like, kind of returned to what really made me strong in my game.

I think that's working well. I kind of proved it twice, you know, before the injury and after the injury. So I definitely believe in what I have to do, I know I have to do on the court.

So I don't know. It's just -- I just try to adapt on every opponent I have tactically but I don't change my game.

Q. What do you identify as the strength of your game?
BELINDA BENCIC: Well, I think the strength of my game is to kind of find solutions on the court, and try to beat my opponent just with what I have on this given day.

Obviously I know I'm not the biggest power player or best serve or best forehand or something, but I feel like I have an all-around game and I know how to play every shot. I just try to kind of outplay my opponents.

But, like, tactically just try to force them to errors, stuff like that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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