January 13, 2014
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA
L. KUMKHUM/P. Kvitova
6‑2, 1‑6, 6‑4
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Can you describe how disappointed you are right now.
PETRA KVITOVA: I will try, but I'm not sure what I can told you.
I mean, I really wanted to know what's happen out there. But unfortunately I didn't play well. I didn't play my game what I really tried all off‑season to work on. It was great off‑season. I was really excited to be here, feeling good.
But I think that probably I wanted too much, and then everything just fell down.
Q. Did you think it was too much matchplay before the tournament? Did you come in tired?
PETRA KVITOVA: I don't think so. I mean, I used to play the tournament before here, so it was good. I played semifinal. So I don't think it's really about this.
That's true that it's a different year, different time, so who knows. But definitely I should win today, for sure.
She play well, of course. But, yeah, I mean, I didn't serve. It didn't help to me. That's tough to play from the baseline.
Q. Did you know much about her?
PETRA KVITOVA: I knew something. David told me some when he saw something on YouTube when she played against some girls.
I knew a little bit of her. But, yeah, was new girl for me, and that's always tough.
Q. Was there anything in particular that bothered you about her game?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, for sure. I mean, everything probably. So I can start with the serve, with the movement, with the shots. I really didn't move well. So I think from that it's everything connected.
Q. On her game.
PETRA KVITOVA: I think she play really well the cross‑court with the angles.
Q. The forehand or...
PETRA KVITOVA: Both.
Q. Were the conditions another obstacle for you today?
PETRA KVITOVA: Not really. I think I played fourth match, so it wasn't that bad as it did during the day. So I don't think really it was the fault of the conditions.
Q. Can you talk about your off‑season a little bit, what you did, what you worked on.
PETRA KVITOVA: Obviously my priority was to improve my movement on the court ‑ what I didn't show today actually (smiling).
But I played great matches in Paris and Sydney. So I hope someday maybe it will come. I actually tried to work on my serve also. Yeah, that's I think was I do big things to improve.
Q. With respect to improving your serve, are you looking for more power or placement?
PETRA KVITOVA: For both. It's very important in this time to have both things, placement and speed, the good rotation, just serve in the important points. These are the important things in our game. Those were everything together.
Q. When did you start to feel like you weren't maybe at your best today?
PETRA KVITOVA: When I have a warmup, was quite okay, was good. So probably before my match I was nervous. Every time my legs are not moving well, so that's the thing when I started to feel it.
Normally after like set or something it's a little bit better. But it wasn't today. So I was lucky that I won second set probably.
Q. Is it always you're going to be nervous for the first Grand Slam match of the year?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, probably. As I said, I had a great pre‑season. I work very hard. I had great matches on my back and I was just trying, and probably I put a lot of pressure on my back.
Q. Radek is a great player in terms of strategy and tactics. Does he talk to you sometimes?
PETRA KVITOVA: No, not at all. I have a coach for that.
Q. Is it so discreet that he doesn't say one word?
PETRA KVITOVA: No, we are not speaking about the tactics.
Q. Have you considered changing a coach?
PETRA KVITOVA: I didn't.
Q. At the end of the year in Istanbul, you said you were going to look into the reasons why you were getting sick with viruses so much last year. Did that happen over the off‑season?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, they find some bacterias in my throat and nose. So I had antibiotics for it. That's it, yeah. I mean, I hope the antibiotics kill them. But from that time I didn't have any blood test, so when I come back, I will have.
Q. Where do you go next after the Australian Open?
PETRA KVITOVA: Probably home. Actually I will play Fed Cup in Spain and then Doha, Dubai.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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