US OPEN

August 25, 2025

Karolina Muchova

Press Conference

K. MUCHOVA/V. Williams

6-3, 2-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Your thoughts on your performance tonight.

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: Thank you very much. Yeah, I think every first round is always tricky, and this one was especially very tricky, playing Venus.

I think she played really great match. She was very tough. I'm happy that in the third set I think I started to serve better, and I could rely more on my shots. I got the start in the early break and then just kept going. Yeah, I was happy to finish 6-1, 6-2 in the third.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In the third set, I mean, in your mind was there something particular that allowed you to serve better? Did you think perhaps you physically wore her down in the third set? What was in your mind the biggest...

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: I think that in the second set I honestly got a little bit -- I don't want to say, not focused, but she played some good shots. It was pretty loud out there, and I kind of lost my serve there and then let her play.

Again, she played really great, those points. I just at the start of the second set I lost my serve. When I was serving at the start for the third set, I was just trying to have higher percentage of the first serve. I was more for sure focused. I was just trying to, yeah, be really in that -- just to be focused on that shot and on the next shot.

I think I did that pretty well in the third.

Q. I was wondering what you said to Venus at the end of the match when you met at the net.

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: That's a good question (smiling). I think I just congratulated her and thanked her for the match. I mean, I could tell her more, but I have big respect towards her, so I just said thank you and congrats on a nice match.

Q. What do you make of what she's doing at age 45?

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: Oh, I think she played really incredible. Yeah, I would repeat myself to say that she's such a legend of our sport, playing through so many generations in tennis.

She still loves the sport, and she enjoys to play. It's just nice to see. Again, she played really, really great today.