PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 16, 2024

Marketa Vondrousova

Press Conference

M. VONDROUSOVA/D. Vekic

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Marketa, a great performance out there. How did it feel on clay today?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, I mean, first match on clay, you know, it's always difficult, but yeah, I didn't play for a couple of weeks. I didn't know what to expect, but, I mean, overall, I'm very happy with my performance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Welcome back. Just how much training have you been able to have in preparation for the clay season? Typically, for you, how long does it take until you start to get comfortable on the clay?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I mean, here, it's a bit different, you know, with the clay stuff. But yeah, overall, I grew up on clay. I like clay. So for me I don't think it takes so much time.

But actually, I don't know, I practiced almost, like, four weeks or three weeks, so it was, like, it was enough for me. I was just I want to go to the tournament. I had enough (smiling).

Yeah, it was a great block of practice, actually.

Q. Speaking about the clay season, we always have, year after year, the situation where we have Stuttgart, which is one particular clay, and then we have Madrid where there is the altitude, and then there is Rome. How much time do you take to get used to all these different conditions? How helpful it can be going into Paris?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, I mean, I feel like every tournament is a bit different. You know, here and then Madrid, as you said. I feel like just Rome and Paris, they are, like, just typical clay and then we have two other tournaments that's a bit different.

But yeah, I mean, I think it's just, you know, you have to practice there for a couple of days, and then I think you just have to adjust, you know, in the match anyway. So there is nothing, I don't know, for me it's not so much about preparation. It's just going for the match and just, you know, just so many things.

Q. You obviously had the incredible high, winning Wimbledon last year, but you had some good results after that. I think US Open quarterfinals. But is it fair to say that this year didn't start so well in Australia? Just wondered if there was some difference in terms of how you were physically or mentally during the first few matches this year.

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, I mean, my offseason was actually very bad, so I think that was the reason. I think I went to Australia pretty, pretty soon for United Cup. Maybe I should just went for Adelaide.

Yeah, you know, you just have to learn these kind of stuff. I had so much stuff to do in Czech, you know, over offseason.

It was kind of difficult, I think, for my team, for me too. So I think we're gonna know now what to do and what don't, so yeah, I mean, you just have to learn and then, you know, just adjust and I think keep your space and keep your practice too.

Q. I'm trying to understand why was your offseason so bad?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Because, yeah, I had, like, so many things to do, and I also played Fed Cup, you know, so I finished, I don't know, in the middle of November and I had, I don't know, like, two weeks off and then I had to start again with fitness and then practice.

So I felt like, you know, I needed more time maybe without tennis. Yeah, then I went for United Cup, so it was kind of like, you know, so-so. So, yeah, I think I will learn from this and then, you know, do something differently.

Q. Do you need more time now for things not related to tennis because of your big title? Is the demand bigger for you now than it used to be?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, I think there is more things to do, but yeah, like anyway, I just want to keep my space and want to keep my tennis and my team around me.

So I think, you know, we're just getting used to it. I think we do better now than we did in the offseason. Yeah, I think it's important to learn this.

Q. Just a quick question about Iga, because she's spending her 100th week at No. 1. Wonder what you make of her as a No. 1 and what it's been like to have someone in the No. 1 spot for that long of a time?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, I mean, it's crazy. She's playing, I don't know, great tennis. You know, she's a great person too.

Just to see her coming also from, you know, from Poland and everything, it's great to see. I think she's a great example for all of us. And now clay is coming, so I think it's gonna be very scary (smiling).

Q. Olympics will be in France, in Paris, and it's very successful for you, this surface. Can you tell us if you plan to play doubles also in France?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, I mean, we have so many girls, and we also have now, you know, so many boys, so we have to decide. I think we're gonna talk actually with the girls, you know, what to do and who's gonna play with who.

Yeah, I think we'll see, but I'm planning to play, for sure, because, you know, it's Olympics. So I think everybody wants to play everything, so we'll see.

Q. A question about the clay and grass and et cetera. Is it still so important to you nowadays? Because you won on grass and you didn't ever think that you were going to be that successful on grass. Is it really ever a relevant point if you're playing grass or clay nowadays or is it just the same?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I mean, I grew up on clay, so for me it's easier, I think, to just adjust my game. Yeah, I mean, I didn't win many matches on grass before, and then I won the whole tournament, so it was kind of crazy.

Now I think I have to change, you know, my thinking about grass a bit (smiling). Yeah, I mean, now for me I think it's nice to know that you can play on everything, so that's a good thing.