THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2023

Daria Kasatkina

Press Conference

D. KASATKINA/J. Burrage

6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congratulations today. How difficult was it playing an opponent from Britain with the crowd situation? How pleased were you with the reception you got at the end, which was a very warm one?

DARIA KASATKINA: Yeah, first of all, I'm really thankful for, I mean, the warm welcome in central court in UK, in general. Really enjoying being here and happy to be back.

Considering the match, well, I think it was more difficult for her today to handle this pressure. You know, I completely understand playing at home, playing on the central court, like, at Wimbledon, especially, it's a lot of pressure.

You could see the beginning was very difficult for her to handle it. I also was very nervous, to be honest, because the atmosphere in the central court, it's electric. You can't prepare for that, and this is how I felt entering the court.

It's very difficult. Yeah, let's say I managed a little bit better but also it was less pressure for me today. In the end, I'm happy that from my side I could able to handle it.

Q. Having played the finals at Eastbourne International and today playing so dominantly, could you tell us something about your confidence level, please.

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, of course playing, I mean, playing finals the week before a slam, in general, playing finals, it gives you confidence. I mean, it's very nice, but also, it's a bit tiring physically to go, you know, from spending the whole week on court, going to play Grand Slam and playing the first day.

It was not easy challenge, but I handle it. I mean, of course, mentally I feel good playing, I mean, a lot of matches and to be very competitive always gives you confidence.

Yeah, already I play two matches here. I'm lucky to have, like, the good schedule and to, you know, have a day off after every match. So I think one of the luckiest players in circumstances which we have this year at Wimbledon.

Yeah, so now just I think I'm on the good path.

Q. It's been a roller coaster of a year. Does that somehow affect your tennis, or is it maybe a relief or stressful or both?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, you know, life in general, it's a roller coaster. So you have to accept it and trying to, you know, play with these rules.

Yeah, I had difficult moments this year on court and outside of the court. Now I think I am a bit more balanced in this way and really happy being on the court, happy being outside of the court, which is, I mean, in general two very important things.

Yeah, just, you know, trying to be better and better every day, just to be better version of myself without, you know, comparing -- I'm trying really hard not to compare myself to the others. As I said, competing only just with myself.

Q. Sometimes it takes a while for a player to get used to a new racquet. You changed your racquet last season. I was just wondering how you feel with this new tool, if you believe you have completed the transition period.

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, to be honest, I didn't take a day. Honestly, I was changing the racquet, and I had a blind testing, to be honest. Not to be, you know, to have some borders in my head.

So I had a blind testing. As soon as I tried this Artengo racquet, I just straightaway I knew that this is the racquet and didn't, honestly didn't take a lot of time. I start to play with that straightaway, and was working pretty well, so I'm really happy with that.

Q. A lot of talk in the last couple of weeks about the tennis tours maybe having some financial involvement with Saudi Arabia or maybe having tournaments in Saudi Arabia in the future, a country that has bad human rights record, problems with women's rights. What do you think about the idea of having to play in Saudi Arabia if that came about?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, yes, a tough condition. Many issues concerning this country. Honestly, tough to talk about. Of course it's easier -- and also they are talking with ATP. It's easier for the men because they feel pretty good there, let's say. We don't feel the same way.

So it's going to be, let's say, money talks in our world right now. For me, I don't think that everything is about the money. Unfortunately not everything is dependent just on us, and particularly me, for example.

So it's in the hands of the bigger people, unfortunately. So as I said, unfortunately now in the world money talks and take very big part. Also, as Nick Kyrgios said, he would be so happy to go there just for a big check. For me, money is not No. 1, No. 1 priority in this case, for sure.

Q. Do you keep an eye on Anett Kontaveit's result today? What do you think about her retirement?

DARIA KASATKINA: Super sad. Honestly, for me it was a surprise. Yeah, I feel really sad about it, because Anett is one of my, like, big friends on tour. Knowing that she's going to finish quite early, considering the age, she's gonna finish quite early, it's, I would say, breaking my heart. I was really disappointed with that.

But I understand that health always come first. If she just, I mean, if she feels that she cannot push more, of course she, for sure, was a very tough decision for her.

It's gonna be just -- it's very sad when the career is ending like that, because of the something, because the person, you know, got enough, but just because of health, health is not allowing you to do that.

But, yeah, unfortunately it's the last tournament for Anett. We are not going to play doubles anymore, unfortunately.

But I'm pretty sure Anett, she's gonna be happy person in life. She got so many interests. She's very interesting person, and I think she will find her place, for sure.

Q. You mentioned a few minutes ago that you feel a bit more kind of balanced, I think was the word that you used. Is this something that you have sort of actively done to get to that point, or is it just time has kind of helped you?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, to be honest, it's a very difficult scale, you know, to stay stable on the scale, it's very difficult.

I have been going through tough times before and not long time ago, and just, as I said, life is like a roller coaster. You never know what is around the corner.

But for the moment, I think I found my routines, and I'm happy with the way, you know, I'm building my days, my routines, my, like, schedule. So it's everything. These things are very important and it helps me a lot.

Also, I mean, the balance in life, I'm really appreciating the people who is around me. I mean, they are just the best people and taking care of me. We are, I mean, we have good contact with each other.

All these things, it's very important. Also, I think also the environment, the people around you, it's number one maybe, because they affect you a lot, so it's important to be around the right persons.

Q. Just a follow-up on the Anett question. She's 27 years old and retiring. You have someone like Anisimova, who's 21 years old and had to take a mental health break, Bianca was the same, Ash Barty retired at 25. Do you look at these worrying signs that something has to be explored? Why are younger people not handling things on the tour, whether mentally or physically, or do you see these as just isolated events and it's not an issue?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, of course every particular course is different. For example, the case of Anett, it's health issue. Here, you cannot do much.

I mean, it is what it is. With the mental part, I was always saying that mental health is very important, and you have to take care of it. Especially now in the world, the things which are going on in the world are crazy. Our generation, we are going through COVID, war, I mean, so many things. Plus we are so much in the media. I mean, i.e., everything is just, you know, taking so much energy. Taking your focus away.

It's difficult to accept the thing that the phones are, it's not helping. Social media, not helping. I mean, all these electronic things are not helping.

If you want to stay mentally healthy, you need to manage this, and you have to also work with the right people. Plus we got so much stress, of course. All this cocktail is just in one moment can just explode.

So this is what, I think, this is what happening to many players and many people in general. Because also we see a lot of young people that are experiencing many, like, mental issues and problems.

So I think unfortunately it's because of the, maybe sound like old person saying phones and Internet, but unfortunately, it's true. It is what it is.

Yeah, I think I'm trying to take care of it now, because in one moment the social media especially affected my head, so now I'm just trying to also take care of it, because it's really important. Now it's a big issue.