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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 23, 2018

Elina Svitolina

Kallang, Singapore

E. SVITOLINA/K. Pliskova

6-3, 2-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I think it's fair to say you recovered quite well from the last time we spoke to you. Can you talk to us about the match and in particular what went particularly well for you today?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I think I was just -- my goal was to make an extra ball over the net and fight until the very end and for every point, to don't give any easy errors.

I think this was the key today. You know, it worked really good, because I think Karolina was up and down and struggling sometimes with her serve. I had to be ready to take my chances. That's why I'm very happy with that.

Q. You're basically one set win away from being into the semifinals. How important is that for you? You fought so hard to get here.
ELINA SVITOLINA: What do you mean, like...

Q. You have to win one set, and then you're into the semifinals.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, you know, I'm not gonna think about it going into the next match, because I don't want to have this kind of thing in my head. I have to play my next match.

It's gonna be tough, gonna be another challenge. You know, I just gonna take this match as another opportunity to play well and, yeah, just easy.

Q. Petra and Karolina were both tough opponents for you earlier in your career, but you really are starting to turn that around. This is your third straight win against Karolina. What are adjustments have you made against power players? What kind of changes do you sense in you or your game to make you more successful against players like this?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I have to move really, really quickly and have to look very closely the ball. For me, very important, I have been working really, really hard to do that, because I have been struggling in the past. I mean, we can see now against Petra that, you know, in the past I had some troubles against her.

I made few changes in my mentality and my movement, and I think it worked really good. So far, yeah, so far so good.

Q. Can you tell us about what you were thinking in that third game of the first set that it was 15 minutes long, 10 deuces, 26 points. You saved six break points. What was going through your mind there?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Actually, I was thinking how long we are playing this game? No more. (Smiling.)

No, it was actually a very tough game, because we were both I think a little bit struggling with our nerves, because few opening games, few opportunities here and there. It's a break for Karolina, and then to hold for me and few errors. So that's why I think this game was very important. It gave me a boost of confidence to go into the, you know, next games.

Q. How proud were you to be able to close that match out in the third set? You were up 5-2 against Garcia at this event last year, and that got a little bit complicated. What did you tell yourself when it went from 5-2 to 5-3 at the end?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I just tried to stay focused on what I had to do on court and look for my opportunities, move around the ball and strike. So just, you know, try to don't have negative stuff in my head and, you know, just go for it, because, you know, we live once.

Q. You talked about being very stressed at this tournament last year. Do you feel like you're more relaxed this time around?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It's a tricky situation, because last year I was going into this tournament with confidence. This time it was different, because my second part of the season wasn't that good as last year. So it's two completely different situations. So that's why it's -- yeah, it's just a challenge.

It was a really challenging opening match, and this one, as well, so I'm very happy that I could handle those two, and I still have my next match very, very tough and, you know, I'm looking forward to it and I'm going to just, yeah, recover and be ready for it.

Q. Andy was here yesterday and gave a press conference. Curious if you heard any of it and how your relationship has changed from hitting partner to coach.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, he always was a traveling coach. You know, when I took him for the first time, the goal was that he become a traveling coach, and he learned really, really quickly.

You know, we have a really good relationship. It's very rare you can find someone who understands you and with who you can spend so much time on and off the court, because you know we are traveling so many weeks a year, and it can be very tough to find someone.

But, you know, we are finding this balance, and for me it's very important, you know, to have someone like this, and I think I'm very lucky to have him in my team.

Q. You have Caroline next. You played her last year here. Thoughts on that match?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I mean, another tough battle. She's a fighter and so am I. It's gonna be a tough match, you know. There is no easy matches here, so, you know, recover, practice, and here you go again, playing on Thursday.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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