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TEB BNP PARIBAS WTA CHAMPIONSHIPSOctober 21, 2013Petra KvitovaISTANBUL, TURKEY THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Welcome to Turkey. How are you feeling physically? How is the back? PETRA KVITOVA: I'm feeling pretty well. I was tired after the Asian tour, and it shows on my lower back too. But I had a week off and I didn't touch the racquet and I tried to recover. I feel much more better now. I don't feel anymore my lower back. It's a great sign. Q. What did you do during your break? PETRA KVITOVA: Nothing special actually. I had a little bit of cold and sore throat, so I was really just relaxing and drinking some hot tea. Q. You were drawn into a group with two very different players. Can you share with us how you match up against each of those and the challenges they present you? PETRA KVITOVA: I think that every year I am playing against Aga, so it is same again this year. And I think it's going to be the first match of the Championships for me. Yeah, I know her quite well. We played many times already, and she's very smart player. She has great, great hand, great touch. So it's going to be tough for sure. She's No. 3 or ‑‑yeah, No. 3. So, I mean, she's great player. And Angelique played final of Tokyo, and it's going to be difficult. Little bit faster surface than here, and she's lefty but it's quite tricky. Against Serena, it's always big challenge for me, and I will try to play my best. I'm looking forward for every match here. Q. When you played Serena in Doha, was that the first time you thought, yes, I can really beat her? PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, I think so. It was really great match for my side, and I was very close to win the match but I didn't. But it's okay. I think that I can improve my game too, and, yeah, I think it was for the first time when I really knew that I can really play her and any chance to beat her. I don't think that I'm really like mentally down for right now when I have her in the group. So, yeah, I'm looking forward how I said already. Q. After the US Open you went to that Davis Cup semifinals. What was that like for you being on the sidelines cheering your team and your guy? How nervous did it make you to be sitting there instead of being on the court? PETRA KVITOVA: It was totally different. I mean, I have the same feelings when I play the Fed Cup. I played in the O2 arena when I played the Fed Cup, so I already know how it's feeling on the court. It was nice to be cheering for the Czech when they won in the end, so it was nice to be there. Q. After the US Open you briefly fell out of the top 10, and then it looked like things were going badly. Then you came back in the Asian swing and played very well. Do you think that had a bearing on your success? PETRA KVITOVA: I don't think that the dip out of the top 10 is really big deal. That's a number before my name, and that's it for me. I was still thinking about my game. I knew exactly what I had to improve to, come back higher, and that's I did before Asian tour and then I played in Asia. So I was glad that I come back to the top 10 and qualified here. Q. In the video that you make for the WTA like announcing that you have qualified here, you said that your path to Istanbul was up and down. So what was the highest moment for you this year, and what was the lowest? PETRA KVITOVA: The lowest one was definitely in Australian Open. I am normally playing well and I had great preparation in the offseason before, but definitely I didn't play well there. I lost matches, and I didn't win ‑‑ I think I win just two I think over there, which is quite sad for me. The highest moment was definitely Tokyo and Beijing, two tournaments in a row when I played really well. So I think that that's the answer for your question. Q. There has been some discussion about which of the women at the top of their game actually hit the ball the hardest. Do you think that you could be the hardest of all in that category compared to like players like Serena, Lisicki? How do you think you match up against them for just pure power? PETRA KVITOVA: Wow. I don't know. I never played against myself, so it's quite tough to recognize it. But yeah, I know that Serena has a huge serve, and I think we can find a lot of ‑‑ like Hradecka, for example, she's unbelievable, and I really don't know what spot I can say in this ranking. Q. Given that you and Azarenka have both been top 5, top 10 players last couple of years, are you surprised you haven't played her since the Championships final here two years ago? PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, it's quite funny we played last match here two years ago in the final, and I think that she improve very well. She improved her fitness, so she's very good physically and she's tough mentally, so she can play well the key points, and I think that's really important. She has got consistency game, and I think that's why she's playing that well, and she is No. 2 in the world. Q. Would you like to actually get a chance to play her again to see how good she's really become across the net? PETRA KVITOVA: You know, I think I'm looking forward for every match here, so it's not especially against Vika or Serena. I mean, all 8 is great players here, and for me it's every match big challenge. I unfortunately had to withdraw last year after the first match, so for me it's really great to be here and just play our match. Q. After your amazing 2011 season, people believe you can become the next No. 1 player. Do you still believe this? PETRA KVITOVA: I have to. I mean, that's why I'm playing tennis, and I just want to improve the game, and maybe some results can come. I think it's all about work hard. I'm still trying to be higher and higher. But, yeah, 2011 was incredible year for me, and it will be tough to repeat it, but I will try my best. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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