Barbora Krejcikova – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Good memories for you from last year. Can you reflect a little bit last year on your run and what it meant to you.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I think last year was amazing. It was my very first 1000 where I got in a finals. I remember I was playing a lot of tough games. I was playing slam champions and stuff. I was able to beat them. I got to the finals. Already that was amazing achievement.

I really like Dubai. I’m really looking forward to this year.

Q. How do you feel about your game entering this week?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I feel good. I feel healthy. That’s the most important thing. I think with every single practice I’m improving. Always the first rounds are tricky. I just look forward playing it.

Q. Usually when someone has a very big breakthrough like you did at Roland Garros, sometimes there can be a little bit of a dip. Seems like you handled it well. What do you think is the key for you to have handled it so well?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Thank you. I mean, the key is just to keep going, just to keep playing, keep believing in yourself that you don’t have to get these, like, drops, that you can still keep going and keep doing well. I think that’s the key.

Q. We can say that Dubai last year was very lucky for you. You got on a rapid momentum post that. Do you expect similar this year as well?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I don’t know. We going to see.

Q. How do you feel before the tournament?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: We’re going to see at the end of this week. I feel good. I’m looking forward to play. I just want to keep playing and keep winning matches. I mean, that’s the biggest goal for the season for me.

I believe that I’m going to do well, but we going to see at the end of the week.

Q. How do you keep your motivation up to get bigger and better every single week?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: There are still a lot of tournaments that I haven’t win yet. There are still a lot of players that are ahead of me right now (smiling). It’s just a lot of motivation. Like I see other players are doing well, they are improving every single day. I want to improve with them and I want to get better than them. I mean, that’s the biggest motivation. I’m don’t really have lack of motivation right now (smiling).

Q. Your opponent going in is Caroline Garcia. How are your preparations going into the tournament?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I play Caroline many times. Actually recently we played in Sydney, so I know how she’s playing. I know her game. She’s really dangerous player. She plays really aggressive, really big serve and stuff.

I mean, I just have to do — to find the right tactic to play against her. I mean, it’s more that I have to talk to my coach first because I still have couple more days to the start.

Also usually I don’t really look at the draw at the beginning. Usually my coach tells me before the match. Yeah, I mean, I expect to have a tough match.

Q. What do you make of the way Ash Barty won the Australian Open?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I mean, I was really happy for her. It was amazing. I was watching the finals. I think it’s really good for her. I really admire her because she is a really good girl, nice girl off the court, but also on the court she is a very tough opponent.

I think for most of us, for most of the girls, I think she can be a good example to get higher, to finally try to beat her.

I think she deserves it. She works really hard. She belongs where she is right now.

Q. The No. 1 ranking is not something which is not reachable. Everybody can reach it. Do you think it’s a good thing or a bad thing as a player, especially those who are very close? Is it putting more pressure on the players?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think it depends. For me, when I talk for myself, I don’t really look at the rankings. I really try to go and win the matches because for me that’s the most important thing. It would be very nice at some point if I end up at No. 1, if I can reach this level.

It’s not really the main and the biggest goal. I mean, the biggest goal is to keep winning matches and keep winning tournaments.

Q. You had a great Australian Open at the doubles. Just a word on Siniakova as a teammate and friend and how you feed off of each other?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, Katka, she’s very nice on the court otherwise it wouldn’t work. We have a good chemistry. We really understand each other. Also I think there is no language barrier, which is always very nice that you can just talk in Czech, ease up the situation. I think that’s very, very nice. It’s working for both of us.

On the court, I think the games that we play, the game that I play and she plays, I think it just really fits together.

Yeah, I mean, I’m extremely happy with the way how we are doing for such a long time, that we are still able to improve and keep winning the biggest tournaments. I think it’s a really, really positive thing.

Q. You are the most improved player this year on the WTA. What do you think changed this past year?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I think lot of things change. I think just everything, just getting more matured, getting older (smiling). Just playing more tennis, being more dedicated to the sport. Everything also mentally just improved. I improved a lot.

I mean, all of this, all these little things are showing the bigger picture right now. I mean, I think that’s the most important thing why I just improved this much, why I am where I am.

Q. Who do you think is your toughest contender at the Dubai Duty Free this year?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think everybody’s tricky, everybody’s difficult. As I said, I think the first rounds are the toughest one because you don’t really know what to expect.

Then, I mean, all the girls are just very dangerous. I cannot really mention just one. I think the whole field is very hard and very difficult and very challenging.