Belinda Bencic – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What are your thoughts on that? Couldn’t have been any closer, could it?

BELINDA BENCIC: No, I mean, I’m trying to make it as close as possible (smiling). Yeah, definitely, I don’t know. I just came off the court. My fitness coach told me how the match point was, and I forgot it already. Yeah, I’m just incredibly happy how I turn it around once again. I’m not sure what it is with 3-5 with me.

Q. How different did you feel when you were a game away, when she was serving for it, versus how you were playing at the start of the tiebreak when you saw three match points come and go?

BELINDA BENCIC: I think from 3-5, I just completely zoomed out. I think I was playing the same, even though I lost the match points. Somehow I was still focused, I don’t know why. I had a big chance on the first match point. I went for too much. I think I did the right thing. I was doing the right thing. Basically I stayed in the zone, even in tiebreak. I was barely breathing, just playing automatic. You are not thinking any more. It’s where the instincts just guide you through it.

Q.What was going on when you wanted to call your dad on the court?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, I’m new on the WTA Tour. I don’t know the rules (smiling). No, I already called him. I thought at the start of the set that it count for the next set, but it still counts for the old set. Then she went to the toilet, so I could call him. I kept screaming at the umpire because I thought she, like, denied to come in because he already came. I thought she didn’t see me. I was, yeah, being me.

Q. You’re very mentally tough, come through so many tight moments this week. Where does that come from? You can’t train for that, can you?

BELINDA BENCIC: I’m training it now. I think this is the best training. You really cannot train the mental part of the tennis. You can have some mental coaches, psychologists, this and that. I think it’s more about your work ethic, motivation, all that. These tight moments, you cannot train it in practice, you cannot train in the gym, you can only train in the matches. I’ve got a lot of training this week.

Q. In your first Premier 5 final since Toronto. How do you feel you’re different now than then?

BELINDA BENCIC: I’m four years older. No, I don’t know. I haven’t thought about Toronto at all in the last moments. Yeah, it means of course a lot to be in the final. But you don’t realize when you’re playing that it’s a Premier 5. Even if it’s a 25,000 tournament, you’re still the same. In the court, you’re not thinking about all this. Definitely when I will realize it, I will be very happy.

Q. What is the most gratifying part of this week for you? What are you most proud of?

BELINDA BENCIC: I think I’m always the most proud of how I fight. Even when I lose, I learned myself to just look in the mirror and be proud of myself when I’m fighting, when I’m giving my all, when I’m trying to do what I have to do. I think I’ll always be proud of that. I think that will be my number one goal always.

Q. At the Australian Open you started a hashtag on Instagram that said ‘Petra’s victims’. You play Petra tomorrow. How do you reverse that result?

BELINDA BENCIC: There she was on the roll. I mean, Anisimova was playing amazing. Petra crushed all of us. We were trying so hard. It was 6-2, 6-1, then 6-3, 6-1, until the final. That’s why I said it. Yeah, of course she’s in great form. Maybe this tournament I’m also in great form. It will be a tough final. The final is always two great players. I’m very happy to play her. Yeah, we’ll see. Hopefully I will not be Petra’s victim.

Q. Apart from winning matches, what do you like about being here?

BELINDA BENCIC: Actually this year — I mean, I’ve been here couple of times. This year I haven’t seen much. I’ve been in the hotel, playing, hotel, playing. It’s night matches, so you cannot really do anything
before the match. Maybe after the tournament I will stay one, two days. Of course, I like the Dubai Mall. It’s a really nice city. Many things you can do. Definitely I wish to have some more time to explore it.

Q. Probably a lot of people ask you about Roger. Is there anything from playing with him that has helped you this week?

BELINDA BENCIC: I’m trying to be as calm as him. I know I’m far, far, far away from that. I’m trying.