PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 20, 2025

Jelena Ostapenko

Press Conference

J. OSTAPENKO/E. Alexandrova

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Jelena, well done. Into the final here. Just talk through your thoughts on the match and how well you played today.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Thank you. Yeah, it was not an easy match. She was hitting a lot of strong shots.

Yeah, I think I was playing well, and managed to win it in two sets today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I ask the same question I did to you yesterday: How would you rate yourself today from 1 to 10? And what was really the part of your game that you really liked the most today?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Today maybe 8, 9 also. I think in the right moments, like, when I needed to be more consistent, I was playing well.

Q. I just remember, like, few years ago maybe probably the serve was bothering you a little bit, but I felt like lately, especially this week, it's really helping you, like some crucial points, giving you many free points. Did you change something in the toss, or you just feel more comfortable with...

JELENA OSTAPENKO: It's nothing about serve. It's more about just being stronger mentally.

Q. You talked about the search for perfection on the court. I remember Agassi wrote that in his book, that he was also looking to be perfect but it wasn't good for him because it doesn't exist. Is it something you work on, not to look for that, or is it good for you to look for that?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think it's not good to look for that, because nobody is ever perfect, so to set such a high standard, it's sometimes working against you.

Q. You thanked the crowd a lot. That's very kind, obviously. Is that also a hint that you need a lot of support? It's very important for you, for your match, for your game?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I just like to play on big stages, and I think the crowd here is really nice. It's always full stadium, and it's really nice to see that.

Q. Congratulations for the final now. I have read something before the match, and for me it was really crazy to see that. This will be your only third final on clay, actually.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Oh, really? I didn't see the stats.

Q. Yeah, yeah, this was the same for us. Because knowing you for such a long time, from 2017, it felt like you had lots of finals on clay. But it's only the third one. How do you see it?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think I always played well on clay, and especially here. The clay is indoors, and I think it fits my game pretty well, so yeah (smiling).

Q. You have won here in doubles already, 2017, a short period before your great breakthrough. Is that somewhere in the backyard of your mind? Have you some memories about that incident?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I remember I got a really nice bike, Porsche bike. I still have it. It's a really fast one, yeah.

Yeah, I'm just gonna enjoy tomorrow, and it's really great to be in the final and, yeah, just give it all.

Q. Talking about Porsche bike, you have another prize, eyes to the prize tomorrow. How would you see yourself in that electric Porsche Macan?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: First, I have to win, and then we will see (smiling).

Q. I just remember yesterday you were talking about how you also watch other players to understand how to play against them. I want to ask if you also watch yourself back when you're at home, maybe on YouTube, if there is any particular match that you like so much from the past that you're still looking at it on the Internet, for example?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I look some of my matches, of course, to analyze what I did wrong. But particular, I don't know, maybe Roland Garros final. I don't know. I like that match (smiling).

Q. Could you give a quick outlook on the maybe final against Sabalenka? Looks like either Sabalenka or Paolini.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I know of them. Both are good players. But I have to do what I have to do and focus more on myself.

Q. Would you have to adapt the game against Sabalenka? It could be a very fast final.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, I have played a few times against her, and I know what I have to do. I just have to, like, focus on that, what I have to do.

Q. How do you feel the other players in the tour are thinking about your game?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I honestly don't care much what they are thinking. I just care about myself and about things I have to do, because there are always haters, lovers, so it doesn't matter. Haters only make you stronger.