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APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY


January 7, 2014


Petra Kvitova


SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

P. KVITOVA/C. McHale
6‑1, 6‑0


THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Congratulations on today's win.  You struggled here when you arrived last year.  Seems you've arrived this year in very good form.  How do you assess how you're going at this stage?
PETRA KVITOVA:  Yeah, that's true.  I mean, I'm feeling much more better than last year, and the results show it.
I'm glad how I played today, that I won my match here.  That's the most important thing to did here.  I was really glad I started here better than the last year.  I didn't have really nice memories from the last year here.
So it's important to be in the next round.

Q.  I talked to Christina, and she said unlike at Indian Wells when you played her, it seemed like today you were on top of every ball very fast.  Did you feel that way?
PETRA KVITOVA:  I remember really well the match in Indian Wells.  I played great if the first set, and then I was dropping off, as many times in my career.
I just was really into the game today and I was thinking about every point in the second set very strongly and trying to be still in game and still be one who's making the game.
I tried to hit every ball, and my serve helped me a lot today actually when I was down.  It's always there that important and that I was practicing on it.  So I'm glad.

Q.  So in the off‑season you were working more on what, fitness I would assume, then focusing on every point and then, what, serve or...
PETRA KVITOVA:  My priority was to improve my movement.  It was my first priority.  Then I practice on my serve.  So there was really two things what I'm doing.
You know, when I'm practicing on the fitness and then I'm improve my movement, is everything easier then.  I feel more comfortable on the court and I have more confidence that I can play more rallies than I did before, that I don't have to risk every ball from the second shot, for example.
So this is I think that it's making me more relaxed on the court.  I think that the game, it came then.

Q.  This is the first time you've had a long period with your new fitness trainer.  You had two months with him this time.  You feel like you're legitimately faster movement‑wise?
PETRA KVITOVA:  I'm not really recognize how I am improving or not.  That was my fault before when I was still thinking about how I'm doing.
In the last month when we practice, I didn't really think that it will bring me exactly in this month that I will be quicker and everything.
So I'm just trying to play and catch every ball, and I think that's most important thing.
And how I said, I'm not really think about, but when I am look back, for example today's match, I know that I catch quite tough balls.  So I think that's good.

Q.  What are your goals for this season?
PETRA KVITOVA:  That's hard to say for me.  I mean, I never have like goals as number in the ranking.  I just would like to improve my serve, my fitness.
One thing I would like to change from the last year is beginning of the season and have better results on the Grand Slams.

Q.  We've seen the top seed and the fourth seed go out in the last 24 hours of this tournament.  How important is it to start well?  You didn't start well last year.  How important is it going into Melbourne to actually feel like you have some form before you get there?
PETRA KVITOVA:  I think that everyone is different.  I remember last year when I played two matches in Brisbane, here one, and then it was really tough for me to be ready in Australian Open.  So I struggle a lot.
I mean, everyone is different, how I said.  But for me, it's great to have some matches in my back.  I played already three in Hopman Cup; today was fourth.
For me it's the best practicing in the world that you can play the match.

Q.  I was in Brisbane, and the players were saying that that was the fastest outdoor hard court they had ever played on.  Do you find Sydney playing very fast?  Is it faster than Perth?
PETRA KVITOVA:  Perth was fast, too, but I think that here it's a little bit faster.
I don't think it's the fastest ever.  I played in Tokyo on the center court and it was very, very fast.  I don't think I can really compare it.
I didn't play in the Brisbane, but I heard a lot of these words, that's it's fast.  I heard in Melbourne going to be faster, too.
So for me, I'm just happy for that.  I like fast surface, so, yeah, that's it.

Q.  So you feel like it plays in your favor, even though the fast surface is outdoors?  I know you like indoors a lot and grass, but you like an outdoor fast surface because you can dictate points easier?
PETRA KVITOVA:  Yeah, I do.  I really like to play on the hard courts when it's a little bit faster than for example Indian Wells where it's very slow.
So I p/refer the faster one, but you can't choose.  You have to play on the court what you have and exactly the time.
So, yeah, I prefer it, but that's for everyone same.

Q.  I think you got on court today while Radek was playing, correct?  And then you were off court before he finished.  Was that because you wanted to see the end of his match?
PETRA KVITOVA:  No.  When I was stepping on the court I didn't know how is end the of first set, so I didn't really know what the score is.  I just try to play my game.  I wasn't thinking about him.
But then when I came out from in the court I recognize that he's still playing.  So, yeah, I was just faster than him today.

Q.  Did you tell him later, How come you were so slow finishing?
PETRA KVITOVA:  No, I didn't speak with him yet too much.  He was again practicing on the court.  I will speak with him then.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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