AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2023

Karolina Pliskova

Press Conference

K. PLISKOVA/Zhang Shuai

6-0, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on the win. A couple of contrasting sets today. Talk us through the match, the result.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I think overall today was quite solid, especially the first set. I felt like I was dominating from the baseline. I was really good. I had many free points on the serve. I saw the stats, hitting many winners from of the baseline, just not that many mistakes.

I think I played a good match today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Welcome back to the quarterfinals. Can you just talk a little bit about your progression through the tournament game-wise from when you began your first-round match to now. It seems, like you said, in your performance today, things seemed to be really clicking.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I mean, but I said already before. But, of course, the result were different compared to my feeling. I was feeling quite well since I came actually to Australia. Even in Adelaide I had couple matches, but I thought I was really playing some good tennis. Of course playing some tough opponents. I didn't really have that many wins, but I thought the game is actually there.

And the timing, sometimes you just feel it. You feel you hitting clean. That's what was happening for the last, like, two, three weeks.

Of course, something different is later in the Grand Slam. The matches, I feel like I'm always a bit more focused on a slam, of course.

But lately I think all the matches which I've played here, I played quite solid, not with big gaps of, like, not having that focus there or too many mistakes.

I think the serve was really working for me well in these matches. I think this is so far the best match what I played here definitely, especially the first set. Yeah, the conditions are great. I'm feeling the ball quite well, so happy for that.

Q. In terms of the second week at a slam, I think you're the most experienced in the second week of all the players that are left. What makes a second week different? Do you notice yourself narrowing your focus?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I mean, of course it's like two tournaments because the first one is, like, so many people around. You just may be a bit more nervous. You just want to make it a lot to the second week. Of course, you're playing a bit different players. The first rounds are not the best matches of the tournament.

Later you go, of course you're playing tougher opponents. No matter which ranking they are, of course they also got there. They had these matches so they can play quite well, no matter the names.

Yeah, I mean, it can help, the experience, but also I feel like there are so many young girls or girls which they never been there. They can also feel a bit more free without the pressure, like nobody expect them to actually be there. They just happy for that. I think it can be anything.

But, of course, I think the experience from the second week can be a bit helpful.

Q. The concept of being in the zone. Tennis players talk about it, whether it's a singular match or stretch of matches. What does that feel like, look like to you?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Honestly, I don't know. I feel like I was never, like, in the zone. Of course, there are some moments where you just feel like, even let's say today the first set, there was couple points where I felt like maybe normally I would miss this, and everything goes a little bit your way, which was happening the first set.

Still there is also the opponent. There are so many things going on. Of course, if you can get to this flow... It's so tough to somehow find it. It has to be, like, too many things going your way, maybe the opponent, the game, the weather that day, the feeling. It's quite difficult to find it.

I mean, of course, it's possible. Then you just don't think, you just play. Whatever comes to you, you just play. Of course, it's a nice feeling.

Q. 12 months ago you were in a cast. Last year was tricky in terms of getting the rhythm. How does it feel 12 months on to be back in the quarterfinals of a major?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I mean, of course amazing just to be here because I was really, really sad last year that I missed especially this part of the season.

Yeah, I felt like, as I said, already last year, the second part of the year started to be much better. It just took me some while because I also started pretty much still with the pain. I was not 100% ready when I started to play. Then of course was clay, grass, no points, a bit of a rough start last year. I felt like lately I was finding my game.

Now, yeah, I continue kind of playing how I was playing in the U.S. swing. Happy again to be in the quarterfinals second slam in a row.

Q. Magda Linette next. What do you make of that matchup?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, of course, I don't want to say it's a good draw. But if you look at the ranking, of course. Also I think it's her first quarters, right?

I have to say, I watch her a little bit this week. But I think she's really playing good tennis. I don't want to take it like a good draw, just to go there, Okay, it's going to be fine, I'm just going to win this match.

I played her now, like the last couple months I played her two times. I won really close match in U.S. Open first round, 7-6 in the third. Quite lucky. Then I lost at the Fed Cup.

I think she really improved her game a lot. She start to believe. Of course you can see that. She's a fighter, playing really good game from the baseline. I just can't give her the time and that game what she wants to play.

If I play like I played today, I think it's tough for anybody to compete with that. If I serve well, of course I should be better on the serve, but it's not going to be easy.

Q. What do you make of the draw? Quarterfinals aren't set, there's one more match to go. With the quarterfinalists that are left, what do you make of the players who are left?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, what I think about them?

Q. In terms of does it surprise you who's remaining in the tournament?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No. I don't really, like, take anything. I know people are always, like, shocked that she lost and she lost. I mean, it's a sport, so everything is possible. There's no surprises for me that she's in the draw and she's not there. Every day is different.

I feel like these days, these last couple years actually, there is not just top 20 tough opponents. There is like 150 tough opponents. If you're just not there completely that day, you can lose. I'm not shocked with any of the names there.

Of course, I think Sabalenka is a big favorite of this half, especially getting the title. I feel like she's playing quite good tennis lately. She's always going to be tough because she has a big game. I think, of course, she should be there.

Then the rest, I mean, Pegula, I think she's playing great tennis. I'm happy she's in the other part of the draw.

Yeah, I've been watching some tennis, so I saw everybody playing, like, a little bit. I think everybody's there because they played good these two weeks.