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APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEYJanuary 8, 2014Tsvetana PironkovaSYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES T. PIRONKOVA/S. Errani THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. This is probably your biggest result outside of Wimbledon. Can you tell us why you think you're having such good form? Six wins in a row now. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Yeah, I definitely feel good out there. This result actually makes me very happy considering the results I had last year. So this actually shows that I did a good job in the off‑season. As I said, this makes me very happy. Q. The seeds are all kind of tumbling at this tournament. Why do you think that's happening? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Well, I don't know. Maybe you should ask them. I think this is normal. After all, this is sport; it's tennis; everything can happen. Besides, all of the players who are participating here deserve to win. We all work very hard, and we show it out there. As you can see, it's a battle all the time. Q. You had a difficult year last year; out of the top 100. Talk about that and what you did in the off‑season to improve. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Oh, yeah, definitely a difficult season last year. Very disappointing if we excluded Wimbledon performance and a couple of quarterfinals. What happened? I really don't know. I've been trying my best through the year. The off‑season last year I was working so hard. I never worked that hard in my life. Just didn't work for me. I started to get anxious. I think that also didn't help me a lot. So this off‑season I decided to change a little bit the things, to take it more easier, and to work more on my fitness. Also my tennis, but not as much as I used to. I also did work on my mentality, if I can say it that way. I think I'm taking the things more easy now.  I feel relaxed on the court. I enjoy playing. I guess this is what makes the results come. Q. So when you're saying you were getting anxious last year, was that a matter of confidence where you didn't feel like you could hit your shots? And in the off‑season when you were working with on your mentally, did you go to a therapist or someone special who could work with you on that? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: No. Yeah, I mean, when you lose so many matches in a row, definitely that affects your confidence. I mean, it's normal. I couldn't get out of that until the end of season. After the end of the season I took like a longer break. I didn't talk to a specialist or anything. Just to my closest people, discussing things with my coach and stuff. I've been working mostly on my own. I say, Okay, what the hell. You don't have anything to lose. Just relax and enjoy the game. Q. You haven't beaten a top‑10 player before? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: I think I have, yeah. Yeah. THE MODERATOR: I think at Wimbledon. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Few times actually. Q. Because it's a top‑10 player does it make you think you're on the right track, or is it just a good win? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: No, actually, when I go on the court I don't think what's the player's ranking. I just say that because I feel good. I mean, I feel confident. I'm going after my shots. Even if I lose, I don't take it so seriously, because last year when I lost I have been crying, breaking. You know, I've been a mess. Now I'm like, Okay, next time, you know? So I'm more relaxed. Q. Do you know who you're playing next? Kvitova. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Yeah, very tough opponent definitely. I've played with her a few times. I still don't have a victory, so I'm hoping for that. Q. You were saying you were smashing racquets and crying. So you found losing very difficult to deal with? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: It is difficult if you lose like seven times in a row. It's very difficult, especially when you work so hard and when you have so much expectations on yourself and stuff. But I think this is something that every player goes through throughout their career. As I said, just take it easy. Q. Were the expectations because you've always done so well at Wimbledon, US Open quarterfinals? You played better at some of the Grand Slams than you did at smaller tournaments, no? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Before last year I was coming from a very good season. I played very good tournaments. I've been very consistent. I said, Okay, now is the time to push it and for you to get even better. I guess that expectation didn't work very good on me. So maybe this year is the year. We will see. (Smiling.) Q. You said you're not focusing on rankings. Today you beat someone 100 places ahead of you. Coming up against Kvitova who is even higher, you'll be taking that same mentality into that match? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Yeah, definitely. I been on the WTA Tour for a long time now, so I'm past that moment, I think. I used to, you know, get very excited when I was supposed to play with the big names. Now I play with them many times, so it's not something super, super special for me now. Q. You think you can get another upset win? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Of course. Every time I go on the court I'm hoping for that. Q. What would make you happy by the end of the season? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Well, I have a goal to win a tournament for starters, because I been on the WTA Tour for about eight years now and I still haven't won a tournament. I been having good results, but this is something that I really miss and I want to do. So let's start with that and then we'll see. Q. Maybe this week, huh? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Come on. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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