DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 23, 2023

Barbora Krejcikova

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

B. KREJCIKOVA/A. Sabalenka

0-6, 7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Incredible comeback tonight. What changed after the first set for you and what did you change in your game?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, thank you. I was just fighting. There's not really much you can change because she plays well, she serves well, she hits really hard. I was just trying to get to her pace, just try to, I don't know, maybe be little more aggressive because otherwise, I mean, it's difficult, it's difficult to do something else.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was going on in your mind when you were 3-1 down in the second set?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Just go for it, just fight, just don't leave without fight. I felt that I'm going to get some chances, that in every single match you get a chance.

I just felt like just keep going, keep try to play your game, wait for the chance, then just try to convert it.

Q. When did you think that chance came?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, yeah, I mean, in the middle of the second set where -- well, I don't know exactly how it was (smiling). I think I broke her at some point.

I think from there I just loosen up a little bit more. I just started to feel my shots a little bit better. I felt that, like, that I was getting in control.

Q. When you go up against the No. 2 seed, she hasn't lost a match all year, what are your thoughts coming into a match like this?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think I just came with the strategy, I was trying to put the strategy that we spoke about with my coach. I mean, at the beginning it wasn't really working. I just felt like keep going, yeah, just try to do your best.

I mean, it's another match. It's another match. She's great. I was watching the Australian Open final. She was playing amazing. I expected it's going to be really difficult.

But then also, on the other hand, I felt like I have a belief that I can play with these girls, with the best ones. I also believe that I can beat them.

I was just looking for the chance.

Q. Jessica next. Can you talk about your next match, semifinals against Jessica.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: They don't play?

Q. No.

THE MODERATOR: Muchova withdrew.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Oh.

I played her couple weeks ago. Yeah, I mean, I'm looking forward for the revenge because in Australia I lost to her. I mean, I definitely want to just go there again and just enjoy the match, just fight for every single ball. If I'm able to do that, I think I definitely have a chance.

Q. Regarding the consistency at the top of the women's game, seems to be different now than two or three years ago. After Serena, in the top, there was not really that consistency. Now you can see it with Swiatek, Rybakina, Sabalenka.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I mean, why do you need consistency? There's so many good players. We are all of us, I mean, every single week one of is playing better than the rest of the field. Then the next week, the next one gets - how to say it? I don't know how to say it, I'm sorry.

I mean, like, when I see players playing this well, it just gives me extra power, extra thing, because I feel if they can do it, why I cannot do it? I think it motivates you. I think it motivates the other girls.

As you're saying, maybe there wasn't that much consistency in the last couple years. I feel like we are just very close. Each of us can beat anybody. I mean, that's how it is.

I also find it really, really interesting that it's not, like, boring, not the same person winning all the time - unless Iga last year, she was winning everything, but that was for four months. So let's see (smiling).

Q. Obviously Aryna just won her first Grand Slam. You're a Grand Slam champion as well. Can you talk about the first few months after you won your first Grand Slam, how difficult was it to make the adjustments?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: For me, it wasn't very difficult. Everything came really fast. I mean, 10 days after I won French Open, I went directly to Wimbledon. I was playing again. I had to focus. I didn't want to lose in the first round. I had to stay focused.

I was just working still very hard. I was trying to understand what happened and how it happened because, I mean, it was a fairy tale. It came out of nowhere. Nobody expected. I think I was actually playing well, yeah.

Q. You have been so successful with your doubles game, won all the Grand Slams. How important is that success in your singles?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think the doubles is definitely helping me. I mean, I like to play doubles. I like to play matches. I feel it's my big strength, that I love to play matches.

I mean, the doubles, it's a difficult competition. I have a lot of fun there. I mean, I can work on different shots and I can do different stuff. Like, if I have this opportunity, I can also just put the new things in a singles maybe a little better, a little more, because I have more matches.

Q. I want to ask you about Sania. What do you think she brought to the doubles game?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I mean, when I was starting, I have to be honest, she was there, I think maybe she was No. 1 at this moment. She was playing with Hingis back then. I mean, they've been winning everything together.

She was really a player in doubles that I was, like, looking up to because she was just playing well, hitting really hard. She had a really good court coverage. I mean, she knows how to play all the shots. I don't really have to mention that.

Also, to be honest, off the court she was always very nice. It was really nice to looking what she's doing in the locker room, how she's acting. She was kind of like really nice person, really good role model for the younger players, especially me.

Yeah, I mean, it's sad that she is finishing. But, yeah, everybody's going to finish at some point. I mean, I'm definitely going to miss her on the tour.