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MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú


March 31, 2018


Jelena Ostapenko


Miami, Florida

S. STEPHENS/J. Ostapenko

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. As always, you were playing very aggressively from the baseline, and Sloane was playing great defense, counter-punching. Seemed like you got a little bit impatient towards the end, going for too much?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, sometimes I was going aggressive when I didn't have to. In the first set it was working pretty well. Then some moments I think I was -- I stepped a little bit back. I had to step forward, like, in the court to play the balls in the court so take away time from her, which I didn't, so probably that's why I lost the match.

Q. Just walking out there today, how nervous were you for this final? Do you think that had any impact on how you were struggling to find your game?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, of course final is something different because you're going for the title. Of course I had a little bit more pressure than the other matches.

I felt like all the other matches I was playing really well, but today I was, like, sometimes missing the shots that I was normally not missing this week.

Q. Playing Sloane, what are the difficulties tactically? I know obviously this was your first match against her on the tour, so what did you find that she was doing to make things more difficult?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, she was moving really well. Comparing to the other matches I watched her play this week, she was moving really well. She was changing the pace. She was serving sometimes kick, sometimes going for it. I think she's a great player.

Q. Had you practiced with her before? I know you played doubles together back in January, but have you ever stood across the net from her before today?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, actually we practice in Australian Open.

Q. (Question about ranking last year and this year.)
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Can you repeat?

Q. (Question about ranking last year and this year.) Now here you are, both of you, playing a premier mandatory final. You both came a long way.
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, of course we were working hard and just trying to improve. And also the French Open last year gave me a lot of confidence. The beginning of the year this year was not amazing for me, but I was working hard.

I think even losing in a final but still making final and playing some great matches, it's good for me.

Q. Have you allowed yourself at all to start thinking about the French Open, what it would feel like to go back there through those doors as a champion? Or have you not thought about that at all yet?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Actually not yet, because I have some time before it and still some tournaments before it on clay. I will have time to think about it (smiling).

Q. What are your expectations for the clay court season? What do you expect to achieve in terms of results and ranking? What will you be happy with at the end of the French Open?
JELENA OSTAPENKO: Actually, I don't like to put any expectations on myself so I don't have any extra pressure.

I just want to go out there and play match by match and just try to focus on first match, and then if I win, the next match and like that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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