PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 19, 2025

Ekaterina Alexandrova

Press Conference

E. ALEXANDROVA/J. Pegula

6-0, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Katerina, a very impressive performance from you today. What are your thoughts on making it through against Jessica?

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: Well, I'm really happy with the result today and the way I was playing. I always prepare myself for a really difficult match, because it's always difficult to play against her, and the last matches that we played, it was always three sets.

So I was slightly, like, confusing after the first set, but I knew she's gonna play much better in the second one. So I was trying not to be distracted by that, and just start all over again.

I'm really happy that I could finish in two sets finally, because, like, at the end it was a little bit shaky situation (smiling). But everything was good at the end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. This is your third straight-sets win this week. Again, a very impressive score overall. I had the feeling that probably you are moving a bit better now than probably, as you spoke yesterday about some improvements on clay, if that was something that you also felt was improvement in your game on clay?

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: Yes, I think that's helping a lot, because when I first arrived here, I looked terrible on the clay (smiling).

But definitely helped that I played in Charleston, and I played, like, a lot of, four matches, I think, four matches there, so that helped a lot.

But again, here the clay is different. First couple of practices it was not the greatest, like, to watch me on that court, but with the practices and with the matches, I was feeling more and more comfortable on that clay. I think now it's kind of like it doesn't bother me that much that it's clay.

Q. Which part of the game you really liked about your game?

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: Like today or overall?

Q. Yeah, during the whole week so far.

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: I think the serve is pretty good. It helping a lot in the really, like, really difficult situation. Not all the time, because I lost it I think two matches in a row, the first game on my serve, and I lost it. But overall I think the serve is great this week, and I'm pretty happy with my baseline on the clay.

So I'm trying to make it, like, you know, like a point, like, a rally. So not that fast, like one, two, two shots and that's it. No, I'm trying to play, like, more and more. I'm kind of, like, trying to find the right rhythm, and the more I play, the more I could feel it on the baseline. I really like that feeling.

Q. So you're going to play Jelena Ostapenko next. Have you had the chance to see some of her game against Iga?

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: I saw maybe, like, two games, because when they started to play, I was cooling down. Then we went to play doubles. So I wasn't able to see that match.

I know Jelena. She plays well. When she hits inside the court, it's difficult to do something about it. But for sure it's going to be difficult tomorrow. I will try to do my best and hope for the best and we'll see.

Q. Your head-to-head against her is 5-5, as much as we know, but on clay, you are heading, like, 2-0 against her, if I'm right. How do you see the game against her for tomorrow?

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: Well, probably I will do the same thing I was doing the whole week. I won't try to think about more about her game, what she's going to do or what she's doing on the court, but basically on the things that I need to do, so the things I need to be focused on.

Again, I mean, like, anything can happen. For sure it's going to be difficult match, and of course I will try to do my best. It's hard to tell before the match anything, because every day is different. But again, we'll see.

Q. Can you tell me why it's so difficult to play Jelena Ostapenko?

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: Because she hits hard, and sometimes it's almost every time she catches the line, you know, it's hard to return that kind of shots, because it's fast, it's low, and, like, you need to be prepared like all the time. So there is, like -- you cannot, like, hit easy balls with her. You need to be prepared to hit it kind of aggressive, too.

It's hard to, like, maintain that kind of, like, that kind of style of playing, so we'll see (smiling).

Q. When you train with other players, are there people that you prefer to train with? Jelena, do you sometimes hit balls with her, or don't you ever sort of do that with her? Who is it that you would like to train with?

EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA: It depends. Like, you know, when you check the practice schedule, like, sometimes you just train with the coach, with the basket, so just, like, regular serve or return or some kind of easy shots.

Sometimes when you want to, like, maybe hit crosses, you can hit with a hitting partner or someone, or if you want to play points, you see wherever who is looking at the time you want to hit, or maybe you want to at certain times, so you put yourself as looking and someone will sign with you, so it always depends.