THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2024

Donna Vekic

Press Conference

D. VEKIC/D. Yastremska

7-6, 6-7, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Tough match, but very good performance in the end. How are you feeling?

DONNA VEKIC: I'm a bit tired, but very happy to be in the fourth round. I thought it was a really good match today. Great comeback from me in the third set after losing the second having a match point, so really pleased with that.

Q. You had a match point in the second set and then lost a tiebreak. How did you pump yourself up for the third set? Obviously you came out firing on all cylinders.

DONNA VEKIC: You know, I had a really heartbreaking loss in the French Open losing in the third set tiebreak. So I thought to myself, There's no way you're losing today, you cannot go out two slams in a row with a heart break.

It's not over yet, but hopefully I won't. I was just really in the zone from the beginning of the third set. She was playing some unbelievable tennis at times, but I just thought to myself, Just hang in there and focus on your serve, and you'll get your chances.

Q. Of course, you made the fourth round here in 2018. How would you say your level so far in the championships has compared to prior editions of you playing here?

DONNA VEKIC: I think I'm a different person now compared to six years ago. It's definitely different. I don't know about the level of tennis, but I feel like I've matured more. Maybe I'm enjoying it more. I don't know.

Q. You played a very powerful player today. So is there anything you do in practice specifically to counteract those things, or do you just focus on your own game?

DONNA VEKIC: Yesterday my coach was telling the hitter, Try to hit as hard as you can, so he was hitting bombs down on me. But the thing is, you cannot really -- it's tough to prepare for these kind of matches because some points I was hitting the best I could on the lines, and she will come back with a winner. So you just have to hang in there and try to survive.

Q. You've never played Paula before, but I imagine you have practiced with her. How often have you practiced with her, and have you learned her game style a bit through that?

DONNA VEKIC: Actually we've never even practiced together. I think we were supposed to a couple of times, but then something came up. Yeah, so it will be first time playing her. Yeah, she's been playing well, so it will be a tough match.