ROLAND GARROS

September 30, 2020

Kiki Bertens

Press Conference

K. BERTENS/S. Errani

7-6, 3-6, 9-7

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just try to describe what you were feeling as that match wore on, physically, emotionally, everything.

KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it was a roller coaster, to be honest. Physically I didn't feel great, like I was cramping, I think everyone could really see that. But it was weird because I didn't feel really tired to but I was sweating a lot, I was cold, so I don't know what it really was, maybe a little bit of tension of course also in the body, so but, yeah, I kept on fighting and I still don't know how I did manage to get the win.

Q. How much of that tension do you think comes from playing this kind of crazy match kind of like 10 straight breaks I think in the third set. How much does a specific match against a player like Errani add to your tension and discomfort out there?

KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, it's tough, I think already in the first set like we had some really close games and I was able to turn the set around, so I was really happy with that. In the second set I already had some opportunities to break her, didn't do that. And then in the third, yeah, it's only break, break, it's long rallies. And then when you don't feel physically good any more it's good I think that I played against Errani where you have the opportunity to break her all the time, so I didn't feel like much pressure on my serve, so I think that that helped in the end.

Q. I just wondered, where were you cramping? It looked like it was various parts of your body you seemed to be suffering with today?

KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, left leg, right foot, both hands. So, yeah, a lot of places.

Q. When you won the match obviously you obviously fell to the floor, but Sara didn't come and congratulate you after the game. Were you a bit disappointed that she just kind of walked off without coming to see how you were or saying anything to you?

KIKI BERTENS: Well, at one point I understand her frustration of course as well. She had her opportunities, she didn't take them, so of course you always, it's good if you see it different, but, yeah, I can also know like how she's feeling so I don't take it personal or something, no.

Q. In the end you were kind of crying in the chair, was that because of the pain or relief, like why was that do you feel?

KIKI BERTENS: Well, at the end like once I fell down on the floor and really all the excitement was gone I started like total body cramp, so, yeah, that was not a great feeling, of course, no.

Q. Have you ever cramped in the full body like that?

KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, I had it once before I know also in Nuremberg when it was also like really cold, when I am sweating a lot, when it's a little bit long match, so, yeah, it's a little but of everything, I think.

Q. On the cold, I'm wondering, do you think that you're hydrating less when it's cold, is that maybe an issue with the cramping?

KIKI BERTENS: Well today I drank a lot, so, yeah, I think it's could not be that but maybe I'm just trying to improve that as well, but, yeah, I had many bottles of water and sports drinks during my match, yeah.

Q. And then Sara was saying that she didn't really believe that you were actually in pain because she was saying that you were always running well during the points and that she didn't believe it and she wasn't sure you actually needed the wheelchair after, to ask you about that, I mean how do you feel about her skepticism?

KIKI BERTENS: Well, yeah, for me she can say whatever she feels like, but yeah, well, then maybe I should take some more acting classes or should pursue a career in that, I'm not sure what she's thinking, but, no, I didn't feel really good on court to be honest. But a good thing I think it was for me that all the time the cramps were coming and going again, it was not like that it was staying in the body. So I felt like I had to stay calm and not be pumped too much because all the time when I did the fist pump like I could not do the fingers any more normal, so I just try to stay calm and try to let the cramps go again, yeah.

Q. And then as soon as the match ended you just sort of released and they all came to you right away?

KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, yeah, then it was even worse and I was in the treatment room for like 45 hours with the physios and then I think after 30 minutes I stopped cramping, so maybe she, she should have been in there and then she should have seen what happened.

Q. 45 minutes I'm guessing, not 45 hours?

KIKI BERTENS: No, minutes, sorry. Did I say hours?

Q. Yeah.

KIKI BERTENS: Oh, no, no, I'm here now, so...

Q. Setting aside all of the cramping and all that sort of stuff, just on the match itself what made this match so difficult really from the get-go for you and how tricky was it in terms of having to play against her, she was struggling a lot with the toss, she got a lot of time violations for all of that, it seemed like it was just kind of tough to get a really good rhythm or understanding of how that match was going to play out just point from point?

KIKI BERTENS: Yeah, I really had to be ready every point. Of course she has problems with the toss, but I think that's more annoying for her than it is for me, I just had to be ready all the time. I think I did a pretty good job at that, I didn't get frustrated or anything.

But it was tough because of course you want to play more aggressive, but it's really tough to for me to do this on this court at this point. So then you're a little bit like struggling like what should I do and then she's reading the game of course really well, so there was a lot of drop shots, a lot of running, a lot of breaks of serve because I also felt like sometimes when I really hit a good shot she only came with a better response, so, yeah, it was really trying to find a solution out there.

Q. Being quite sort of magnanimous about what Sara said, but it can't be nice to hear another professional sort of call into question your integrity like that.

KIKI BERTENS: No, it's not nice to hear, no, of course not. But for me I don't want to try to take it too personal because I also know like her frustrations. I think she's also frustrated with herself that she could not close out that match and but she had her opportunities as well, so it's maybe not fair to take it out of me, she could also look to herself and just see like what she could do better.

Q. What were your thoughts when you were in the wheelchair? I don't think I've ever seen anyone leaving a court in a wheelchair after a win before, except for wheelchair players, obviously, which there are a lot of in the Netherlands, but what was that feeling for you, just as you were coming out of there winning, but still in pain, just what was that whole mix of emotions like?

KIKI BERTENS: It was really bad because I don't want to leave the court in a wheelchair. So I said like, Okay, no, I'm going to walk. And the physios were like, No you're not, and I was like, Yes, I will. And then my whole left leg started cramping. So they were really like, no, you're going to sit down and we ride you off. So also I didn't really have a choice, so, yeah, that was it.

Q. Have you ever played wheelchair tennis?

KIKI BERTENS: No, well, I did like for a little bit, but it's really tough. I have so much respect for them, yes, so yeah.

Q. How are you feeling right now?

KIKI BERTENS: Feeling much better, to be honest. Yes I had like a whole ice massage, I had some food, I had drinks. So I'm feeling much better. It's good that I -- I took some time to do press though, normally I'm quite fast to do it, but I really had time to recover and I'm feeling much better than a few hours ago.

Q. The quick question is, if you were cramping and the rule in WTA says that you can, the physio can fix you when you're cramped or you had also some other kind of problems and how do you explain the fact that you were running from one point after the other and not when immediately after the end of each point?

KIKI BERTENS: What do you mean? What is the question?

Q. The question is, do you know if the WTA physio can treat you when you are just cramping?

KIKI BERTENS: Yes, yes.

Q. Or you must have something else?

KIKI BERTENS: No, you cannot have a medical timeout, that's why also I didn't take a medical timeout, you're only allowed to have treatments in between the change overs. So I took that time to, that she worked on my legs, that's the only way we can do it and, yeah, I followed the rules on that.