ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2022

Daria Kasatkina

Press Conference

D. KASATKINA/C. Giorgi

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Daria, congrats on the win. Can you give us some thoughts on today's match?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, before the match I was really, really a little bit nervous because I know how Camila, how she can play, so I knew what to expect, but at the same time I didn't know what to expect.

So, but I'm happy with the way I was able to play, how I was managing the tough moments and happy with the result, obviously.

THE MODERATOR: First question?

Q. It's been four years since you last made a slam quarterfinal. So I'm wondering just how would you sum up the past four years and how different are you as a person from Wimbledon and here in 2018?

DARIA KASATKINA: For me, inside of me I think I didn't change anything, I hope I stayed the same person. Maybe a little bit more mature. I hope that I grew up a little bit.

Yeah, I'm happy to be back in the quarters because it's kind of like, I don't know, benchmark or something and, yeah, I'm happy to achieve this one again.

Q. I know you enjoy watching the Netflix series Drive to Survive about Formula 1. So what is it about Drive to Survive that you enjoy watching, would you be a good F 1 driver, what are your driving skills like, and what do you hope that fans will get to see when they watch the Netflix series about the tennis tour?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, I have no driver license, so I don't think I would be a good driver. And I'm not this kind of person who likes, you know, fast, these fast, dangerous things. I am not even going to roller coasters. So that's not my thing for sure.

But to watch, I like it. I mean, considering the Netflix stuff, Drive to Survive, I'm enjoying like how they opening the personalities of each driver. It's so interesting to see the thoughts, like how they practice, how they're thinking.

And I can see many connections, you know, to the tennis and for sure all other sports. This is interesting.

Talking about tennis part of Netflix, let's see, let's see, but for sure they know how to do their job. I saw sometimes, you know, how they're filming and stuff, so I think it's going to be interesting because I'm here and I will be interesting to see from the side how it looks like.

Q. You played really smart, since August I've only seen you playing with a lot of brain, starting already in Rio de Janeiro, 2016 when you beat Jabeur in three sets, and then you lost badly to Keys. What has been changing in your head, let's say, in your strategy in all these six years? You lost only 14 games until now and nobody has done better, but you never made a semi-final yet. So how do you explain it, because your level of tennis is very good.

DARIA KASATKINA: Thank you. Well, some of the things you cannot explain. Something meant to happen, something don't. So we will see if this one is waiting for me. Let's see. I hope it is yes and I will do everything for that.

If we talk about me changing in the past six years, honestly I don't remember myself six years ago. But watching the matches from the past I can see that I'm making a bit better decisions in the important moments. Physically, I think I become better, I'm improving, I'm working a lot. So I think from my point of view this is the main changes.

Q. You have a great coach, in my opinion, Martinez, yes?

DARIA KASATKINA: He's not too bad. (Laughing).

Q. He's not too bad. Yeah. Well, today you did strategically every time when you are behind, you are late, you recover, you change a lot of things, you start serving not too fast at the beginning then suddenly you increase the speed. I mean there are many thoughts in your game and it is beautiful to watch.

DARIA KASATKINA: Thank you. The question is exactly? What was the question? (Laughing).

I mean, yeah, my coach is very nice guy, yeah, and he knows his job. It's the most difficult thing to put your thoughts together during the match because it's completely different compared to the practice matches and it's very tough to put all the thoughts together. I'm happy that now I'm doing it much better than even few months ago.

Q. Did you have a sense that you were getting to this very special level in the last few weeks and that this run was possible?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well I think in Rome I start to feel like, yeah, I'm getting there, I'm getting there. I think after the match with Paula, because I really enjoyed the level at the game I was playing and the match. And then watching the match and realizing I really like how everything was going. I think after that there was a little click, let's say, and now I'm here.

Q. Next match could be either Kudermetova a Russian like you, as you may know, as you beat her once I think in St. Petersburg, I think.

DARIA KASATKINA: And many times in juniors. We played so many times.

Q. So what is better for you, I mean because, Keys, you lost to her seven times in a row, but you beat her in Melbourne, so in terms of psychological approach, is one better than the other and technically?

DARIA KASATKINA: To be honest, I don't have preference in this match because, let's say, their style of game, it's very similar. They have big serves, they hit.

And, I mean, Madison, now she's playing good, she's winning matches and this year she's playing really good. Veronika as well, she's making good season.

So everyone wants to win, especially in quarters, and it's not going to be easy match either way. So I mean, it doesn't matter. We cannot choose, it's like parents, we cannot choose the opponents (laughing).

Q. You've said that you enjoy eating and sweet things, you have a sweet tooth. So how well are you behaving yourself this week at Roland Garros? Are you only eating healthy foods or are you allowed to treat yourself?

DARIA KASATKINA: Of course I have to treat myself, especially if I am playing good. But I'm a little bit from the sweet stuff on to the salty stuff.

So the day when I, the previous, after the previous match, I took a French fries, it was amazing, from McDonald's, it was so good. I love chips as well.

No, I love sweets, but now a little bit less and, yeah, I love to treat myself this way.

Q. You said before that you hope you're more mature than in the past. In what ways are you more mature and in what ways are you maybe not more mature?

DARIA KASATKINA: Why are you asking me this? (Laughing) I want to say I've become much more mature and that's it. Not thinking how exactly.

But as I said, with the decisions on the court, with my time management off the court as well I'm trying to be more focused on what I'm doing, what is important, not the kid bullshit, let's say. And that's it, because it's very tough to keep the focus and it's very easy to lose it. So I'm working a lot to be more focused on my job.

Q. What about you and Kudermetova, you said you played many times when you were kids, juniors or whatever. Can you tell us, are you also friends or not friends or just competitors, you get along together or not and what do you remember of those juniors matches?

DARIA KASATKINA: Oh, well they have been a long time ago, let's say. We were on one team winning Billie Jean King Cup last year, so we have many good memories to share together.

Even before we played many Europe championships together because we're same age, so we have a lot of memories to share.

We will see, maybe we will have one more, playing quarters at Roland Garros, I think it's a very nice moment.