MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 1, 2022

Sara Sorribes Tormo

Press Conference

S. SORRIBES TORMO/N. Osaka

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.

Q. Both Muguruza and Paula speak about the pressure, what it means to play in Madrid in front of this crowd. What are your feelings? How do you feel out there?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: I think that they are in a different position compared to mine. They are better players than me. Currently they have a better ranking and better results, so I understand that they have that pressure.

But I think that I am maybe of a different moment and completely different position. From my side, I just try to do as best as possible. I enjoy it. This year to me, it's not the case, I have not suffered that pressure.

Q. Definitely playing against Naomi Osaka suits your game. Second time you have been able to defeat her. You have tried to cut her rhythm with your backhand, with your forehand. Has it been different to the previous match?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: Well, it's true that the way I have played Osaka is a little bit similar, but I think I have played much better today than the other time. I have been able to play the balls much longer, and in some moments, I didn't allow her to step into the court, whereas last time I think that she committed more unforced errors. It's true the way to play Osaka is the way it is, but I think today I have played really well.

Q. You were talking about enjoying the match inside the court. Have you been able to enjoy the match, even though you had a lot of pressure? You were focused?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: Well, first of all, thank you for the interview you made the other day. I really liked it. Then going back to your question, today I was able to enjoy it. I was able to live the moment of the match.

My intention before stepping into the court was to enjoy it as much as possible, to live it, to just enjoy all my emotions, and then just to enjoy it. I think that it has been the key to be able to compete today.

Q. You come from doing really well in Istanbul, also in Billie Jean King Cup. Today you win Osaka. You're in the third round here in Madrid after trying other times. Where is the ceiling? Where is the sky?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: We will see tomorrow. We will have to just focus on tomorrow, doing things properly as until now, step by step like now, and like before, just to enjoy day after day, improving little by little, because it's very complicated for things to work properly all the time. It's very difficult to win matches.

You know, if you only look at the match and about winning, it's a little bit empty, let's call it, and I like to think I improve step by step, little by little, small steps that I improve because of what my teams tell me. That's the way I focus, and, you know, as long as I continue that path, well, the ceiling will be higher and higher.

Q. Now you have to face Kasatkina. I don't know if it's easier or not. How do you see that match? I think she trains in Barcelona. How do you face it?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: Well, she's a very Spanish player in the way of play. She likes to go to the forehand, spin to the backhand. She has a very Spanish style of playing.

For me she's a really good player, because since she was very young she's been up in the ranking and it's very complicated. If I was to play against Maria, it was going to be very difficult, a different kind of game, but the level is very high here in these kind of matches and I have to try and give my 100% to be able to give chances to win the match.

Q. 1 hour and 27 minutes. The other day nearly 2 hours. You have an important match. How do you feel physically?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: Well, I'm feeling good. I'm quite used to playing long matches. So I think that it's good for me to play tomorrow doubles in between f both matches, to keep that rhythm of competitions, to play points. I think it's positive, and I face it positively, and I hope tomorrow with no injuries.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. You were emotional after the win, and I'm curious what was going on through your mind and what this victory means to you.

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: That is my tenth time here, and I never passed the second round. So I was thinking a bit of that.

Yeah, I was just really, really happy. My family came to see me. My grandfather came to see me, and, yeah, I was super, super happy with that. For him, as well. Many things came to my mind.

Q. What was your game plan when you came out on the court? I'm curious, if you saw the tape on her leg, did that change your game plan as the match went on?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: Honestly, yes (smiling). Because the beginning of the match, I wanted to make it long, because I knew I had more chances. I wanted to make the first games strong, because I knew that she was going to go fast, and I just want to make it slower.

Yeah, I was trying to do that, and I was happy, because it was 2-1 for me, then 2-2. Anyway, but I was there. And I think she start to do like some squats or something, like she was not feeling 100%, and I say, Okay, maybe it's gonna be good for me.

So I was just trying to be in every single point and don't think too much, but at the same time, we need to make it as long as possible.

Q. How easy is it to make it slow against someone like Naomi who plays so fast? Also, how much just does the clay and the conditions, you're so familiar with Spanish clay, how much does that help?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: Yeah. I used to say that when I have the ball she cannot play. If you play your ball, until the end, she cannot hit the ball before the ball goes to the other side.

So I think that's a bit weird, but it is like this, because sometimes you play, you're playing your ball, and then you are also thinking in the ball that she's going to play. So you don't have to do that. It's very difficult, because they try to make it that, but that's something that you have to do.

That's what I was thinking, like try to stay into your ball until the last moment, and then you will arrive to the next one, but try to do it like this.

Q. You were patient in the points. Only three winners but only three unforced errors too. Is that something that's easy for you at this point in your career to have that sort of patience in the points?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: Well, you have to know what you have. She serves better than me, she hits better than me. It is what it is.

Yeah, you just have to know the way that you want to, yeah, the way that you want to go to the match. I tried to do like this, and of course when I had the ball, I tried to go, but maybe I was not making winners. I don't have this facility as same as her. Yeah, you just have to know what you got.

Q. I could be wrong, but I believe in Spanish you were saying about Kasatkina being a typical Spanish player. In your words, what is a typical Spanish player?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: That she's serving kick, she's taking the forehand, playing heavy with the spin to the backhand of the other one, she's moving well from the back, slicing. I don't know.

Q. I think you were talking to the three of us in Indian Wells about how difficult the end of last season was for you and how tired you were. I mean, to come now, you know, eight months later and kind of put a result like this, not just beating Naomi but making the round of 16 in Madrid, what does that journey from then until now, can you talk about that a little bit?

SARA SORRIBES TORMO: I read yesterday this interview and I really like it, as well. So thank you.

Yeah, I mean, I'm just happy that everything is working, that I'm improving every day. No matter if the results are good or not, I feel I'm improving. I feel better player, I feel better person, I feel more mature, and that's the more important thing for me, because life is more than hitting the ball.

So that's the way I want to keep improving, I want to keep enjoying this sport, and, yeah, everything gets, yeah, more or less the same. I will try to keep doing this.