VIKING INTERNATIONAL

June 24, 2021

Jelena Ostapenko

Devonshire Park

Press Conference

J. OSTAPENKO/D. Kasatkina

1-6, 7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Well done. Just talk us through the match. What made the difference in the end for you?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, the main thing probably I was playing more aggressive today and tried to put as much pressure as possible on her. I mean, obviously not in the first set, but in the second set I was fighting very hard to win it. I think in the third set I already found my game and played much better.

Q. You have been a semifinalist at Wimbledon and also quarterfinalist. When you see the grass court season coming up, do you actually get excited and think that this is where I could actually really get into good form?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly, I get very excited, but when it starts I get very sad because it's very short, the grass season. It's only like three, four tournaments maximum. I wish it could be longer, because I love to play on grass.

Q. Does it suit your game particularly?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think when I find my game like in the third set today and when I play aggressive and I play well, I think it suits my game very well, the grass court, because it's much harder to move, and the rallies are a bit shorter.

But, I mean, now of course grass is getting a little bit slower, but still, it's much harder to move. So I think I have an advantage.

Q. You talked on court about Birmingham being a bit of a struggle and that it took a bit to get used to grass this year. Was that because you had a season off or is it normally like that for you where it takes maybe a week or so to find your game on grass?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, honestly before my first match in Birmingham, I had only two days on grass, which I didn't really expect to, like, play so well in Birmingham. I knew it's like the first tournament, and I knew I need some time to adjust to this surface as we didn't play for two years.

I was just trying to find my game and practice a bit more on grass to get used to it. Now I feel much better than in Birmingham.

Q. What does it mean for you to make this semifinal, to get some good wins this week, you know, to find your grass game in the context of everything? Your season, what does it mean to make the semifinals at Eastbourne?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, of course it's great, but of course I want to achieve more and be back in top 10, because when I play well, I think I can make a lot of damage, obviously, I mean, as in the third set today.

But, yeah, I'm just taking one match at a time and prepare for Wimbledon, but of course also to play well here, because grass court is, as I said, is very short season. Just to enjoy it, because it's great to play on grass and just to be here in Eastbourne, and just looking forward to play tomorrow another good match.

Q. You had mentioned on court that it was nice to play this level tennis because you said that it had been a little bit of an up-and-down season for you so far. What do you think has been the difference in terms of being able to or the struggle I guess to find a consistent level for you this year that you're happy with?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think I was like fighting. I never gave up. I mean, obviously I was fighting before but not as much as now. Now I fight until the very last point.

In my mind, I know everything can change because it's tennis, and one point, two points can change the whole game. So I'm really fighting and trying to get those balls and points and just step by step try to, as I said, find my game.

Q. It's now four years since you won Roland Garros. Is it a good thing in the sense that you know in the back of your mind you are a Grand Slam champion? Or can it sometimes be a heavy weight on the basis that people expect you to be up there at most of the big tournaments?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly, of course it's great to have a Grand Slam behind me, but I think I need to not forget about it but kind of and try to achieve more and put another goal, because the life doesn't stop when you win a Grand Slam.

Of course I want to achieve more and I want to win more Grand Slams, so I'm really working hard for that. Yeah, as I said, just trying to find my game and be more and more consistent.

Q. Where do you think your next Grand Slam is most likely to come?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, it really depends how I will feel my game and everything. But, I mean, it can be any time, honestly. As you see now, so many new Grand Slam champions, so the field is pretty open.

So, I mean, I just have to work hard and have my mind in the right place, and that is going to help, I think.

Q. When you talk about finding your comfort on grass, what would you say needs to happen to click into place for you? Is it the movement you need to get comfortable with or just hitting the different balls?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think it's more about the balls, like heavier than on the other surfaces, and the bounce is a little bit lower. So for the girls who are moving very well on hard courts and clay courts, it's much more difficult to move on a grass court, because it's obviously very different.

I have advantages because I hit the ball hard, and I can make more winners. As I said, the rallies can be shorter.