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TEB BNP PARIBAS WTA CHAMPIONSHIPSOctober 24, 2011Petra KvitovaISTANBUL, TURKEY THE MODERATOR: We have our superstar with us. At 21 years old, she owns six career singles titles and made headlines when she of course won Wimbledon this year. From the Czech-Republic, please welcome Petra Kvitova. Q. Welcome to Istanbul. Congratulations for your first victory, Grand Slam tournament, Wimbledon. Then after that, you struggled a little bit, but then victory came in Linz. How do you feel now in terms of performance, form? How do you think that the Championships, the title in Linz, will affect both mentally and physically your performance in Istanbul? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I mean, yeah, after Wimbledon I play very well and I had a great season until the Wimbledon, and then I had a little problem in my tennis. It's normal. So I mean, I do not think that it's so bad. And now Linz, I came back a little bit, and I feel the game again. I mean, Linz was very similar like the courts and here. So I'm looking forward for the matches, and I'm very happy that I am in Istanbul and for my first Championships, for sure. Q. Your problem after Wimbledon, the problem was physically at the beginning. Then which is the problem to come back the high level after a win like that? Is mental? Is the ambience which changed, the atmosphere around yourself? Is your mind? Is what? How is it not easy to take the same level? PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, how you said, it's not easy to still play the high level what I played in the Wimbledon. And after Wimbledon I had some days off. Then I had a preparation, fitness preparation. So I didn't play like the tennis. Then when I start on the hard court it was really tough to get back in the game on the hard court, because I had to change a little bit tactics, techniques. The hard court in the USA, it's slower and don't like too much. It was a little bit problem for me, but, I mean, it's normal. Everybody has problem in the season, so I don't care. (Smiling.) Q. We hear about some fiancé today. Wozniacki fiancé, Sharapova fiancé. We didn't hear about your fiancé, but we read something on the Internet. Can you say something about? PETRA KVITOVA: About Internet? Q. About fiancé, about your boyfriend, if you have a boyfriend. PETRA KVITOVA: Yes, I have a boyfriend. Q. He is an athlete? PETRA KVITOVA: Sorry? Q. We know he is a tennis player. Is he younger than you? PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, but I don't want to say something private. Q. Even though you're not No. 1, a lot of people think you have had the best year of everyone on tour. How, coming into this tournament, does that bring on extra pressure because you're the one player that everyone wants to beat? PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, of course, still I'm No. 3. It's the best ranking what I have, and I mean, I'm still have something what I have to improve in my game, and it's every part in my game. So is good news. Yeah, I mean, the Championships, it's very nice that I am here, and I'm playing my first after great season. Q. It's your first time at the WTA Championships, and is it something that puts extra pressure on you or is it the opposite? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, actually, no, I don't feel any pressure. I mean, it's nice to be here. And for the Czech-Republic, it's nice to have some players who play the Championships. So I think that everybody is happy that I'm here and I meet you. I just want to enjoy everything what is here and the matches, also. Q. What's your expectation on the outcome of the tournament? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, expectation? I don't have an expectation. So, yeah, I just want to play my best and I will see how is going here. Q. A couple of days ago we had the opportunity to speak to Kim Clijsters, and she said this year, I had expected a little more from Kvitova, Na Li, and Stosur after they win a Grand Slam because this gives you such a boost of self-confidence that you can go along a lot further. To what extent did you feel a boost of confidence? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I mean, yeah, it's nice to win the Grand Slam, but you never really prepared for this. And after when you won, it's -- yeah, it's boom, and everybody wants some interviews and you have to travel a little bit about the journalists and everything. So, I mean, I don't know actually what I can say for this, but, yeah, it's tough to play after the Grand Slams. (Smiling.) Q. You struggled a little bit after Wimbledon, but obviously Linz you started to get your game back. Can you just talk about how you were feeling more comfortable in the last few weeks? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, actually, we had a plan to go to Linz just for enjoy the tennis and for the matches, and I was there without my coaches and not even my boyfriend. So it was a nice tournament for me. Yeah, I did not think like, okay, I have to win or something like that. So, I mean, it was help for me, and now I just feeling the shots and the courts and everything is good. So hopefully it will be the same in the match. Q. So will you be traveling now without your coach and boyfriend to all the tournaments? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, actually, I had my coach in Wimbledon and in Madrid, so, I mean, this is still the biggest tournament what I won. So I think that I have to travel with them still. Q. Just one more on your game. It seems your level can be very high and sometimes your level can be very low. Do you get frustrated by sort of the changes in your level? PETRA KVITOVA: Actually, no, because I know that my standard was very lower before, and now it's a little bit higher. So, I mean, still when I playing bad, I can win some matches because I have to fight or something like that and to get it back in the match. So I'm still trying for this and now play like really badly, so yeah. Q. For you and Zvonareva, you still have to play the Fed Cup final. So what's your expectation? PETRA KVITOVA: In the Fed Cup? Q. Yeah. PETRA KVITOVA: Well, actually, the Czech-Republic is in the final after 20-some years, so I mean, for us it's it will be very fun and I'm looking forward. The Fed Cup is -- every Fed Cup we play with the girls and with the captain and everybody who is there. I mean, it's very nice to be there. And we are not favorite, so we can play and enjoy every match what we will play, and of course we have a chance to win so we will be fighting. Q. At Linz you played a lot of slices and dropshots and came to net. Is that something you're trying to get out of your game, or this week will it be back to boom, boom? PETRA KVITOVA: We are practicing still for every part in my game. And this, the volleys and the dropshots and slices, everything, it's important to put into the game so we are practicing for all. And, I mean, on the grass it's important, and I try play everywhere. Q. What do you think about the draw results? And especially as far as -- I'm from Russia. What do you think about Zvonareva? Is she a comfortable opponent for you, or what do you think about her game? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I mean, I can't choose whether is better for me or not. All eight players who are here, we are here, is strong. It's tough. So, I mean, everybody who is in my group it's very tough, and I mean, every match will be open. About Vera, I have played against her five times already, and on the last time I lost in the Tokyo when I had 5-1 in the first set. And I -- I don't know. I could win the set, but unfortunately I didn't. So, I mean, yeah, we will see how is going here, and hopefully it will be better than in Tokyo. Q. You have been training in the Sinan Erdem Dome, I guess? You have seen the courts and the whole Sinan Erdem sports complex? What do you think about it? You said it's similar to Linz in terms of the hard court, but tickets are sold out like months ago, so with the ambience, but on the other hand tennis in Turkey is not dating very back. But people will be very enthusiastic about watching this eight best players. What are your expectations in terms of the interests of the country where the tennis is not quite, quite popular but in terms of just organizing a big event? What on your side? What's your expectations of the tournament in terms of interest? And of course the Sinan Erdem Dome, how do you find it? PETRA KVITOVA: Well, I mean, the arena is very nice for me and is very similar than Linz. It's nice to play when you have only the light on the court, and I didn't play like this. So it will be nice. About the expectation for the people, I mean, this is great even to make the tennis more like for more playing the kids and everything. So hopefully it's help for Turkey. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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