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DONGFENG MOTOR WUHAN OPEN

September 30, 2016

Dominika Cibulkova

Wuhan, Hubei, China

D. CIBULKOVA/S. Kuznetsova

3-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How have you been powering through yesterday two matches, today another three-setter? What are you telling yourself to keep going?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Just trying to focus on tennis and what to do because if I would even think about yesterday, about today, it would be really, really tough. Because I went to sleep tomorrow [sic] at 4:30 a.m. and I had to do a treatment. We finished yesterday at 1:30. It takes me a long time to get ready for another match. So it was really, really exhausting.

I can't even describe how I'm happy that I was able to play this tennis today so good and so powerful. You know, I'm just playing a good tennis, and that's what keeps me going.

Q. Were you cramping at the end of last night's match?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Last night, yeah.

Q. In terms of the treatment and everything that you had to get done, what has the last 16 hours looked like for you?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, it was really tough. As I said, we finished around 1:20 yesterday. I had an ice bath here, then we went to the hotel and I had a treatment with my physio. It took like maybe one, one and a half hours. I couldn't fall asleep. I wanted to eat. It was very, very tiring. After such a day, it's not easy to fall asleep. So it took me a little longer. But it's normal, you know.

Physically I'm really fit. But with this humidity and everything, I sweat a lot. So it was normal after such a long day, I had a little cramp in my left leg, yes. It was nothing serious.

Today I was really, really fit. I had a good talk with my coach before the match. He told me if I want to make it, then I just have to focus on the tennis and what I have to do and about the strategy because if I will start to feel sorry for myself and think about how tough it is, I wouldn't able to make it today.

Q. With the win, you're putting yourself in very good position to qualify for Singapore. A year ago you were struggling to win matches coming off of the surgery. Talk about that journey to here.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, right now I'm really tired to realize everything.

But I remember we had a talk in Madrid. It was a big result for me this year and I was really, really happy about it. It's never easy to come back after injury, especially when your ranking drops. In the beginning of the year my ranking was 70. But I felt, you know, I'm playing good tennis. I was working really hard, practicing and everything. Tennis-wise, I was feeling really well. You have to win these tough matches. I beat Radwanska first round in Madrid. She was first seeded.

I think if you're a good player, you will make it. But it's much more tougher, like, when you're coming first on tour and you're young and you're playing and you don't care. Although then you realize there is maybe a few more years you can play, you want to prove you're good.

Q. You're in your fifth final of 2016.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, yeah.

Q. How does it feel to be at this point in the season? Are you comfortable being in a final?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, it's just great. I always thought about myself, like I'm a good player, I can beat top players. But I was missing consistency in my game. This is the first year that I'm really consistent playing the whole year.

I play really well during the whole year on the whole surfaces. It's just something maybe I'm more mature and doing better things. That's what makes me to be more consistent player. That's what I always wanted to be, to become a consistent player, too.

Q. Talking about your physical abilities, there is the three-setter against Sloane in Acapulco, there was the two Radwanska matches over the summer, at Wimbledon and on clay, the last 48 hours. Talk about physically the type of player you've become to be able to play these long matches and to be able to bounce back.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, as you know, I'm not the tallest player on tour. I always say I need to have something extra to even beat these players or be on the same level. This is one of my things. I need to be more than hundred percent. My physical preparation is really, really hard and tough because I need to be ready more than the other girls who can serve aces and something like that.

So, you know, my tennis was always really hard. I fight on the court. I spend also a lot of energy. It's not easy. I really work a lot on my physical preparation. And that's also one of the biggest things in my off-season, I work six weeks on my physical strength and everything. That's what keeps me going during the whole year.

Q. We don't know who you're playing tomorrow, either Petra or Simona. Different players.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah.

Q. Talk about each one of those matchups.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Exactly, very different players. We'll see who's going to be the winner.

Petra, she is very attacking the balls, she's playing really fast. She's very similar to Pliskova. So I would have to be really hundred percent. Otherwise it's Halep. They are both great players.

I played with Simona once in the finals of Madrid. Didn't go my way. If I play against her, I would like to beat her this time. But it will be very tough.

Q. Would you almost rather play Petra than Simona because the rallies would be shorter than maybe what Simona would force you to do tomorrow?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I don't know, it's tough to say. Also with Simona you can feel more comfortable during the rallies. With Petra, she's just hitting full power. She has a great serve. When she's playing good, you cannot do much.

Both ways is going to be tough. But, yeah, you know, I'm having a great week here. I just want to get ready, be fit for tomorrow, just to play good tennis.

Q. How much does getting back in the top 10 mean for you?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: This is maybe third time in my career coming to top 10. Second time this year. I want to go further. I was top 10 twice, only just No. 10. I want to get the number only on one number, not two numbers anymore.

Q. Did getting married help your performance on court?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I mean, it's not like I got married and I started to play tennis. Yeah, everything what happened this year was so many emotions, me playing great tennis, getting married, all that stuff maybe helped me a little bit mentally that I was focused on maybe something else. I was more relaxed. That's what happened to me during the Wimbledon and Eastbourne.

Yeah, it's great that I have my husband, my family, and my friends that I have also my different life out of the tennis.

Q. You qualified to the final. What are your expectations for the Wuhan Open? Does this exceed your expectations? Does your current result exceed your expectations? What do you think your performance in the Wuhan Open?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, you know, it's another finals for me this year. I am enough experienced player. I know what to do in a finals. It's a huge tournament. Right now I'm really happy about it. Tomorrow I want to give hundred percent on the court.

Of course, it's going to be tough. It's 50/50. But I want to do my best tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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