Barbora Strycova – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Before this week you had only won one match in Dubai before. How does it feel to be in the final?

BARBORA STRYCOVA: I mean, it feels great. I can’t believe it, actually, because it wasn’t easy match for me today.

I wasn’t feeling so well. Actually, the first set I was playing without any mistakes and I felt the ball, but then 2-0 in the second I was a little bit down physically and I couldn’t like pump it up again.

So I’m happy that I pulled it through at the end.

Q. Tough at the end, down Love-30 in the last game?

BARBORA STRYCOVA: Yeah. I mean, I wasn’t serving well the last two sets and I was like, Okay, go for it. You have nothing to lose. You make ace.

I mean, I was serving three good serves and I had a plan behind it. I would go to the net. So at least I think I played myself. I didn’t wait for the mistakes. I’m happy about it.

Q. When is the last time you ended a match with two aces?

BARBORA STRYCOVA: Never (smiling).

Q. How does that feel?

BARBORA STRYCOVA: It feels good. I mean, I’m so small, so for me it’s good to put an ace. And two in a row to serving for match, it feels great.

Q. Did it help that you had beaten her just a few weeks ago and you had beaten her quite a few times before?

BARBORA STRYCOVA: I mean, of course you go for — you approach the match that you believe that you can do it again, but like I said yesterday, it’s so totally different conditions, and the ball goes so quick here and she plays really well.

I mean, I don’t know. The previous matches where it’s so different, for sure it helped because I won them.

Q. At what point during the week did you kind of feel my game is coming together? Did you even pay attention to all the seeds that were losing and all the stuff, or just…

BARBORA STRYCOVA: I never look at the draw, so my coach always tells me who I play first round and then the next one, because I don’t like to look at it and I don’t think it’s important.

But I felt like I was losing 1-6, Love-3 in the second round, so I pulled it through and it helped a little bit with the confidence.

So I think that the second round helped me.

Q. Has your coach told you who you’re playing in the final?

BARBORA STRYCOVA: Well, the interview I had on court, she told me. (Smiling.) No, I mean, of course I know.

It’s going to be tough one. I lost to Sara in Eastbourne. It’s on grass. But I lost from two match points down. So revenge. (Smiling.)