US OPEN

August 30, 2024

Donna Vekic

Press Conference

D. VEKIC/P. Stearns

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Moving on. Two sets. Your thoughts on the victory.

DONNA VEKIC: It wasn't an easy match for sure. She's playing really good tennis, and it took me really couple of games to really adjust to her pace. She was playing big. She was serving big.

So I was a little bit surprised at the beginning for sure, but after I got into the match, I was playing better and better.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. As you mentioned, Peyton Stearns, so strongly, so quickly. She seemed to have a lot of partisan support behind her in the beginning. How did you stay the course? Even at the end you did the same thing. You were able to really stop her attempt to come back.

DONNA VEKIC: I really enjoyed the crowd. I thought they were also cheering for me. It was very fun playing out there. New York crowd is always special. But I've had some crazy crowds in Paris.

I'm enjoying it. Yeah, I knew I had to stay tough until the end. Even when she broke me, I was, like, okay, just stay calm and hang in there. You'll get your chance again.

Q. When we've spoken in the past, we've talked about this tournament not being the most comfortable for you because the courts have gotten faster, which I admit has always scrambled my brain a little bit because you like to play on grass and at Wimbledon. I'm curious what it is about a fast hard court that's different from grass and what is it about the conditions that are more comfortable for you or how you're playing through it?

DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, grass is not really fast. It gets fast towards the end of the tournament, but then you're in the rhythm. It's the same like on fast hard courts. If you get through, if you survive the first couple of matches, you get into the rhythm. It becomes a little bit easier.

This year I think it's a little bit slower than last year. Definitely slower than Cincinnati, which was like playing on a different planet.

Yeah, it's still a bit tricky, but I feel like I'm playing better and better with each match. If I'm serving well, it helps me get some free points.

Q. It's clearly been a summer of breakthroughs for you. Amazing results for like two months now. I just wonder in your own opinion what is enabling you not just to have the success, but to keep having the success over and over so consistently for these last couple of months?

DONNA VEKIC: I think after Wimbledon it was tough, but after a couple of days, it made me -- you know, I was in Croatia, and everyone was talking about it. It made me hungry to do well at the Olympics. It really motivated me.

Then after winning the medal in Paris, I was, like, okay, now I feel a lot more relaxed. If I never ever win anything again, it's fine.

But, you know, now coming to New York, I'm motivated more than ever. Hopefully I can keep playing well, and who knows.

Q. In terms of Peyton's forehand, which is the unique thing about her game probably more than anything else, I'm curious, you said it took you a few games to get used to that shot. From your perspective, what do you do well to kind of be able to mitigate that sort of heavy spin type game? What are the adjustments that you make?

DONNA VEKIC: I actually really like it when someone plays with spin as opposed to really flat and low. I think it suits my game a little bit more. It's easier for me to redirect my shots.

She was really serving well today in the first set. She was serving big. So I was struggling a little bit with that. Honestly, like a couple of times in the first set I had a feeling that no matter what I play, she had an answer.

I started panicking a little bit, I was, like, okay, I just need to calm down and play my game and trust my game.

Q. Results would say yes, but in your mind are you a better player than you ever have been before? If so, why would you say that is?

DONNA VEKIC: I think at Wimbledon I was -- at Wimbledon and in Paris I was feeling like I'm playing my best tennis. I haven't felt that way here yet. Maybe it will come; maybe it won't.

The conditions haven't been the easiest here. It's been very hot. Then windy. It's been tough to play good tennis, but I'm really proud with the way I have been able to adjust during the matches and adapt.

Q. What do you think will be different about facing Qinwen on Sunday compared to obviously facing her for an Olympic gold medal a months ago on clay?

DONNA VEKIC: She played an unbelievable match in Paris. She was too good that match. I had couple of chances, but didn't manage to pull them off.

But it's a new match. We're a couple of weeks later. It's a different surface, thankfully for me. Yeah, she's playing really good tennis. I'm going to try to prepare well and do a good tactic with my team, and hopefully it will be a different outcome.

Q. Going back to that gold medal match, it's a different kind of final because obviously you want to win the gold, but you know worst-case scenario you end up with a silver medal and you're on the podium. Psychologically, what was the mental preparation going in for a match like that?

DONNA VEKIC: Of course, I wanted to win the gold medal, but you're right. It was definitely a little bit tricky because in a way, yeah, I wouldn't say I was relaxed, but after the match, I wasn't upset, which is something that's never happened before.

I was, like, okay, I was upset for a minute and a half, and I was, like, wow, I have a silver medal. Yeah, it's a very different situation that you don't get to experience in any other event. Yeah, it's going to be completely different for sure.

Next match is just a fourth-round match. It's not a gold medal match.

Q. I'm just curious about the third-round match in Paris with Olga, which was a really wild one. I read somewhere that you used it kind of positively in terms of moving forward. At this stage of your career are you able to do that sort of thing better, use the tough moments, and maybe tolerate the difficult moments that you go through like you went through at Wimbledon to get further and to perform better?

DONNA VEKIC: I would like to think so (laughing). I don't know. I hope so. I mean, the quarterfinal match in Paris was crazy. In the third set tiebreak, even though I was losing I was, like, no, come on, I have this one. I have lost enough third set tiebreaks this year.

I think I have more belief in myself now, and that for sure helps in those tough moments.

Q. (Off microphone.)

DONNA VEKIC: Confidence comes with winning, right?

Q. In terms of playing through and breaking down kind of Zheng's game, obviously she's had a great season and all that, what is it about the combination of what she does on court that makes her a difficult opponent to solve?

DONNA VEKIC: She has a huge serve, which, yeah, it's tough. Then she plays aggressive. I mean, I think my goal will be to make her move and try to be the first one to open up the court.

Q. I'm curious what the traffic has been like?

DONNA VEKIC: Nobody is going to ask me about my bangs? I just cut them.

Q. Tell us about them.

DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, I've always wanted to cut my bangs, but a friend pushed me to do it (laughing).

Traffic has been fine, thank God.

Q. I read that you have your medal with you in New York. Even though it's incredible to get any medal, will you use it as motivation going into your next match or...

DONNA VEKIC: No, no, medal is there. That's done. I have it here just to remind me that I have a medal. Yeah, it's just a new match. Whatever. She can have the gold medal. It's fine.

Q. You mentioned you were motivated more than ever. Do you start to believe now that you have been so close, like you were at Wimbledon, that a slam is within your reach?

DONNA VEKIC: Yeah, for sure. Would I say that I came to New York thinking, okay, I'm going to win US Open? No. Once you get through the first couple of rounds, everything is possible.

Nowadays, I think everyone has a chance to win. It's just a matter of how you are feeling on the day over the two weeks. It's tough for sure to win a slam. It's the toughest thing ever in tennis, but I do believe I have a chance.