WTA FINALS

October 29, 2022

Barbora Krejcikova

Katerina Siniakova

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to Texas. How do you feel being here as defending champions?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Very good.

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: Thank you (laughter). Nice to be here.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Yeah, it's the first time for us in Texas. We've never been here.

I mean, for me, so far I really like it. I experienced some of the traditional stuff here already. So I think it was a very nice experience.

I mean, I'm really looking forward for the tournament to start. I believe we are going to do well.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Katerina, you had a bit of a rush to get here from Tampico. What was that like in terms of that travel day? Do you still feel rushed, or are you settled into Fort Worth now?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: No, I feel pretty good. I mean, the rushing was just to make me beautiful (laughter).

No, I mean, I feel good and ready. Now it feels really calm, so... It's good.

Q. You're both relatively rare examples of players who have had success in singles who also play doubles regularly and have had a lot of success in doubles. Would you like to see more players do both? Do you think that might bring more attention to doubles? Are you okay with the way it is? Why do you think there aren't more who do both in a serious way?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I actually think there are many players, especially this year, in the competition. From what I counted, there are, like, more than seven players that are playing singles and doubles regularly on the tour. I think it's already happening. I think it's already changing.

I think it's really good for both competitions because both categories are different. Singles and doubles, it's a totally different sport. I believe it will get some more attention from the fans as well.

I think it's a really, like, big, big step forward.

Q. Do you have any thoughts?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: I think Barbora said pretty everything.

But, yeah, I would say same. A lot of players playing singles and doubles. We can see it here. It's really nice and improving. Yeah, we just agree with Barbora.

Q. What do you like about Texas so far?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: I didn't really look around a lot, so I will wait with the answer.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: So I experienced quite a few stuff, I would say. Went to see the line dancing, which I really liked, in the hat and the shoes. This is something I really like. I'm definitely going to go there again and maybe try it, maybe try to learn some moves.

Then I went for a Texas barbecue. It was a really, really nice experience as well because I love to eat. There was a lot of food out there. I mean, not really healthy, but I did it at the beginning of the week, so it's fine.

Then the last thing that I had the opportunity to visit was the university, the TCU here. I've seen a little bit of the campus. I was really surprised how big it is and how equipped it is and how many sports they are doing and what kind of athletes are there.

I'm really surprised because, like, I don't think that there is something like this in Europe. I have a feeling that here in every big city there is a university like this.

I was really nicely surprised. Yeah, I mean, I hope there's going to be still one more week to go and I will have a chance to experience something else.

Q. Did you get a cowboy hat or pair of boots?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Not yet. I would love to get one, but not yet. I was trying to get somewhere, but so far nobody took me somewhere. I think I really have to, yeah, talk to somebody on the team to get me to the shop (laughter).

Q. In terms of trying to effectively defend this title, a tough title to win back to back for either singles or doubles players. Why do you think that it is? What makes it particularly tricky winning the WTA Finals?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: I would say because, firstly, you need to qualify. I mean, the season every year is different. It's long. You need to be really good to qualify. That's I would say the first impression.

Of course, now I would say big every year is in different spot, so you are not used to it. You kind of feel every time different.

But, anyway, the groups and everything, it's just making you feel different. So I would say that's why it's hard. But I'm really, really happy that we are back, and we will try to defend the title.

Q. I'd like to ask both of you, in singles or doubles, is there anything you ever try to learn from or copy from, steal from another player in terms of either a tactic or a certain still or kind of a shot?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I mean, it's difficult to say like this, if you are trying to copy somebody with the different shots. I think, like, each of us, we want to improve every single day we step on the court.

I wouldn't really say it's, like, yeah, that we are trying to steal some kind of a shot. I mean, for sure I would like to have maybe Serena's serve or something.

But I don't think that I would just try to, like, copy it or something. I mean, I just try to improve the way I can. I don't know how to say it in English.

I'm just trying to, yeah, improve just my shots, just to get it better, to constantly keep improving, so yeah.

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: Yes, I would say that if you're watching anyway, you are not really copying because anyway when you are on the court, you just use also your feelings. Not everything you can do.

I will again agree to Barbora. You kind of try to improve yourself, like your personalities. Everyone is different player, so I don't also find anything I would really, like, copy.

Q. How many racquets do you go through in a tournament or in a month? How many do you use or bring to a tournament with you to be prepared?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: I usually travel with five racquets. So all over the year I am changing them. The question is how many I broke or how many I changed just because I wanted (laughing).

I would say for year I am switching them, so I would use, like, 12 or 15.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I'm trying not to break any racquets. So far I was good in it (laughter).

But normally, yeah, same as Katka, I travel with five. Here I only have four because when we won the US Open, there was, like, yeah, I think a little kid that asked me for the racquet, so I sign it and I give it to him or her. I don't remember right now. That's how I got rid of one of my racquets. It happens.