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MUTUA MADRID OPEN


May 9, 2015


Petra Kvitova


MADRID, SPAIN

P. KVITOVA/S. Kuznetsova
6‑1, 6‑2


THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Congratulations for the title.  Madrid suits your game.  When you won here, you won Wimbledon.  What is this?  Is clay the same as grass for you or what?
PETRA KVITOVA:  I don't think so.  You know, the first time I won here was really unbelievable year for me.  It was the best year which I had.
You know, it's nice to have the trophy again at home and winning on the clay after the break, which I didn't expect.  So for me it's really nice to sit as a winner.
Most important, I still have a quite a lot of matches on my back going to other tournaments on the clay.

Q.  Must have been frustrating playing Svetlana knowing she was struggling with an injury.
PETRA KVITOVA:  Well, I didn't know it the first set.  I didn't really know that something is wrong.  But of course when she called the physio I thought maybe something is wrong, because I don't think she's kind of person who is acting something.
So I think that for me it's always like tough for the other player to know that something is wrong on the other side, and you still have to be focused and playing your game.
It's really paying off there, so that's what I was trying.  Yeah, I knew that she was not 100% ready in the end of the match when she left the court before my last game.  It's not the best way how you can win the match, but it's still the win, so... (smiling.)

Q.  Your record in finals now I think 16‑5.  What's your secret?  It's really good.
PETRA KVITOVA:  I tell you and everybody is going to be winning finals.  I'm not really sure.  For sure I have a great record in this.  Happy for it for sure.  It's better than the other side.
I think that I'm probably the person who like to play these big kind of matches, to play the finals, the big tournaments, the Grand Slam, play on the big stadium.
Finals is why we are all playing tennis.  We would like to win the tournaments and see this beautiful trophy.  So probably that made more motivation in me.  I'm not really sure how to describe it.

Q.  I'm sorry to ask you in the beginning of the week if you were awake.  You are awake.  So sorry.
PETRA KVITOVA:  That's okay.

Q.  After all you've been through these couple of months, I know it's the second time you win this trophy, but does this one have a special feeling for you and it gives you more motivation for the rest of the season?
PETRA KVITOVA:  I'm not pretty sure, because you know, the first time it's always first time.  The year which I won for the first time here was my first big win on the clay.  That gave me the confidence that I can play on the clay.
So I'm happy that I am still able to play on the clay and win these kind of big tournaments, beat world No. 1 and Svetlana, which is amazing player on the clay.
So I think this kind of tournament which I had, you know, facing from the beginning of the week, which I had really first two tough rounds on the three‑setters.  I didn't really think I going to sit here as the winner.
That's the tennis, and every day it's a little bit different.  My game was improving each day, each match, and that's how it should be.  I'm glad that it was like that.
For sure I'm happy for that.  I hope that this kind of run will continue.  (Smiling.)

Q.  What are your expectations for Rome and Paris after this impressive run?  Do you think you can take the form even if the conditions are a bit different?
PETRA KVITOVA:  Yes, they are different.  For sure I remember from the year which I won and last year when I played semifinal, it is definitely different.  You know, I think the Rome it's more different than the Paris.  I think Paris has really good courts for me and good balls which are still flying like here.
It's not as high altitude as here, but it's a Grand Slam.  Everything is just on the clay, but still I think it's not that bad.  I'm not pretty sure about the Rome now.  I'm going tomorrow, and I will see how is going everything there.
Luckily I have a bye, so I will have some time off.  Of course I will do my best in Paris then.

Q.  We've seen you play like this a lot.  You're just hitting winners everywhere.  What's going through your mind when you're doing that?  Do you feel like you can do anything?  We saw you serve and volley at one point, hit a few dropshots, aces, everything.
PETRA KVITOVA:  Did you see the double fault?  (Laughter.)
Yeah, it's true.  I mean I really play well.  I'm not pretty sure what I should say about, but it's clay and I made a lot of winners.  Still, Svetlana it's great player on the clay, which I said already.  But still how many winners I made, and I knew that I have to play aggressively, because when it's playing normal rallies I lost to her in Paris because we play the normal rallies.
So I know I have to go for the volley if there is the opportunity.  That's what I was trying to do.  Yeah, it was like the day with the big D in the beginning of the word.  Yeah, it was very good, and I'm glad that everything went how I wanted.

Q.  Following your win today, media back in the Czech Republic are starting to talk about the French Open and your hopes of winning that title.  Do you see yourself as a favorite for the title, and how do you cope with the media pressure?
PETRA KVITOVA:  You're asking if I'm the favorite of...

Q.  Following your win, more people...
THE MODERATOR:  More people are tipping you now as the favorite.
PETRA KVITOVA:  Oh, okay.  I didn't expect this.  No, for sure I'm not feeling as the favorite of the French Open right now.
Yeah, I had a great run for sure, but the French Open, it's different.  I was there in the semifinal one year so I know I can play good there.
I just need to really more believe still.  I should believe right now when I see this trophy, but I think there are a lot of great players who really can reach the peak of the French Open, and I will do my best to reach what I can in the moment.

Q.  Now you know what's coming.  Are you dating the clay do you feel?
PETRA KVITOVA:  Mmm, getting there.  I hope so.  I mean, for sure I'm not playing the clay game.  I mean, I'm not the runner as Svetlana is and catching a lot of balls.  I'm still playing my game, which I see that it's still paying off.
So that's important to know, that I can play still with my game the good tennis on the clay.  Yeah, I hope I'm dating already.  (Smiling.)

Q.  I would like to know if you like the trophy?
PETRA KVITOVA:  I do.  For sure.  It's mine now, so I do.

Q.  When you saw Svetlana getting a medical timeout and her injury, what was going through your mind then?  We've seen with some players, for example Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open final when Nadal got injured, it kind of put him off.  Obviously didn't put you off because you won.  What was going through your mind at that point in time?
PETRA KVITOVA:  It's not always nice of course to just sit on the bench and wait when the opponent is coming.
It's a little bit different afterwards when you would like to get back to the game.  I lost the first two points easily, you know, the returns.  It's not very nice because you never know what you expect from yourself when you come on the court again after five minutes' break.
But I got there quite quickly.  I saw the tape on her leg so I knew that something is not great on her side.  You know, this is tennis, and that's how it is.  It wasn't for the first time for me, so I know it's tough for sure.  I saw a lot of matches, and I think the same with me when the player is too much thinking about the opponent's injury.
But I didn't actually, and I'm glad for it.  I was really playing what I need, and, yeah, that's it.

Q.  You served very well today.  I don't think anyone has asked you about when your changed your service motion.  First of all, why did you change it and how difficult was it to do that?
PETRA KVITOVA:  Well, I think it's quite long time ago which I change the motion from the beginning of the serve.
I did it because I need more better rhythm, and that's why probably David is still thinking a lot about the techniques.  That's nice, of course.
With this motion I still think I have time to do all the way until I touch the ball, so I think that was quite good.
I'm not sure how long it's took me for.  We did it probably in the one off‑season, but it's like two years ago, I think.  Probably I'm quite happy about because it didn't take so much time, so I was able to do it quickly.  (Smiling.)

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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