home jobs contact us
Our Clients:
Browse by Sport
Find us on ASAP sports on Facebook ASAP sports on Twitter
ASAP Sports RSS Subscribe to RSS
Click to go to
Asaptext.com
ASAPtext.com
ASAP Sports e-Brochure View our
e-Brochure

SHISEIDO WTA FINALS SHENZHEN


November 3, 2019


Kristina Mladenovic

Timea Babos


Shenzhen, China

BABOS-MLADENOVIC/Strycova-Hsieh

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How excited are you? Are you motivated to come back again next year?
TIMEA BABOS: Yeah, obviously what can you say? We can just be all very, very happy and pleased. Just amazed about this week. We played some great tennis. There was no one out there on this tournament who could beat us. That's really amazing.

Of course, to share it with Kiki, to play on the biggest stage with her, to get the title together, it's an incredible story. I'm just really, really happy to lift that trophy again.

Of course, we would want to come back and do it many more times.

Q. What are you most pleased with from your performance? Clearly dominant.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: I think the game plan, like the whole week, was bringing our big game, use our big strengths that we have each in our singles game, which would be big serve, great returns. Yeah, just be dominant in the game. Follow it up as well in terms of tactics.

I think today we were very strong at the beginning of the points. There was not that many rallies out there. I think we had a great percentage of the serve. We made a difference straight from our returns.

The key word was 'dominant' like you said. The pace of our shot was consistently quite great and fast. It definitely bothered the opponent's team.

Q. The first time Shenzhen has held this tournament. What is your general feeling?
TIMEA BABOS: Yeah, obviously it's a new tournament, new venue. We're going to be here in Shenzhen for another nine years. It's something huge for the WTA and for us to be able to host the tournament - not any tournament, but the Finals - for such a long time.

For a first-year tournament, I think things were really nice, very well-organized. We had a great stadium. For us, it's most important when we are on court and when we play. Really today the atmosphere was also great. Also we have good team around us, so everything is just much nicer. Obviously when you lift the trophy, then everything seems really amazing. Yeah, I think Shenzhen really did a great job.

Of course, like in our tennis and in our profession, we have always things to improve. For sure the tournament also has.

Overall we both really enjoyed our time here.

Q. Timea, describe the experience winning three in a row, different partners, cities. You're the Finals MVP.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Sounds like 'envy' (laughter).

TIMEA BABOS: Nothing better to share it with Kiki. I had opportunity two years ago, so to win this tournament... Every time we step on court, even if we have a huge story from Istanbul, playing after midnight, no one cared, no one was watching. We were bummed to be there, and win the tournament. Probably that tournament gave us the opportunity to play well at the French Open.

Really, every tournament for me is the same when I can share it with her. It's very amazing to be able to lift that trophy for the third time in a row. We're both hungry to be back and to get more.

Q. Now that it's the off-season, talk about the plans. Kiki, talk about getting ready for Fed Cup.
KRISTINA MLADENOVIC: Yeah, I kind of have to push one extra week. It's never easy because we both gave lots of ourselves in terms of focus, preparation, routine. Also the whole adrenaline of back-to-back matches. It was a very intense week.

I mean, I wouldn't change anything of that because with our full commitment, we achieve what we wanted. It's the best feeling.

I know that the turnaround is going to be tough. I'm probably traveling tomorrow to Australia. Lucky me, there's not lots of time change. Yeah, it's going to be completely different venue, different vibes. A great challenge ahead.

It will be historical for me and for my teammates and country to be part of the last Fed Cup final in that format. I'll give it my best.

For sure I'll push through to try to be great one more week this season. Then it's pretty much the same routine of trying to get some rest, enjoy the time off with my family, enjoy some rest, well-deserved, then try to prepare and work hard to achieve even better in 2020 season.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP sports

tech 129
About ASAP SportsFastScripts ArchiveRecent InterviewsCaptioningUpcoming EventsContact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297