BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 8, 2022

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova

Team Slovakia

Emirates Arena

Press Conference

A. TOMLJANOVIC/A. Schmiedlova

6-1, 6-2

Team Australia - 2

Team Slovakia - 0

THE MODERATOR: Tomljanovic was here before you, and she said despite the score, she didn't feel it was that easy, that you were fighting hard. Did you see it like that, as well?

ANNA KAROLINA SCHMIEDLOVA: Well, yeah, there were games where we are really close. I had many chances to maybe at least had closer score or maybe few more games.

But she's really great player. She has really great season this year. I feel that she's better on court today or also she's better player this year, for sure, than me.

But I could at least maybe fight a little more or maybe play better at the beginning so she wouldn't be leading all the time, maybe it would be a little bit different.

I felt maybe better in the second set I could win couple more games. I had many times 40-15 that I didn't win those games, so it could be better from my side, but at least I did my best.

Well, it wasn't enough, but, well, I tried.

THE MODERATOR: Especially during the first set when you were fighting, I know you were closer in the score, you were missing just by millimeters. Was it because you felt like she was pushing hard and you had to push back, or were you not feeling so comfortable on court?

ANNA KAROLINA SCHMIEDLOVA: Yeah, well, it's like I think both things that you said. Maybe if I believed more that I could win against Ajla, or maybe it's also if it would be closer in score, that maybe if it would be like 3-All in second set it might be a little different, or if I, in the first set, if I wouldn't be losing all the time that it might be different.

Yeah, I wouldn't say it's unlucky, or it was really close some points or some rallies, but at the end, well, as I said, she was better today and I tried my best, but it's not enough.

THE MODERATOR: Although this is a defeat for Slovakia, you still have Belgium ahead tomorrow. How do you see that one? Do you feel like Slovakia still has chances to get through?

ANNA KAROLINA SCHMIEDLOVA: Yeah, definitely we can still surprise. We will see who we will play from Belgium. They are a very strong team.

Well, at least we like warm up today. We will try to do a better job tomorrow and to play better maybe a little bit. And we will see.

I don't know who I will play against, so that also depends. I played I think almost against all players from the team and had many close matches. So I know them, and I will do my best if I will play, and that's the only thing I can do.