Carla Suarez Navarro – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You were down 1-5, a lot of set points against you in the first set. How did you turn that around?

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Well, it was tough. I didn’t play good today. I start too bad. Sometimes is not easy take the confidence back again.

But, well, point by point, game by game, I just tried to fight, tried to relax a little bit. Was tough because I didn’t find the way to play and enjoy at the same time.

But, well, I won the first set. In the second set, I feel tired. I feel like I don’t feeling good. I didn’t enjoy the match at all.

Well, tomorrow I have a new opportunity. I won. I think this is the only positive things for today, yeah (smiling).

Q. Does it give you a bit more satisfaction when you weren’t at your best but still managed to grind out a good win?

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Yeah, you know, when you play bad and you won, you say, Okay, sometimes it happen. You don’t play good every match. But if I want to be into the top 10, into the top 5, I cannot play like this. I mean, against a top player or a better one, maybe if Kiki won one of the points that she has in the first set, maybe I’m not here now.

Well, I say before: the only positive thing is that I won. I will try to relax a little bit for tomorrow because I need a better Carla.

Q. Did you feel the game or the rhythm wasn’t there even before you started the match, like maybe in practice? It’s windy today also. That can be a little bit difficult.

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: No, I was surprised because I warm up with Caroline Wozniacki. With the windy day, we have a really good practice, I feel good. Then I was on court, totally different. I don’t know why.

Well, I will think about it because I cannot start like today for tomorrow.

Q. Is there something about the conditions here that gets a good performance out of you here?

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Well, the ball here are bounce a lot and I like it. Also Kiki. Today I was all the time in the first set with my backhand up here.

But, yeah, I like the condition here. For me, the most comfortable is that we have the hotel here. I take the shower in my room. Five, ten minutes is all the distance.

It’s a really good tournament for me, relaxed. We have all the facilities. I like it I think for all this.

Q. You play either Garbine or Svitolina next. Talking about Garbine, if it is here, is it weird to play her at all or not?

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Yeah, a little bit. We play a lot of times together. We play doubles. We are friends. I mean, it’s like one more game, but for me it’s a little bit different because I know her really good, and she know me really, really good.

But I like when I play against Spanish player because if Garbine win today, tomorrow we meet, one of the Spanish girls is in semifinal. It’s a positive thing.

But, yeah, it’s strange when I play against Garbine. I play in Sydney. When you are on court, all these things disappear, but it’s different.

Q. If it is Svitolina, a different type of player than Garbine, what is the challenge there for you?

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Well, she’s playing good. I mean, when I play against Svitolina, always I have to be focus in the tactical game. It’s also a really physical game, long points.

We meet last year a few times. But you know against Svitolina, you have to be there all the time. You have to kill her every point because she can come back really good (smiling). She’s a real regular player during all the match. You have to be there 100% all the time.

Q. What do you look for in a practice partner? Are there players on tour that are your favorite players to practice with?

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO: Yeah, I have favorite players. It depends. Now I think I want to take back my level, and I want to practice with the best ones, with the top players, try to play a lot with them because they have the rhythm, they have a lot of matches with them.

But I have favorite players. I mean, with Kiki I practice a lot. With Halep I try. I like it. Errani was one of my favorites. We change a lot.

Yeah, I practice also with Garbine a lot. But I can practice with anyone, yeah. I have no problem.