US OPEN

August 30, 2022

Petra Kvitova

Press Conference

P. KVITOVA/E. Andreeva

7-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Can you just give us your thoughts on the two sets and how you thought you played in your first-round match.

PETRA KVITOVA: Oh, well, definitely second set was better (smiling). Yeah, I think I started not really the best. I was pretty nervous, pretty tight, and I wasn't really loose to play my game, to play kind of fearless and just go for it. I think it's kind of normal for the first-round matches.

And I think she mostly came with nothing to lose, just hit the balls, she didn't miss, she was running side to side like a very good mover.

Yeah, it's took me a while to get back, and I had to fight back with the break down, but I made it. So I'm very happy that I was turning around the first set and obviously won the whole match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I'm curious, for you at this point in your career, what's the biggest drive and motivation to play?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, sometimes I questioning myself as well about it. Yeah, I think it's kind of tough, but when I play, and when I'm in the match and I'm fighting, that's something which I love, actually, and that's the thing which still keep me still going.

I don't think it's really motivation, to be honest, but it's just really enjoying tennis. Like since I have been kid, I just love it, and I always fight very hard on the court, that's what my father really teach me well, I think.

Yeah, that's something which it's always bringing me something special for myself. Yeah, I just like the fight (smiling).

Q. In terms of after Cincinnati, how much did you leave the racquets down? How much practicing did you do kind of to get ready for this event? Once you started to hit on these courts, did you find that they were very familiar, given how the courts were playing in Cincy?

PETRA KVITOVA: I think it's many players have been asked about the courts here. I think the courts are fine. Just the balls are different, I think. They are not really flying as I would love to, but actually today was fine.

But from the first feel, yeah, it wasn't just really going. It was sometimes really like dead. So that's different compared to Cincinnati, for sure.

After Cincy, I had like three days off, which we spent in Hampton. We had just one easy practice over there and then on Thursday we came here. Since then I'm hitting actually, except Saturday when I had a day off. So that was the best day.

Yeah, I think I'm going to hit even tomorrow. Yeah.

Q. Why?

PETRA KVITOVA: I mean, I don't know why. No, I know why. I have to keep my arm still in use, that it's not, you know, big differences then. Then it's swollen again.

So I still have to kind of keep going, unfortunately, yeah.

Q. There are a lot of young Czech girls coming. The pipeline continues to produce amazing talents. I'm curious for you, is there anyone in particular that stands out to you from the younger generation of girls coming up?

PETRA KVITOVA: Wow, I should say everybody. Well, I think about Linda, I know pretty long time already, because she was practicing in the same club. So that's what I really knew even before, I mean Fruhvirtova. There is Linda Noskova, right? So she's kind of new for me, to be honest. I just kind of started to watch her a little bit from French Open when she had the amazing run, and she played great match with Raducanu.

Yeah, I don't really know Bejlek so far. I think she's lefty, right? There is something in the water probably. But, yeah, she's not that tall yet, so that's different.

But I think that all of them are very, very talented, very young, already play the main draw. Yeah, it's very promising future.

Q. When your career spans different generations and the people who are closer to your age, some of them have retired, they are on their way out, does it affect you mentally being on tour and feeling, okay, the familiar faces are not around?

PETRA KVITOVA: I'm old? That's what you meant (smiling)?

Q. No, but my friends are not around or even if they are not your friends...

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I think it's a bit tougher, and sometimes, like, when Barbora Strycova said that she's finishing in the Fed Cup that year, and was pretty sad because Lucie Safarova did the same.

I was like, Oh, my God, who is still with me here? That was pretty sad, actually, because we spent a lot of time not only in the Fed Cup but even in the locker room -- or Magdalena Rybarikova when she was still playing.

Yeah, my generation kind of going. So it is a bit tough, but I think I'm one of the oldest, for sure. So, yeah. I have to keep going still. The young ones are there. They are making tough and tough for us. So, yeah.

Q. Just kind of a weird US Open hypothetical question, which is obviously during the day it's hot and humidity.

PETRA KVITOVA: Very hot.

Q. And you don't like that, I know.

PETRA KVITOVA: No.

Q. But the ball is a little bit faster, conditions are a little bit faster. In the evening and even right now as the sun goes down, there is a lot of wind. At night everything slows down a little bit more. What is your preferred condition in New York?

PETRA KVITOVA: I think it was already starting to be windy in the second set of the match already, and I was surprised, because when I had this warmup this morning, it was no wind at all. Then slowly it came out. Which I think I'm okay with the wind. Overall in Doha it's a lot of wind. You know, that's always telling myself that I know how to play in wind.

I think I like more cooler overall, for sure. But of course it's slowing down a little bit. But still, tough to say, but I think it's better for me a little bit later to play than in humidity.

I think the heat rule was in today.

Q. Was it?

PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah.