DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 17, 2022

Jelena Ostapenko

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

J. OSTAPENKO/P. Kvitova

5-7, 7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you survive another roller coaster for you? What were you telling yourself when she was serving for the match twice?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, she was playing really well today. She was especially serving well. But, yeah, I felt like when she was down, she was playing way better than when she was leading in the score. I was trying just to fight and stay in the match, believe that I can win until the very last point.

I mean, the tiebreak was very tricky because I had match points. I was serving, then she was serving. It was, yeah...

But it was a really good match. I think the level was really high.

Q. Are you able to enjoy a match like that while it's happening or is it too stressful?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, I do enjoy it because it's not stressful but emotional. I started the match really well. I think I was 3-0 up, then I started to rush little bit.

Yeah, but just happy with the win. The win is the win.

Q. Can you talk about your potential opponents, Simona Halep and Ons Jabeur.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Both of them are really good player.

Ons - how do you say - she has a lot of the variety, she can slice, make a lot of dropshots, playing really well.

Simona is more like a consistent player. If I play her, then of course I have to be aggressive because she's going to probably most defend against me.

Yeah, I'm just looking forward to it.

Q. What do you remember from the past matches with Simona?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly, it was quite a long time ago. I have to watch them probably again.

But the main thing was it didn't matter what was the score, when I played aggressive, like mostly I won the matches. Especially the Roland Garros final, even I was losing, but when I step on the court, she couldn't handle my pace.

Q. We talked about the Polish fans yesterday. A lot more amicable out there today. There were Latvians, so many different flags waving throughout the tournament. How do you feel about the multi-cultural site of Dubai?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Today, honestly, the atmosphere was way nicer than yesterday. Yeah, there were some Latvian fans, which was really nice to see them. I don't know if they live here, but I know some are here for vacation here. It's really nice they come.

There were, of course, some Czech people. They were behaving also good, not like yesterday, clapping for double-faults and things like that.

Atmosphere I think was really nice for both of us.

Q. Another Grand Slam champion. This is a theme for you now.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, as I said yesterday, the cut here was 30 or so. Every player that is playing is a good player. It's not like a surprise that I mostly will have to face another Grand Slam champion.

Q. Two long matches. How do you prepare yourself mentally to go out for the next match on short notice?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly, today when I woke up I was not like tired but didn't feel so well. I knew, Okay, I have play today. I warmed up. In the match I felt honestly very good.

Yeah, I know that every match here is a tough match and a battle, so I'm just going to be ready for it, try to forget how many hours I played the day before, just focus on the next day.

Q. In the second set any weakness you identified in Petra's game you wanted to exploit more and more?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I felt like, as I said, when she was leading in the score she played not as good as when she was down in the score. I felt like when she was down she was, like, more focused and made more first serves in, served really better patterns.

Q. I believe you're going to be back in the top 20. It's still early in the season. What does it mean to you to be able to kind of get back to that position early in the season?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, yeah, as you said, it's just the beginning of the season. My goal is to be in top 10, maybe even higher. I'm not going to stop working, not going to stop, like, playing better, improving.

I think it's just the beginning for me, like in 2017, just to rise - how you say - the ranking.

Q. Do you feel a difference in your mindset at the moment? Anything in particular you feel is different that's working for you?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I feel like even I'm getting emotional, but I'm fighting. Like I never give up and I don't give any free points. Even if I give them, not too many. It's not like before, I start to be in emotions, keep like that for the set or for the whole match when I start to lose.

I fight till the very last point. I get out of emotions really quickly.

Q. You mentioned your an emotional player. How do you collect yourself, given all the situations you were in in today's match?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, today I just knew I have to fight. Both of us are real aggressive players. I know Petra can also miss some shots when she's leading or playing because I saw some of her matches where she plays really well, but of course she can make some unforced errors because she's also playing aggressive.

I kind of was just trying to wait for that moment, show her that I'm not going to give her any free points.

Q. Your coaching situation, you're with Thomas and your mom?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: No, Thomas Hogstedt is not working with me for a year. I don't know why that's still on the WTA tennis. I asked them to remove it.

I'm working for almost a year already with Stanislav Murski (phonetic). He is here with me and my mom is, too.