QATAR TOTAL OPEN

March 3, 2021

Petra Kvitova

Press Conference

P. KVITOVA/A. Pavlyuchenkova

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Seems like it's been a long time since we have seen you on court. Looking at your match this evening, is there anything you can pinpoint to as to why you won your match tonight?

PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I think it was a few things, for sure. Definitely I know how Nasia is playing. We really had the roller coaster the last match.

But she likes to play really hard and fast, the same as me. So I try to be first today. Even from the return already and second shot in the rally, I tried to hit it, you know, more aggressive than she. She didn't have the time then for her game.

So for sure was the key today that I was still going forward, you know, trying to come a little bit closer to the line for some shots, as well.

Overall I think I played pretty solid from the baseline, and I think I moved well, as well.

Q. Was this the kind of match you needed to boost your confidence? I know you have only played a handful of matches this season so far.

PETRA KVITOVA: Well, you know, of course it have been disappointing in Australia. That's how it is. The sport is the tennis, and you really never know.

Definitely I love to play in Qatar. This is really one of my favorite places to play and to be. So I have the best memories which I can.

I think it was really something nice to be back on the court and, you know, have a few spectators, as well. I think I played pretty good game today, and I hope it helped me for the future, for sure.

Q. I wanted to ask what you have been doing since Australia. Did you go back home before you went to Doha?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I have been home. I spent a lot of time on the tennis court obviously, and, yeah, I worked a lot on and off the court, as well, and my fitness, as well.

You know, unfortunately we have a lockdown, so it's nothing really to do. Is only way what I can do was playing tennis (smiling). That's how I spent it.

Q. How are you finding travel at the moment? Do you think it's going to be a problem going into and out of certain countries, going into quarantine, bubbles, whatever?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I find it a little bit difficult. But on the other hand, I think the WTA is doing great job with all the, you know, papers what we always have to have to coming to the country.

Of course the testing is the only thing which we have to really be worried about, to have the papers for the airlines and for the countries and stay at the hotel all day for the test results.

So that's only thing which it's kind of bothering, but on the other hand, yeah, we are in the bubble, but on the other hand I think it's very nice to be in the bubble and play tennis.

So I can't really complain. And especially here, I mean, we have beautiful hotel on the beach, and we can go on the beach. So that's really nice of the organization here that, you know, we are able to go out and, you know, lie by the beach, even we can't go outside, but this is really nice of them that we can spend it there.

Q. To that end, obviously over the years you have dealt with symptoms of asthma. COVID, the coronavirus, can adversely affect people with those issues. Are there any extra precautions you have taken over the last year? Is it something that's been in the back of your mind? How have you responded to that development?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, for sure, that's the thing, as you mentioned. With the asthma it could be a little bit worse if I get the COVID, so of course that I'm a little bit worried about.

I can't say I'm scared. I hope that I know I gonna handle it somehow okay, but yeah, as I heard a few cases, it's not the best on the lungs. So definitely I'm looking after myself and I'm not trying to see a lot of people and having distance. I'm kind of everything what I can do, and so anyway, I'm trying to follow the rules, for sure. Yeah, I'm just having eye on me.

Q. You have played pretty much through the resumption. How did some of the tournaments this year compare to last year? Do things feel like they are getting a little bit more back to normal in your estimation?

PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I think the things which are coming back to normal is that we have the tournaments and we can play tennis, so that's really the normal thing what we have, even with less spectators or no spectators.

It's still good to play tennis. Of course the not-normal thing is that we can't go outside of the hotel and can't spend some nice evenings outside or anything like this. But in the end of the day, I think it's still good. I can't complain it.

Q. You talked about working on your fitness in the time between how and Australia. I'm curious if you also worked on your serve, as well. We saw you serve particularly well in today's match. How important was your performance on serve to the result we saw today?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, you know, I can't really say that I was specifically working on the serve in the time. It wasn't really time to practice. It was like a week probably. So, you know, overall I tried. Of course I practiced, and which was the serve there, as well.

But you know how it is coming back to Europe and having the jet lag and, you know, a little bit pain there and there, and suddenly you know you're going to Doha. It's just flying so fast. I have been lucky to hit here before my first match.

Yeah, definitely the serve was good. Was working today, which I'm really pleased for, because, you know, she had few breakpoints and my serve really helped me in these cases.

So I'm glad for it, and I didn't really have that much double faults, as well. That's helps, of course.

Q. I noticed with your return, as well, you were aggressive on that shot in particular. What led you to make the decision to play such an aggressive game style today?

PETRA KVITOVA: Well, as I mentioned already, I know Nasia likes to play aggressive, as well. So I was trying to be the first one that she doesn't have the time. That's my game. Of course I'm missing sometimes too much. My game is pretty risky, as well.

I just have to take it. It's part of my game. Yeah, I do have unforced errors. I know it. But in the other hand I have some winners, as well. Of course to find the balance it's sometimes very tough.

Over those years, which I am on the tour already, I'm trying. I'm really trying still, and, yeah, definitely it's my game. Sometimes it's not really paying off, but what I can do, right? (Smiling.)