US OPEN

September 3, 2021

Karolina Pliskova

Press Conference

KA. PLISKOVA/A. Anisimova

7-5, 6-7, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on a tremendous match, especially the third set tiebreak.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I thought it was quite good quality match from the beginning. Just couple chances even in the first set. There was just one break in the whole match, which is incredible for like women's match.

I thought I could play better. I think she was playing really, really good, super fast. There was many times not much I could do.

I think we were both serving great. Of course, a bit lucky in the end of the third set.

Q. As the match was progressing, the holds of serve from both of you were pretty quick. Deep into the third set, how much was it changing in terms of could you see opportunities or were you getting frustrated because you weren't getting chances?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I think a bit of that. On the other hand I think I was also quite relaxed because I was also holding the serve quite easy. Still I thought my serve is better than hers and didn't really have any chances. Not only by missing all of the returns, but I felt like she was really mixing the serve up, body, wide. I didn't really read the serve at all this night. I think she was playing smart.

Of course, even if I made the return quite good, I think she was just like on fire today from the baseline, especially with her backhand, which I know is her better shot. I thought she just played incredible.

I was a bit frustrated that I didn't have that many chances on her serve as I would maybe love to have or I had in the past. Actually Montreal I had many chances. I mean, was a good match from her.

Q. You're down 1-4 in the tiebreak. After that it seemed you started to go more to her forehand. Did you make any conscious tactical changes or playing by feel?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I mean, I think of course biggest chance I had 6-5, easy forehand, open court. I mean, that match could be already over because then with the way how I was serving all match I think -- I mean, we don't know, but big chance I finish the match with my serve.

The way the tiebreak went, I thought already by losing the second tiebreak it's going to be difficult. She was actually on fire. She made only winners in the tiebreak. So I thought, Okay, point by point of course.

When it was 5-3, I was like, Okay, if it's 5-4, we are back on serve. But she had two serves actually. I know backhand is her better shot, right, and she didn't miss many. She put so much pressure from the backhand. She can really play like cross line.

Even if I play fast to the backhand, she doesn't mind the speed. I thought, Okay, maybe I try to bit play to the forehand, make her move. I thought I played too many times in the same corner.

Yeah, luckily it worked. But it was big luck.

Q. What is the satisfaction you take out of that win?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I think that I kind of stayed in there no matter how bad I was feeling. I was not feeling great. Maybe was a good match to watch, people liked it, but I was not feeling amazing.

I thought I was serving well, just trying to stay in there. I thought also the crowd was quite, like, difficult. It's not my first time in this atmosphere. It's not like I would be super down from it. Of course, if you're losing, this is happening, especially being quite close, actually two points away in the second set in the tiebreak to win the match, it was quite difficult.

I was happy that I didn't just let it go and just didn't lose my serve somehow with bad mistakes. I just stayed in there. Yeah, it paid off.

Q. Tournament record for the women in aces.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Really?

Q. Talk about how key the serve was.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, especially the way she was also serving. I thought without my serve, tonight would not be possible. I suppose also because I put so much pressure on my serve with her, I think she also needed to serve this way.

I thought we kind of, like, pushed each other with the serve, so that's why we hold. There was one break in first set, but other than that we didn't break. I had couple of course breakpoints in the last game, but we didn't have many chances on the return. For women's tennis, normally there is break, break, break, break. That's quite impressive I think.

Of course, the serve was huge part of this win.

Q. How much of a role do you think experience is playing in your overall success this year, even in this match?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: You have matches like this where you have so many chances, so many breakpoints, then you have matches where there is just couple chances and you need to be super ready. Of course, there is still the opponent. Still she can play well, which I thought happened.

I'm sure I could do better at some points, but also she put so much pressure, was still her serve. I just tried to no matter how many chances I had on her serve to let it go and just focus on my serve, believe that maybe if we get to the tiebreak my serve is a bit better than hers so I have a chance in the tiebreak, which didn't happen in the second set. Luckily it happened in the third.

That was kind of my mindset in this match.

Q. Have you ever seen Amanda play so well?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, not really. I mean, from the matches which we played, definitely this was the best one. I know she had some really good wins in her career. I know she can play well, especially on hard court. I think this was really, like, good match from her. She was playing aggressive, just going for her shots. I thought she felt the game pretty good tonight.

But, yeah, I'm lucky that she lost because I also I think she deserved to win. She was playing really good tennis. I think she's a good player. I didn't go on the court like, Okay, I beat her three times quite easy, it's going to be easy.

For sure I thought I can win this match, but I was a bit surprised the way she played because she actually hold pretty good level till the end. Normally I think she can have some, let's say, windows where she's missing a bit more, but I don't think she had that tonight.