WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 20, 2022

Petra Kvitova

Press Conference

P. KVITOVA/M. Keys

6-7, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk through the match and your thoughts of how you were able to come back in the second?

PETRA KVITOVA: I have no idea how I came back. In the beginning of the match I lost my serve like with the three double faults, and it wasn't really good.

Sometimes it's happen, like one weak game, it can happen. But with Madison, it's a bit tough when she is serving very well.

But I came back somehow, and the tiebreak was just very, very close. She played great those points over there. I know that we always having battles, like three sets. You know, I was still like try to mentally still be there and waited maybe for some chance.

I think I find a little bit better on the return as well. So I just stayed there and tried to play until the end of every point what I could. That's probably how it seems afterwards, it was an incredible battle.

I have to say Madison played really great match. Yeah, it was really, really tight one.

Q. You survived match point in the first round. You have overcome a lot this week. How are you feeling now physically? You have really had to battle in a lot of matches.

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, if I know this after first round, I would be pretty surprised. I think the first round I wasn't really playing the best. In the third set I found my rhythm.

But yeah, obviously being match point down, it's tough. But on the other hand, I think it's can happen and the player is just playing better in the week and going really deeper in the tournament.

Was funny, because I played Ons and she saved some match points, as well. It was a nice battle of the third round to play, both of us saving match points.

Yeah, sometimes it's can happen. It's like a second chance or that you are almost been gone and now you are still here and playing in the draw.

Yeah, I'm glad that this happened to me. I don't think that it's ever happened to me, so actually, that's nice to have this experience even in my age (smiling).

Q. You mentioned your age, but this is your 40th WTA final. You have obviously been through many, many things, on court and off. What does this moment mean to you? Especially earlier this year I think you were struggling to kind of find your way and find your motivation.

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I think that this is very special about the tennis, that every week you have a new chance to do well.

In Toronto I was, like, Oh, my God, I played so bad. I couldn't really fight, couldn't find the rhythm, and suddenly now playing in the final. I think it's really, really close -- especially in my career, especially in the season as well.

Yeah, I had some injuries. I wasn't really easy all the season so far, so I'm really happy to experience another final, first time in Cincy. Yeah, finally I made it. I had chances even in the previous years, but finally, yeah, it's here.

Q. You were quite emotional after the match. I'm just kind of wondering what was going on in your mind as you were sitting there and soaking it in?

PETRA KVITOVA: I think I'm quite emotional person sometimes, as well. It definitely was happy tears. Kind of relief as well, probably. Even during the match I was telling myself that I have to be strong mentally no matter what, because there is just one ball which you have to win, and that's making the whole match afterward.

Yeah, it was few points like this, unfortunately even when I was 40-Love down on my serve. So for sure it was a couple of moments when it was really, really tight. And, yeah, I think it was just the emotions going out of me at that moment. Yeah, I'm looking forward for tomorrow.

Q. In terms of the match, you talked about the Love-40 game late in the third set, and then obviously Madison trying to fight back from the 15-40 when she was down in the final game. When you play her, and especially today I don't think there were too many actual unforced errors from both of you, it was very clean, what is it like to spend two-and-a-half hours playing with such little margin, knowing that every ball, every instance could determine the match?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, it was the emotions afterwards, too, to explain your question. It's terrible. I don't think that I experience so many matches like this, to be honest. Of course in like deeper in the tournament, you have this kind of stuff, but, I mean, we didn't really miss, as you mentioned. We have to serve well. Even we were -- then the return.

It was really like I don't think that both of us did anything badly in the end. So it's, yeah, sometimes you have some weak spots, but not today, either of us.

I told Madison she was playing so great today. Yeah, I think that today deserves both win.

Q. Could I ask you first about Caroline? She won the first set. She's had such a great last few months. You have played her many times before, have been on both sides. What challenge does she offer, especially when she is playing her best tennis?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I know when she's on fire she's really on fire (smiling). That's probably will be same tomorrow.

Yeah, we played many times. I think I lost in Beijing or Wuhan or somewhere in the final or semifinal when she was really, like, playing so great. I think she is kind of aggressive player as me or Madison. She is really serving well and going for every shot.

I saw her yesterday playing Jessica. For the second serve she was standing like one meter inside of the court. I was, like, Okay, that's interesting.

Yeah, so it will be mentally tough, as well. I will be like very, very focusing on the serve and just try to wait for some chance if that comes.

Yeah, we will see. It will be fine. It's always, you know, a bit different, I think, in any round of the tournament. It will be fun one, for sure. It will be big hitting, tomorrow. And Aryna, actually.

Q. If it is Aryna, if she comes back, yeah, another big banger.

PETRA KVITOVA: Doesn't matter actually what I think. It's same. She's not standing one meter inside the court, but she is very big hitter as well. I know sometimes she's struggling with the serve, but in the end, when she need it, she is serving. So doesn't really matter.

She's a really big hitter, as well. It's very similar game to Caroline. Yeah, it will be very, very similar. It will be about the serves, for sure.

Q. You have talked about I think at Eastbourne, for example, not taking it for granted, these titles at this point in your career. How different does it feel then going into -- you've made a bunch of WTA 1000 finals before, here is another one, but does this feel different?

PETRA KVITOVA: It feels different because it's for the first time in Cincinnati, so that's very, very different (smiling).

As I mentioned earlier, this is not my favorite tournament, but somehow I'm playing well here. That's weird, but that can happen obviously. Like me, anything can happen.

So this is very special, to be honest. I was going to the match today, and I was telling myself that I have never been here in the final.

So in my career, as you mentioned, I had many, many finals but never here. So finally it's here. Actually, who knows how it will end tomorrow, but this is already big step for me. I already won at Eastbourne this year, so with the trophies, I'm really actually good.

Yeah, we'll see what will happen. But really looking forward. This is great. Yeah, Toronto didn't go well, so this is really new chance, and we'll see.