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QATAR TOTAL OPEN

February 27, 2020

Petra Kvitova

Doha, Qatar

P. KVITOVA/O. Jabeur

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk through that match, it was a bit of a roller coaster in the first set and very tight in the second set.
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, you're right, definitely. I mean, I was winning for one and everything seems pretty nice, but then suddenly I lost I don't know how many balls in a row and, yeah, I was dealing and there was a 4-4. And I think that when I was up she just started a little bit to play maybe more relaxed and she couldn't miss anything and it was just really tough for me. And I couldn't serve that well and, yeah, I mean she get back to the game and it was very tough.

And I'm glad how I was able to manage those tie breaks for sure. So I'm really glad that I improved something. And, yeah, it was difficult with the crowd as well, with the wind, different conditions today, for sure. So I'm really glad that with very talented player as she is, with the great touch, I was able to play a good game.

Q. What was the key to winning those two tie breaks?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think the beginning of it, for sure. I think those first two, three points in the tie break was very important for me for the confidence, I think. And I started pretty well in those tie breaks.

So in the second set I was down two set points and since then I really played good ones and I continue in the tie break as well and I think that I took momentum of it.

Q. Do you remember, outside of Fed Cup, playing a match with an adverse crowd, because we're not used to seeing that when you're on the court.
PETRA KVITOVA: That's true. Now I know how it is football players are feeling. But actually I play Maria Sakkari in Melbourne, it was a little bit different, but this one definitely was much more louder. And I think that they brought a little bit Ons as well.

So, yeah, I mean it's tough, but I know they supported her and they are very proud of her, so definitely she deserves.

Q. Just to build on that, how do you deal with a crowd situation like that? I mean, I'm sure you haven't faced that many times in your career where you feel like the entire stadium is rooting for the other player. So how do you manage to block it out and focus on what you need to do?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I mean I do have experiences a little bit more to it. It's more from the Fed Cup, of course. But it's, you know, sometimes you have to think that the crowd is for you. It's a bit difficult.

But, anyway, in the change overs it was too loud and I was, I felt it like in my mind it was like, like exploding it. So I tried to put a towel on and put the ear back that I can't hear everything over there. So I tried to kind of block it and I think I did it very well today.

Q. On this subject Karolina told you something about the atmosphere yesterday because at the press conference Ons came and said, I really want to apologize to Karolina about the behavior of my fans.
PETRA KVITOVA: No, I didn't see Karolina since the match, so, no.

Q. Ash took the first set but still a long way to go. Can you just talk about what it's going to be like if you have to play Ash once again or face Garbine Muguruza?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, again. Yeah, I feel like Ash is the only one on the tour right now for me (laughing). So, yeah, I mean, she's No. 1, so of course that she has to be in the tournament everywhere, right. But definitely it's nice to play her anyway.

She mix it up a lot. So I did have a good practice today and, yeah, definitely it's nice to share with her. So, I mean, of course about the game, you know, we know each other very well and in the past we had so many matches.

But with Garbine, if I play her, yeah, we played the final two years ago here, so it will be nice, you know, another matchup. And definitely she's in good form, being in the final of Melbourne. So it will be interesting as well.

Q. And just on Ons, I know you played her last set Wimbledon and it's different it's grass and everything, but can you talk a little bit about what you saw from your side of the court in terms of her improvement, because she's had a really, really strong start to the season.
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I think that she's more confident, for sure. I think she build the confidence from the matches that she played, for sure.

And I think, you know, I think that she is very strong in mixing it up. She can really play those drop shots which are amazing and you don't see them. And she's trying to really mix it up. And I think that she is reading the game a little bit better than before, I think. But of course on the grass it's a little bit different, so it's tough for me to compare it.

But definitely she makes a lot of players big troubles. So she definitely improve her serve as well. She has a great placement as well and it's a bit tough to read it. In the wind of course she can go that risky, so I think that was kind of the thing today as well.

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