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APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEYJanuary 10, 2014Tsvetana PironkovaSYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES T. PIRONKOVA/A. Kerber THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Congratulations. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Thank you. Q. What was the key for you tonight? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Well, I guess I didn't have something special that I showed tonight comparing to the previous matches. I just kept the same level. I was just trying to keep the ball in the court as much as possible, as strong as possible, and when I have my chance to make winners. That's it. Q. You were stretching your groin on the chair and had your right thigh strapped. Is the body just starting to feel those matches a bit? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Yeah, yeah, ever since the beginning of the match I was feeling pain, not only in my right thigh, but also in the left one. So I was just praying, Please, God, let me finish this match. So I'm really happy that I did that, I kept my feet strong and just pulled through. Q. Your first final, and it did not appear you had any nerves at all closing it out. Did you feel nervous in the last game? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Oh, yeah, I felt very nervous, but I tried my hardest not to show it. I was trying to concentrate so hard that I just see only the ball. I was only watching the ball and I'm like, Okay, just watch the ball and follow every point. Q. You were emotional during the ceremony telling your mom and dad this is the first trophy and all that. Talk about your emotions. You cried a little bit. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Yeah, definitely. When I know what I've been through, not only last season but throughout my career, it hasn't been easy for me. As I said before, this is something that I've been waiting for for so long and something that I've missed so much. Now that I finally have it, it's all surreal. I still cannot believe it, honestly. My mom and dad are the people that have always been with me. Good or bad, they have always been behind my back and pushing me. My dad is also my coach, so obviously he's very excited, too. Yeah, that's pretty much it. Q. You were saying obviously you've gone through a lot to get here, eight years on tour and I think over 200 tournaments without a title. Did you ever think about giving at all? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Well, I will lie if I say that I haven't, especially having so bad results last year. It crossed my mind few times. But, you know, after all, this is something that I've chased all my life. One bad season, I said to myself, Okay, it sucks, but you have to keep pushing. You have to go forward. Just take all your chances and do what you have to do, and then we'll see what happens. So that's what I did. Q. I guess this is obviously the most ideal preparation leading into next week. You're in Venus Williams' half of the draw. Do you consider yourself a dark horse now? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Well, the most ideal preparation, I wouldn't say that because I have played eight matches in a row. So I will need some time to recover from that considering I have a few problems here and there. But as I said, I feel amazing, you know. So going to the next tournament, yeah, my body doesn't feel the greatest, but I think I have the right mindset and the confidence needed. So I will just try to do the same strategy and just go for each match on its own. Q. You said a big part of what you worked on was the mental side of things. Obviously today winning your first title, how much of that improvement in your mental side of your game do you attribute to coming to this point and now winning a title? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Oh, probably the whole part. Probably the whole part, I guess. Because before when I reached the semis, quarters, I'm like, Okay, I'm so deep in the tournament. What now? It's so unfamiliar for me. But with the season going by‑ with the seasons passing by‑ I just guess I learn how to take things to the end. So I'm really proud of myself for winning this tournament. Especially for that, that I not only went to the semifinal, final, but I actually won it. Q. At what point this week did you think, Maybe I can win this tournament? Looking back you beat Errani, you beat Kvitova, you beat Kerber. It wasn't like you beat easy players. You beat all very good quality players. TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Maybe after I beat Errani. That's for the first time it came to my mind, Whoa, you are on a roll here, you play really good, you feel confident, so why not win the tournament, you know? But I try to push that thought deeper in my mind and not to think too much about it. As I said, just to take each match on its own. I think that's the right strategy for me. Q. In the Errani match and a couple other matches beforehand, I notice that you hit a lot of slice forehands. I didn't see that much tonight. Was that a conscious thing or not a conscious thing? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: No, not really. I guess it depends on the opponent, because Angelique is a really hard hitter to it's very hard to play slice. This is something that I have in my, how do you say it, in my book, so I use it whenever necessary. I think it's a pretty good shot. Q. I know it's only just happened, but how do you think this title might affect you this season? Great confidence? Could open the floodgates? Do you look at the year differently now? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: I haven't thought about that yet, if I have to be honest. I'm going to repeat myself again saying after such a bad season last year I discovered that you just have to live through every moment. Now I won the title. I'm not just going to take it for granted. I am going to be happy for as much as I can. I'm I am going enjoy this moment as much as I and take everything from it that I can. It can only give me good things. I have the confidence. I know now that I'm capable of beating everyone. I'm just going to try to repeat it. (Smiling.) Q. Sort of a cliche, but now that you won the title, does it make all the pain you went through worth it? TSVETANA PIRONKOVA: Of course. Like I told you, in the beginning of the match I was feeling pain all over my legs actually, in my thighs. I said, You're in the final now. You cannot let this affect you that much. Play until you pass out. (Smiling.) So yeah, I guess the adrenaline helps you to pull through it, because right now when I walk I feel like my legs are going to fall apart, you know. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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