	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2017

Dominika Cibulkova

Wimbledon, London, England

D. CIBULKOVA/A. Petkovic

6-3, 3-6, 9-7

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just give us your overall thoughts on today's match, how it went for you?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, well, it was extremely tough match. I knew it was going to be a tough one against Andrea. We know each other pretty well. I think my game suits her game, so I knew it's gonna be tough one.

But even the previous matches I wasn't in my best form. I mean, I was feeling good at practices but I just couldn't make it on the matches.

But I approached the match in completely different way. I knew it's gonna be tough one. So, you know, I used my experience. I knew it's a Grand Slam, and I have a lot of experience in these matches.

So I had a good few days of preparation here in Wimbledon, so a little bit different situation from last year. I really worked on specific things, on my practices, and then today was just a great win for me.

You know, I'm happy to be in the second round in such a tough match. I had so many tough situations during the match. I was able to handle it and to deal with it well. So it's really important for me.

Q. You said you approached it in a different way and you worked on specific things. Can you elaborate on what exactly...
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, different way, I lost few -- I mean, I think three first rounds now on grass. And so, you know, if I would go into the tournament with this mentality, it wouldn't be really well. So I changed my mind and I was, like, Okay, this is a Grand Slam, and you're a top player. So you just do your thing and you really train well.

Yeah, I changed my mentality. So I didn't approach it like I lost three matches in a row on grass. I don't feel good on the grass this year. And I knew I'm playing well. I just add something, I try to be more calm, more calm in the rallies, and not push it too much.

I tried to learn from my mistakes that I did weeks before. Today was really hard match.

Q. Your opponent fell pretty hard today. Did you have any issues with the grass, the surface at all?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No, no, not really. I think the grass was pretty fine. Yeah, she fell a few times. Last one looked pretty scary. But I think she was just cramping in the end.

So I think it was nothing serious. It was such a tough match. We had so many difficult situations. I think I had like six match points and so many of them I felt like, Okay, this is my ball. I felt like, I hit forehand in the middle of the court and somehow she got from it.

It was really hard to get back into the match, because I felt like, okay, it was so close, I felt in my hands, and then it was again 5-All or 6-All or 7-All. So it was really hard.

You know, I think my hard work paid off today, and I'm happy, and that I deserved to win today.

Q. With Petra, what she went through off the courts the past few months, can you comment on what she sort of accomplished and how she's come back?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, I don't know. I wasn't following her story. I know what happened to her, but I didn't really know how is her hand or how is she approaching that.

Of course, with her winning Birmingham, she must be fit and ready to play. I'm just happy for her, and I think it gave her like new energy and it gave her like new -- it's like a new start for her maybe.

Q. I want to ask you something about provocation.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: What kind of provocation?

Q. Provocation. Maybe some opponents, have you ever heard some rude words or something to lose your concentration?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You mean if it was during today's match?

Q. No, generally.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Oh, in general. Oh, yeah, sometimes you can get in tough situations when you have opponent that you are not really friendly with, and, yeah, of course, sometimes it happened.

But, you know, it's sport. It's really tough sport. And if you're not strong enough, then everybody else will eat you. You know what I mean?

Q. Is it often?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No, it's not too off, but it happens sometimes that there were some conflicts on the court.

But I think it's more about what kind of sympathy you have to the player or if you have a respect, but it happened to me just in my career maybe a couple of times, two or three times.

Q. What do you think is fair? Is it tactic? Or unfair?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Oh, I don't know. I mean, somebody has this personality that it's really aggressive on the court, and some of the tactic to get you out of your focus.

You know, I really had experience maybe just very little times, two or three times in 10 or 11 years, so it's not so often.

Q. Have you ever tried it?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No. No (smiling). No, no, no, I'm more focused on myself now. I never approached the opponent. I don't really pay attention to the opponent, of course.

I just focus on myself.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297