ROTHESAY INTERNATIONAL

July 1, 2023

Daria Kasatkina

Devonshire Park

Press Conference

M. KEYS/D. Kasatkina

6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Dasha, obviously not the result you would have wanted today, but it was a really tough second set. Just talk us through how you thought you played and also how Maddie played today.

DARIA KASATKINA: Yeah, well, it was a tough match. At the end, I mean, Maddie, she played a great match, I think. She was very consistent today. Even though it was very windy, and the conditions were tough, she was still playing good.

I'm happy that I was able to came back and, you know, make her uncomfortable in the second set. Yeah, I mean, of course not the result I wanted, but at the end was a good week and ready to go to London.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Have you ever had so many calls go against you with let cords?

DARIA KASATKINA: No. I want a report, actually (smiling). No, honestly, I mean, the whole week I was getting like five, six net rolls every single match, and today was like the most one.

Actually, many, I mean, everyone is noticing that the WTA net, it's very soft. So wherever the ball touching the tape, it's a net roll. If you can see, for example, the net of ATP, it's very tight. I mean, if the ball is in the net, it's in the net. And I think that's should be the thing.

Yeah, definitely need to make the net tighter, I guess. And I'm not joking, because it's been going for a long time.

Q. Looks a little bit sort of one way and difficult the first set, but you must be really pleased with the way, because Madison was hitting her shots really hard, wasn't she, and her serves? You must be pleased with the way you turned it around and mixed it up in the second set?

DARIA KASATKINA: Yeah. Well, of course what I could do today was wait for my moment, wait for my chance, and at the end I did it. I was very close to win a second set. I mean, we had incredible dramatic tiebreak.

Yeah, at the end I was very close to take the match to the third set. Didn't happen. I mean, on grass with these conditions, with the wind, anything can happen.

But, yeah, I'm happy that I was able to stay on the court even being so much down in the score. Still I was able to fight and find solutions for the match.

Q. Just playing Madison, I know it was difficult today with the wind, it wasn't normal conditions. But are you perhaps surprised she's just got one quarterfinal at Wimbledon? Do you think she has the game to do really well at Wimbledon?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, I'm actually she's surprised she's not top 10. I mean, she, yeah, as I said before, she got all the strokes. Naturally she's very powerful. She got all the strokes. I mean, very aggressive forehand, backhand, good movement. Serve is the serve of the man.

I mean, definitely she can go far. Not just at Wimbledon but on the other tournaments, for sure.

Q. There was a lot of love for you out there on court. Did you feel that, that there was a real warmth from the crowd for you?

DARIA KASATKINA: Yeah. I felt, of course, and I mean, I mean, it feels great to be loved by the crowd. Doesn't happen often, so yeah, these moments I appreciate a lot. I mean, the whole week the crowd was just amazing on the high level. It's a pleasure to play in front of the crowd like that.

Q. The conditions, today was quite windy. Did you find it more difficult today than in previous matches?

DARIA KASATKINA: It's windy since Monday, so it's windy every day (smiling). But today I think was the wildest day, to be honest.

Yeah, it makes it very difficult for everyone. Then it's just, you know, at the end is about the skill and a way to try to put the ball inside the court in these conditions, which is, I mean, very tough. It's difficult to build up the points. It's difficult to predict where the ball will go and how it will come up to you.

So yeah, you have to be focused every second to see how the situation is gonna turn around. Yeah, it's difficult and especially here in Eastbourne, because it's, you know, it's on the sea so it's very windy. Yes, and it's difficult.

I mean, most of the sport they are playing indoors, so they don't got this nice thing to play with, but we have to accept it and sometimes it happen and we have to go with it.

Q. Just going into Wimbledon next week now, how do you feel about your game like on grass? Obviously you were in the final.

DARIA KASATKINA: It feels good. I just reached the final and playing very good I think the whole week. Yeah, going with a positive vibe there and ready to play on Monday already.