ROLAND GARROS

October 2, 2020

Nadia Podoroska

Press Conference

N. PODOROSKA/A. Schmiedlova

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What does it feel like for you this tournament, just how would you describe your feelings after six matches won now?

NADIA PODOROSKA: It's like a dream come true. Yeah, it's been an amazing tournament for me. I didn't expect this result, so I'm very happy.

Q. When you dreamed of playing a Grand Slam, obviously I'm guessing you imagined big crowds and everything there and obviously this is a very different sort of Grand Slam. In any ways has that made it easier to adjust to everything being the first time that it is sort of a little bit quieter, it is a little bit more peaceful, more like kind of the tournaments you're used to?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Yes, I think for me I think it's good because I'm used to play with no crowd, so for me it's quite the same playing here or in the tournament that I've been playing before.

Q. Can you talk today about just how you felt on the court and what did you think you did well to win the match?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Well I felt really good. I played very solid. I didn't do too many mistakes. I serve well too. So I felt very good.

Q. I don't know how much you looked at the draw when it first came out but you were in a section that had Azarenka and Serena in it both and then both of them lost, I guess before you had played them. So does that make it at all, does that increase your hope, you know, your excitement for the possibilities knowing that you have a real chance against another player who is ranked outside top 100 in the next round, whoever it winds up being?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Yes, I do not see the draw, I just know who I am going to play next day, just to be focused on each match. So, yeah, I am focused on what, who I am going to play on Sunday I know, I don't know when, but just I'm thinking in match by match.

Q. Is this the longest you've ever been at a tournament, for basically two weeks now?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Sorry, I didn't understand.

Q. Is this the longest time which you've ever spent at one tournament?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Yeah, yeah, for sure, (laughing) for sure.

Q. What is it like? Are you feeling comfortable at Roland Garros now?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Yes, I'm very comfortable, yes.

Q. Obviously you're on quite a little bit of a win streak going on. At what point during maybe the last 11 matches that you've been playing and winning did you really feel like everything about your game, especially on the clay, was working very well and that the confidence to do well at Roland Garros maybe became more real?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Yes, during the last few months I felt more sure about my game. During the quarantine I improved a lot. I spent time with my coaches training like for three months and I knew that I have been improving my game.

Fortunately I did that on the tournaments, so I think it's a process.

Q. Do you feel, because now obviously you're in the second week, you've been at Roland Garros in the main draw for over a week, a week now, what has the experience been like for you to be walking around the locker room with all of these players that maybe you don't normally kind of see at the ITF level? Yeah, has it been pretty fun?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Yeah, sure, it's nice to be here in the big tournaments, you know, it's what we always want, where we always want to be. So for me it's been a special week but I am playing tennis, so it's same here or in another tournament.

Q. In the locker room do you think people recognize you or do people, do you think people aren't sure who are you?

NADIA PODOROSKA: No, no, I don't think so (laughing.)

Q. Do they know who are you?

NADIA PODOROSKA: No.

Q. Has anyone asked you like who are you?

NADIA PODOROSKA: No, no, no.

Q. I'm curious what you know about each of your possible next opponents, Krejcikova or Pironkova. Do you know them?

NADIA PODOROSKA: Yeah, I know them a little bit because I didn't play the tournament that they are been playing, but I'm going to watch the match for sure and then I will speak with my coaches.

Q. You were born in Argentina and your parents are Ukrainian, is that correct?

NADIA PODOROSKA: No, no, my parents are Argentinian too. It were my grand, grandparents. I'm completely Argentinian, I don't speak any Russian (laughing.)

Q. That was my next question, whether or not you could overhear any Russian conversations.

NADIA PODOROSKA: No, no, not at all.

Q. What's it like for you, because there aren't a lot of South American players on the tour any more, so for you being from Argentina and being at a Grand Slam, do you have friends on the main tour, are there, do you feel alone, do you feel that there's a community, how is it feeling for you?

NADIA PODOROSKA: No, I'm not feeling alone, there are a few players from South America that I have a good relationship with, some Spanish or Italian girls, so, no, it's a good environment.

Q. How does this week change your career, how do you feel? Or how does this week change for you?

NADIA PODOROSKA: I don't know. I don't know. The ranking, it's getting better, I think I'm going to play better or best tournaments and that's basically it, you know.