US OPEN

September 2, 2020

Karolina Pliskova

Press Conference

C. GARCIA/K. Pliskova

6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Maybe you can help us sort of get through your head a little bit. A tough loss early last week. The same this week. Was it the court surface? Was it the atmosphere? Is it the pressure of being the No. 1 seed? Can you help us out on this a little bit?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think nothing from what you said. I think was actually not none of those matches which I lost was that bad. I think there are just some girls which are playing good tennis. I think Garcia is one of them.

Q. What would you have done differently?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I don't know if you saw the match, but in the second set I had set point. That was definitely one ball I could make. I had second serve on my forehand.

Maybe I should just play rally. I tried to go for it. It was a little bit windy on the court. I think she played amazing set and a half. Of course I got my chances later in the second set. I didn't play good, so that's it.

Q. Is there a certain amount of pressure that goes along with being the No. 1 seed? You've only been seeded first in a major once before, here at the Open.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, zero pressure from this for me. This is nothing to do with my loss today.

Q. I can understand you're not happy. Nobody would be happy being in your place. If you would, try to give us some key to understand if there is any reason why you didn't play at your best. There must be one. I don't know if you want to tell us. I understand it is boring that you have to answer.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, little bit (smiling).

Did you see the match or no?

Q. Yeah, I saw the first set, little pieces where you were playing very badly, but I don't know why. Then in the second set I saw the end. I thought you were going to probably win. I was thinking once you were up 6-5, I was almost convinced you were going to a third set. I don't know what went through your mind. This is what I'm trying to ask. Depends if you want to answer.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Then I don't know if you understand tennis well enough, but I had one chance in the second set, which was on her serve. So it's not like I was 5-2 up or serving for the match. That's quite different, I would say.

But anyway, I think I didn't play that bad. Maybe you saw different match. I thought she played great tennis in the first set. She was just playing super aggressive, going for her shots.

I maybe didn't play my best. I didn't serve that great, especially early in the match. But that's how it is sometimes. I'm not a robot, so I don't have to play every day amazing.

Q. Can you give us an idea of going forward what your plan is. Is it literally to hop on a plane immediately?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Not today, for sure. I think it's quite late to make the trip, although all the planes are in the evening to Europe. I think we fly tomorrow. I'll see.

I'm in Rome, after in Strasbourg, too, then of course Paris. I think I'm going to start to practice as early as possible on clay.

Q. As you went into the restart of the season, now obviously you're leaving the States, what is the takeaway, if anything, of the last couple weeks for you?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: To be honest, I think my feeling is completely different from what you guys see. I mean, I had tough three matches I think. Definitely I could play better.

I didn't play matches for a while, so I think maybe it can take some time to get back in the tournament rhythm. Hopefully this can happen on clay.

There's going to be hopefully more tournaments after Paris so we can just play a little more. Not really looking for off-season this time.

Let's see. I mean, we just started. I think there is no reason to panic really.