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WUHAN OPEN

September 24, 2018

Garbine Muguruza

Wuhan, Hubei, China

G. MUGURUZA/A. Van Uytvanck

6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That had to feel good. Can you assess your first match here, what you think you did well, and how tricky was that first set?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I'm happy. I think I played a good match in general. I think my intensity and my, I don't know, concentration on every single point was there. She's a very talented player. I'm happy that I won this time. I remember the match from Wimbledon, like a very tough match for me. Was very different circumstances there, and surface of course.

Yeah, it's always good to play again the same person that beat you, you know, feeling good you did something much better than the previous match.

Q. What have the last few weeks been like as you prepare for this final stretch of the season? What have the conversations been like in terms of setting goals or focus on the practice court?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I don't have a specific goal because I don't know is going to go. After the American swing, which I missed two tournaments, and one of them I wasn't really, really prepared, I was ready to give the last push in Asia. You want to finish the best way as possible.

Is not only this year. Is also playing to get ready to start the next year. Is not only just play to finish this year, and it's over, no. It's to reverse a little bit the energy.

Q. Where do you feel your game is at at the moment? Do you feel you're playing the way you want to play?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I think my tennis, it's there. I been training quite a lot. I think when I play, I feel my level is good. I think I have to put together more matches in a row and make things happen.

I think put some pieces together from the previous tournaments, but couldn't find a way. But I think the level is there.

Q. How much pressure would you put on yourself in terms of thinking about Singapore? Are you looking at points, because you can still make it?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: The previous years I was really thinking about it a lot. This year less maybe because it's less in my mind, less on the table. I'm sure there is mathematically options.

No, I'm not thinking about it. Of course, I would like to. It's always a goal to make Singapore, not really to play it, but what it means: having a great year, once again being one of the top players, et cetera, et cetera.

This year is basically to do the best I can and see where I do have to go after. It's different mindset this year.

Q. The season obviously is not over, as you said, and you are still working towards the end, building for next year. It's a nice moment to reflect a little bit on the last nine months of the season. What is your gut check on the season? What is your thought about what the 2018 Garbine Muguruza season was? What is the story for you?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, the problem is that everything is just comparing to what it has been before. Of course, having such a great year last year, everything this year seems like not as good.

But obviously I had the best year of my career the previous year. This year is different. I didn't have, for sure, the best results. I did play well here and there sometimes. Yeah, struggle a little bit to maintain some regularity into the tournaments, for whatever reason, pain, not playing well and stuff.

But I think I still have few more tournaments to play. Yeah, I'm not - how can I use the word or it doesn't get twisted? Is not the best year of the previous years that I had, but is not a bad year for me. Is just a process. I'm just keeping playing, that's it.

I'm used to things getting twisted sometimes in my country (smiling).

Q. Has it been easy to keep the perspective? Do you stay positive?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: When you have won big and you have big goals, it's always tough to not get them when you work hard. You cannot have it all the time. I know it's a process. At some point you cannot be constantly there. Sometimes you just have to stay humble, start from zero, start basic, not have too many expectation.

Q. Is that something that you learned over time? Do you feel you're doing it better now, or you'd like to do better in terms of keeping perspective?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yes. Before I would get a little more upset. Not upset, but more dramatic over the situation, maybe when I lose or what's happening and stuff. This year I know could happen.

I'm just taking a little bit more distance, not worrying. I know that I have the talent, and I know that I've played well. I know it will happen again if I still work hard.

Q. Are you getting used to the sleeve?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I actually like it. A lot of players ask me if it's just to be beautiful to the outfit. I actually like it. It helped me through the training. It's not something that I would not wear for the future, but for now it has been helping me.

Q. It's injury-related?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: It's just to keep more circulation, just to keep the arm a little bit more protected. To be honest, I don't really know exactly. My team knows more what it does.

The feeling I have is positive. I will use anything to improve, yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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