WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 19, 2021

Karolina Pliskova

Press Conference

Ka. PLISKOVA/J. Pegula

6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk through the match? It was a weird one.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, super weird, but really, I'm so happy, because to lose, really, I was scared to lose to same player like five times (smiling) it would be, I think. So I'm really happy that somehow I find a way, although it was not pretty match at all, I think from both of us.

Quite many mistakes, also a lot of winners, but I guess that's like our game. Just somehow I'm not feeling the best with her, but lately, at least like the last three matches which we played I had some chances, and like the first two were a disaster. Now like Miami and Berlin I saw I was a bit closer, and that gave me a bit of hope.

I also think she always plays kind of well against me because I guess I give her nice ball and nice rhythm and she likes the pace and likes, you know, if somebody is playing fast and she likes the speed.

So doesn't matter, but I think I'm proud the most about how I stayed in this match, because of course I was losing, and we know it can go fast if you're like 1-4, double break, and 0-5. So I was proud about how I stayed and managed somehow to be like always closer to her and find a way to win.

Q. It seemed like there were three moments where it felt like, given your head-to-head record against Jessie, it could have very easily mentally been very frustrating, being down 1-4, being down Love-5, and then being up 6-1 and then 6-5 very quickly. What were you telling yourself to not spiral into a negative space?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I mean, I thought I started pretty well, broke her the first game, and then unfortunately the second game I didn't really serve well.

Somehow I was quite relaxed, I have to say. Of course because it gave me some like confidence that I was playing well the last couple weeks, so I didn't really put any extra pressure that I need to win this match.

Of course I know she's like a tough opponent for me, so I was kind of like, you know, not really thinking, okay, I'm going to like lose but not really putting pressure, okay, I have to win this one.

Maybe that's why I somehow find a way even if things were not really going well to start to play a bit better, maybe a bit smarter, mixing up the serves, which helped me to have free points from the serve.

Also maybe for her I have to -- like, I have played Vekic four times this year. It's not easy, even if you're beating somebody, it's not easy to play all the time, because the players learn from mistakes, and we are all like good players, so it cannot be always that you're going to win forever.

I suppose also for her, I think it was actually the worst match she played against me, but maybe I just made it a bit more difficult than last time.

Q. Looking ahead, looking at either Badosa or Rybakina, they are on court right now, can you talk through each matchup.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, I don't think I have played -- Rybakina I played in Dubai, I remember, she was on fire, beginning of the year. I know she's also having great results now last couple of weeks. Playing super fast with these fast conditions. I don't think it's going to be much faster than it was today, but much better serving, so I have to be super ready.

And Badosa, I think we never played or lately we never played because I think I played her once like 10 years ago maybe (smiling). She's also doing well.

So I think all of us three I'd say we are playing good level, so it's for sure going to be but couple points. Hopefully good match.

Really, right now I'm super enjoying my win over Pegula, so I'm not thinking about Rybakina and Badosa. I'm not scared at all.

Q. You're going to win everything from now on?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah...(Laughter.)

Q. Is Sascha here with you in Cincinnati or is he not?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, Sascha unfortunately is not here. He's having some issues with visa. So he was in Montreal till the end and he's not here. He's in Munich. He's still waiting if he can get appointment just to get the visa and so he could travel.

I don't know. It's not really looking any good. I hope for New York, like for sure not like this week he cannot make, but hopefully for New York like still there is a week next week like just some time, so hopefully he can make it.

Q. Who is here with you then?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I am here with my physio and my fitness coach, but one guy like from Czech, he's helping me so I'm not alone. He's working with some doubles players. He's from Czech, so I know him.

He's friendly, help. But I think he's going to leave tomorrow or after tomorrow. At least I had somebody for the last couple days.