ROLAND GARROS

September 28, 2020

Andrea Petkovic

Press Conference

T. PIRONKOVA/A. Petkovic

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I think that was your first match for a year, is that right?

ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yes, that's correct.

Q. I'm sure disappointed to lose, but how did you feel it went?

ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, I think the summary is very simple: I think Tsvetana played very good match and I think I didn't play a very good match, unfortunately.

Not having played in 12 months might be an explanation why I was a little cautious and just not feeling very confident - let's put it this way - and rushing with some decisions.

Then when you play somebody that's full of confidence, I think whenever I thought I had a foot in the door she just slammed it against my head with great play.

So I think that's basically the summary of everything that went down.

Q. I don't know how well you remember past matches but I think you played her six years ago in Sofia?

ANDREA PETKOVIC: Yes, I remember.

Q. You beat her in straight sets. I wondered, did she seem to you a different player today? She's obviously been out of the game for three years.

ANDREA PETKOVIC: Well, not terribly, no. I remember that match. I won it, but it was so hard. I think it was straight sets. But I think we played two hours and 20, so every point was a battle. And I remember the courts being very slow in Sofia and I had to really play perfect points every time.

I felt like maybe she's even a little more aggressive than she used to be, I want to say. Obviously it's six years ago so I wouldn't put my hand in the fire for this, but I do felt like especially whenever I felt like, Oh, now I'm in the match, I feel like she played two, three great really aggressive points where she would just keep me at an arm's distance all the time and didn't allow me to get back into the match.

In Sofia I remembered every rally was a battle. But in the end I was a little bit more aggressive one and this was a little bit different today.

Q. How is your knee?

ANDREA PETKOVIC: Icing it (laughing.) It's okay, it's fine. It does swell up every now and then. Now it's been quite calm for the past few weeks, although this weather is not great, let's put it this way. I think we saw it also with Sir Andy Murray yesterday that this weather for players who had a bunch of surgery is not the greatest.

But I have to say - I'm knocking on wood - it's been okay for the past few weeks, so I'm happy.