TENNIS US OPEN – 30th of August 2014. A. Krunic d. P. Kvitova 6-4, 6-4. An interview with Petra Kvitova
Q. Disappointing for you. What was your main issue today?
PETRA KVITOVA: Yes, I’m very disappointing. I wanted to win today, and unfortunately I didn’t. Yeah, I think she played really unbelievable tennis and she put a lot of balls back. Almost all of them. For me it was very difficult just, you know, to play only on the winners. I did mistakes and I was really trying everything what I could in that moment. I was trying to fight and fighting every point, but it was so difficult. It wasn’t really my day. She played really great tennis today.
Q. Did you have any feel like in the warmups or before the match start that had this might be more difficult than you had anticipated?
PETRA KVITOVA: No. I knew a little bit what she’s playing, but I didn’t really expect how she played so well. Really, I mean, you know, I was fine, and suddenly she just pushed very hard the ball. It was just coming so quickly then, so it was really difficult, you know. She was trying to do everything, but of course it’s great. I just didn’t really to have an answer for it.
Q. What are two or three things she did especially well today?
PETRA KVITOVA: I think really she was really great moving on the court. I mean, she served well in the important points as well that I really could expect, but it was difficult still to return it. How I said already, she pushed a lot of balls back and it was difficult for me then.
Q. Did you feel like some of your shots maybe let you down a bit, like your serve or your forehand? Was it a bad day, or just…
PETRA KVITOVA: Yeah, my serve didn’t work great today. But anyway, I mean, I won some matches without my serve, as well. It’s always about me. Of course if I have a better serve maybe it’s just helping me a little bit, but it was a lot of rallies and it was of course for her these rallies.
Q. Radwanska, when she lost here, she said she can’t make it here in this tournament; doesn’t feel comfortable. Do you feel this way? Because you have a tough story with the US Open.
PETRA KVITOVA: Not really. I wasn’t really thinking about the story. I mean, it’s a Grand Slam and everybody just want to win. I lost, and that’s what happened. You know, I did better than 2011, so that’s good, as well. Yeah, I mean, that’s the tennis. Sometimes you’re up; sometimes you are down. Just about you wake up in the next morning and try to work hard again. That’s what I will do soon.
Q. What are your plans now?
PETRA KVITOVA: I’m flying home tomorrow. That’s what I know right now (smiling).
Q. She said it was an honor to be on court with you, and that she really did not expect to win this match. How do you feel when you hear something like that?
PETRA KVITOVA: You know, I think I know how she’s feeling when she’s going to play top-10 player, and I know the feeling that you don’t really expect anything from yourself and just going there and play your best tennis. That’s what she did today, for sure, for 100%. You know, to play like with nothing to lose, just enjoy the match and everything, it’s just work for her. I was the favorite of the match and I knew that I should win. Of course it’s always a little bit difficult.
Q. Was your leg an issue at all?
PETRA KVITOVA: I just a little bit felt it, but it wasn’t really big issue of the match.
Q. Five of the top eight players, top eight seeds, are already out. How do you explain it? Halep was playing well. Ivanovic. Do you think it’s something strange, the stars, superstition, or whatever?
PETRA KVITOVA: I don’t know. I think it’s the women’s tennis. I’m not pretty sure what’s happening. I mean, if I see, you know, this year for example, all the Grand Slams have a big upsets. It’s same here. I think just the tennis is so close. The levels are very close. Everybody really can beat everyone from the top, so it’s really difficult to stay on the top. It’s a lot of pressure over there. And the players are better and better, so it’s really — it’s really tough.
Q. How do you deal with the pressure?
PETRA KVITOVA: You know, I’m already still a little bit from 2011, and I think without the pressure it’s nothing. Pressure means that you are — that you have a good result and you are just — you know, in this position the pressure is there of course every time. You have to just try to handle it as much as possible.
