SYDNEY TENNIS CLASSIC

January 14, 2022

Barbora Krejcikova

Press Conference

B. KREJCIKOVA/A. Kontaveit

0-6, 6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: That was a tremendous showcase for women's tennis. How did it feel for you?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Thanks so much. I think from both sides was really, really tough match. I think we played wonderful tennis.

It was very, very tight, and I'm really happy that I was able to hold the nerves better and that I won this match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. How did you win that match? How did you stay so cool and calm facing all those match points?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I was just enjoying the match. I would say I was just enjoying, because I was expecting it was going to be really difficult, and I know that Anett, she is playing really great tennis and she's very aggressive.

I was just playing, just trying to fight for every single ball. When I had those match points down, I was just trying to figure out how to build up the point and how to win the point, and that was everything that I was focusing on.

Q. You played her not long ago and lost that match, so you have leveled your head-to-head with her. Does that mean anything going into an event like the Australian Open?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think it's great, because I see where my level is. I think I'm playing great tennis. I think I can say that the offseason was so far really good. I think I prepared well.

I'm looking forward to first finish this week, try to do really good tomorrow. Then I'm going to focus on a slam.

Q. I was looking at some statistical information, and that result for you ended a run of five consecutive losses against top-10 players. Must be relief?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I don't look at it like this. I just go and I, you know, I have an opponent there and I just want to beat them.

I mean, if I lose, it happens. It's not that -- you know, I'm not robot, I cannot win everything.

I'm really happy that I won against Anett, and then I'm going to play finals tomorrow, but yeah, I'm not really looking at the matches like this.

Q. We don't know who you're going to play. Can you first look ahead to playing Badosa? She's got a 2-0 record on you. You've got a 1-0 record against Kasatkina. If you could look at both of those players individually, please.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I'm going to start with Paula. I think she is very good player. She had top 10 last year and she was having wonderful end of the season, and I think she is playing well here, as well.

It's going to be difficult if I'm going to play against her, but, you know, I think it's -- I mean, it's just great to play another top-10 player, because, yeah, it's a privilege to play a player, to play on the highest level.

And then with Daria, also, I played her last year, and I know how she's playing. I mean, also, I was watching last week she was playing well. This week she is again in the semis, so, I mean, whoever is going to win, I expect a very difficult match tomorrow, and I'm just going to try to prepare the best way I can, and yeah, and I'm going to enjoy it again.

Q. With your performance today, being able to pull that out and also to problem-solve against Anett, is this a result that makes you believe that your game is there and it's where it needs to be at this stage in the season?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think this match was very just mentally tough, because, you know, like starting with losing the first set with 0, it's not very confident start, it's not very good.

Well, I think Anett was playing really amazing tennis at the beginning, and I was just waiting for my chances because I knew I'm gonna get some.

Yeah, I mean, it was really 50/50 until the end of the match, and yeah, I was little better with the nerves at the end.

Q. What adjustments did you make through that match that started to turn the match back to your favor? What patterns, what changes did you employ?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think she had a really good rhythm. She was just playing really, really well indoors, like inside, and so, yeah, I mean, I had to change my game style a little bit more. I had to be more aggressive and try to play the point to start, you know, playing aggressive the point like from my side. Otherwise she was just killing me.

So I think that was something that I had to do different.

Q. Kontaveit is facing your doubles partner, Katerina Siniakova, in Australian Open first round. Do you think you can give some tips to Katerina? Do you usually share these kind of secrets and information?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, first of all, I didn't know, so this is new information, because I wasn't looking at the draw at all.

Secondly, I mean, if my partner asks, for sure I'm going to tell her something, but let's see if she's going to ask me.

Q. Just to start your season after the season that you had last year and immediately make a final of a 500-level tournament and also to get a great win over a top-10 player and play at the level that you were able to find today towards the end of that match, I mean, how much does this do for your confidence in the season?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think it's perfect, because when you come after the offseason, you don't really know what to expect, and you are a little bit like doubting yourself if you did a good offseason and stuff.

So I think, yeah, I mean, I can see that the offseason I think was good. I believe it was good. I believe I'm gonna continue like this, and, I mean, it's amazing result to be in a finals during the first tournament. So I'm really happy with that.