YARRA VALLEY CLASSIC

February 5, 2021

Garbine Muguruza

Press Conference

G. MUGURUZA/S. Kenin

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Must feel pretty good after a day off matches to pick up with a pretty straightforward win.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I mean, yesterday was a weird day, I would say. I couldn't get out of the room, so, I mean, I was looking forward for this match and at least today I got to play and make sure, because it's a difficult day on the weather forecast, so I was happy to go early and play and of course very happy about my match. I think I played solid and well since the beginning and, yeah, it's a good win.

Q. Talk through just what the keys were today and especially after pock continuing that first set as well as you did, kind of holding her off a little bit in the second set.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean I knew it was going to be a very tough game from the baseline, because I remember very clearly the last match. So I was looking for it, I was more prepared to for the biggest battle, you know? And I think I played better, I think I used my shots smarter and took my chances and I think I did well early, so I got the advantage of the score and then I kept playing well and dominating the match.

Q. Seems like you've approached all three of your matches this week very mentally fresh, because especially Pavlyuchenkova and Kenin they were potentially difficult and one shot can flip a set around with them sometimes. Can you talk about that in terms of how you've been able to approach this event and how you seemed very, very focused on what you want to do out there?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, this is a good tournament just to play and to be able to put on the court everything we have been working, knowing that next week we have a Grand Slam, so try to play probably more freely, just to get those exercises and serves and volleys and stuff that everybody has been working on.

So just happy with the way that I'm playing and I'm not thinking too far, like for the next tournament, because I'm still in this one. This year we don't know how many tournaments we're going to have and all these situations so I take every tournament very seriously.

Q. You said earlier in the week that a lot of what's happening right now is about adapting, that all the players have to adapt. I'm curious for you one more adaptation, the format of the matches with the match tiebreak in the end, does that change at all your approach or strategy in a match, knowing that there's not going to be a third set?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: No, I mean I didn't even think about it when I was playing. I knew before the match, I knew that the match couldn't be so long because even if you get to a third set it's going to be shorter. But kind of in doubles I used to play a lot of doubles so it wasn't something surprising for me, knowing also the weather and the forecast, but it was exciting that even if you go to a third set you know it's not going to take five-hour match. So I knew that the match would not be that long to other normal circumstances.

Q. You've won quite a few quick sets this week. Do you feel as dominant as these score lines would suggest?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think I am playing well. So far these matches I managed to get the advantage early, to dominate and, yeah, I mean pretty good, I'm happy with the way I'm playing.

Q. How much extra confidence does it give you to play so well in a warmup event that is taking place at the site of a Grand Slam? Typically you try to translate warmups to another tournament but here you're able to really replicate the conditions?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I guess the more matches you play the better. I don't think playing well here means you're going to be playing well every tournament or next week or the other week. I feel like right now I'm playing this tournament and it's going well. I do agree that winning matches helps you to feel that what you're doing is good and that's, yeah, that's what I'm thinking. No further from that.

Q. Looking ahead, you'll play either Vondrousova or Podoroska. Can you talk about the challenges of playing each?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, I think there are known players for me. I think we haven't met before, so, yeah, tricky because I don't have that feeling, but also good that I'm facing them and whoever wins, of course. I think both are playing well and it's going to be a good semifinal.