WTA FINALS

November 9, 2021

Karolina Pliskova

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Talk us through what your week has been like so far and what expectations you have for yourself going into play.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, I've been here couple days of course getting used to the conditions. Help me just to be here a bit longer before the tournament than normally because, of course, the conditions are much different than we're used to. I never played in these kind of conditions.

Not playing of course perfect, but I think it's not going to be about that. I believe I'm always better in the match than I am in practice, so let's see.

Q. Speaking of the conditions, what has the adjustment been like, what you find unique? Is it hard to control the ball, is that the number one characteristic of the conditions?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, a bit. I think it's not only that, but of course you feel a bit heavier breathing. That's something what you can get used to and what actually we are used to because we've been running a lot.

I think it's mostly the (indiscernible). A combination, of course, of the balls, the conditions and the court because I think the courts are quite, like, slower. The balls are bouncing quite high. That's been something what I was struggling a bit this week.

Of course, like, I had enough days. It's not perfect at all, but let's see. Doesn't have to be perfect unless I win, so let's see how the matches will go.

Q. How would you compare this WTA season to previous WTA seasons? Obviously it's different than all the other ones because of all the restrictions. From a competitive standpoint, when you look back on this season, how do you regard it?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, to be honest, I think of course beginning of the year was super tough. End of last year was super tough just because getting back to the tournament rhythm. It just felt strange. I was not really playing well. Of course, you had all these bubbles, starting with Australia, which was the toughest part I think of this year. It was, I mean, super difficult.

Of course the year somehow feels like never-ending. We're still here. We still didn't start the tournament. There was Olympics. Second part of the year I was playing super well so I had so many matches.

I thought there was everything in this year. Still proud how I managed to, like, finish the year, although we didn't finish yet.

No matter how the result will go here, I think still was a good year because of course the conditions not always are ideal, not always you can have like with you the people which you want. Sometimes we played without people. There was many things which were different compared to normal years.

I think other than that, I think it feels more like normal now, the last couple months.

Q. What does it feel like for you to be one of the veterans of this group of eight players? I think you're the oldest of the eight, been here before. Six of the players are playing in this tournament for the first time. What does it feel like to have that status?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I mean, definitely you have more experience than the other girls of this because this is not a usual tournament. Of course, you play different, you have these groups. It happen to me that you lose, you play the other day and you have to win. There is many things going on here, not just like you lose you go home, you win you continue. It's not a normal tournament.

I think that experience, of course, can help me or should help me. On the other hand I see so many of the young girls here which are playing for the first time, they're so excited. I think sometimes this excitement can be, like, dangerous because they are happy that they are here, they don't care about anything else.

They all had a great year, of course like some of them, they had like the last couple months, crazy, really good. Anett is still in my group. Also like winning Indian Wells, so there is a couple of them which likely played well, maybe they played earlier well. Depends of course how everybody feeling right now.

I mean, definitely I want to take advantage from the experience that I played already four times I think.

Q. A lot of players in WTA are pretty close. Who are your best friends in the tennis circuit? When you have to face them on the court, is it easier or harder?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I would not say I have really best friends on the tour. I have, like, girls which I speak to. Pretty much everybody here I speak to here and there. It's not like we would really go out and have a dinner together. I'm not really looking for friends here.

I have my family, I have my team always around me so it's not like I'm missing friends. I didn't come just for making friends. It's not like I'm not friendly. I have my friends at home. I don't really spend any time off the court with somebody from the girls here. I mean, I would have couple here and there, I would go with somebody maybe for coffee, but yeah.

Q. You are a player who have a very powerful game. How difficult would be for you playing on those conditions? Do you consider changing your game style a little bit for conditions in altitude?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, I don't think I can change really like much my game. For sure not just in one week. There are things of course I maybe want to do better because the conditions, they are quite tough to me. Of course, I play flat, the ball flies. I feel like I'm missing quite a lot.

I don't think there is much I can, like, change in those couple days. Of course, in the match it's tough to change something. I just try to do my best.

Of course, I hope my serve is going to be my weapon here throughout the matches. Let's see. I never compete really in these conditions, so I can't really say how it's going to be. I just know how the practices went. We will not speak about that (smiling). But the rest we will see.

Q. On the topic of getting ready for the tournament, you open up against someone you played a lot in Garbine. You have a good record against her. You're the two players that are the most experienced. Can you preview that match, what you expect? Is there anything to expect given the unique conditions that are here?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, of course we played a lot, but I felt actually the last I think two, three years we didn't met. The last time when I was in Conchita. Of course, she's with Conchita right now. Of course, a different situation.

I don't think this should have any effect on the match because I know how she plays. I'm sure she knows how I play. It's going to be difficult.

I don't know how, like, really the match can go in these conditions because, as I said, I just feel it can go any way for everybody. It either suits you or it's just like you hate it. Yeah, super tough to say how the matches will go.

I had of course couple practices, some were better, some were worse. Overall there is quite a lot mistakes because of how the balls fly. It's going to be about, of course, to be patient, not to lose the nerves. It's going to be the first match, of course, here, so maybe a bit like nervous is going to be. Just to see how things will go.

But let's see. Hopefully it's going to be a good match.

Q. It's been awhile since you played matches. Two matches since the US Open. Has that been a good thing for you? What have you been up to since Indian Wells? Does it feel like you're starting a new season?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Actually it feels a bit that I kind of didn't have many matches in the last couple weeks, of course. But Indian Wells was not great at all for me for many reasons. That's past. I had super busy summer.

Of course, since I had that advantage that I was qualified quite early, I didn't have to really play any of those tournaments just to go back in. I just decided to do like a training block and not compete in any tournaments, which we will see if it's good or not. I mean, it's tough to say now.

I think I was just like so tired to travel somewhere and just to compete, to play some matches, which may be not with any sense because I was not needing any points. I just decided to practice.

But let's see. I feel like I had lot of matches this year definitely. Of course, like, the summer was super successful for me. Hopefully I can continue playing that way.