PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 20, 2023

Karolina Pliskova

Press Conference

Ka. PLISKOVA/D. Vekic

6-2, 6-7, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Talk us through the match a little bit. It started off very well. A bit of a hiccup in the second set. Obviously a win in the third.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I thought I was especially serving well the first set. Then lost a little bit, couple points on my serve, my second serve. I thought she really stepped up the game a little bit later in the second set, but I think mainly it was because of me because I allow her to play her game, of course.

I thought the third set was quite good quality from both of us, of course holding the serves till the end, and then of course tiebreak in the third is always a little bit lucky. I was more lucky today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Was it easy in the end to manage nerves and emotions you were maybe feeling in those last few games?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, yes and no, because I have been in this situation many times, so it's nothing new to me. But of course you kind of get nervous every time, you know, you're there because you know it's a tiebreak, it's like just couple points, and then you cannot really afford to do some easy mistakes.

But I was thinking that, you know, hopefully I'm not gonna lose the two tiebreaks in a row and just waiting. I thought really she was playing quite on the edge of her game, so I thought, you know, she can maybe miss a bit here and there.

I thought I was more solid today, you know, from the baseline, so I just was waiting for a couple mistakes, and they came.

Q. Always considering maybe the mental aspect of the game, was it tough at the end of the second when she was serving up 6-3, I think, you won the next two points on the return, and then you lost another point on serve. Was it easy then to come back?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I mean, still it was a tiebreak. Of course things like this can happen. But I thought I was serving quite well, doing many points on the first serve.

I just came to the third set like with knowing that I have to hold my serve and then just wait for some mistakes and chances off her serve, which they didn't really come. I had just couple breakpoints, didn't make it. But, I mean, on a court like this, I think it's quite fast so you don't have many chances on the return unless like there is somebody who is not really serving well, which she was. So it was just about couple points here and there.

Q. Maybe you play Iga next. Do you have to adapt your game playing her? Because she's playing that heavy spin, and you have these flat strokes. Is it tough for you? Do you have to adapt that to control the ball?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah, I mean, of course I think she's maybe one of the toughest on clay, definitely, of course, winning Roland Garros two times. So of course I think on clay nobody really likes to play her, but these conditions I think they can be a little bit different because still is a little bit faster.

Let's see. I was practicing here with her once before the tournament. It was quite, let's say, okay practice. I know at least a little bit like what to expect. I'm gonna watch her match. It's gonna be her first match also this year on clay. It's like you never play the best match if it's like your first on that new surface. So let's see how she's gonna play.

I still, for me, that doesn't change. I still have to play my game. Maybe just adapt my position a little bit on the court but still to play aggressive. That's going to be the key.