Elina Svitolina: Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Given how long yesterday’s match went, how was the recovery? How did you feel going into today? Do you think that played a factor tonight?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, definitely not ideal. But it is what it is. I cannot complain. I had a great match yesterday. Was very happy with the way I could win that match. Still I want to look on this tournament with lots of positives, take only good things. For me that’s the priority.

I think I played great matches, beat good players. Of course in a final, it was tough. But Jess, she’s so consistent. She’s great player. I think here, you know, she really played great tennis.

It is how it is. I’m still happy. Want to look from a positive side.

Q. What do you think was the main reason for not playing as well as yesterday?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, firstly, it’s a very different player. She strikes the ball very different, as well. I think physically I was not 100%, not at my best. I had to put more little bit into the shots. Unfortunately didn’t find the ways to put her off balance.

I think she played a wonderful match. She was striking the ball perfect. Played really solid match.

Yeah, it’s tennis. It’s like this. These kind of tournaments, you have very short recovery. Yeah, yesterday match took a lot out of my body. I mean, I cannot complain about it.

Q. Obviously I assume you’ll take the week off heading into Indian Wells. What is the recovery plan for you, getting back into good form and continuing the momentum you’ve had?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, now I have couple of days. I’m going to Ukraine tomorrow night. Just it’s going to be a long journey for me, as well, over 20-hours’ journey.

I’m in a good spirit to go back home, go to see my friends, my family back in Ukraine. Then just going to stay there for a couple of days, then go back to Europe, then fly to Los Angeles. Indian Wells just around the corner.

For me it’s all about trying to find this balance between resting, really switching off from tennis, and then being back on the court, working on a few things.

Starting Indian Wells a little bit later, from the second round, so it also helps the adaptation for that particular surface, that particular tournament.

So yeah, tennis never stops. It’s all about trying to recover and be ready again for the next week.

Q. You spoke about your recovery time, how you weren’t quite 100% today. When you dropped the first game, how much of a challenge mentally is it to keep staying in the match and keep fighting?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it’s not easy. I mean, I did little bit more mistakes than usually. Sometimes my footwork was not perfect. Little things like here and there I was short. I mean, against top players, you cannot make these kind of mistakes, constantly making them.

As a player like Jess, very consistent, you have to always put a lot of pressure, you have to always be finding all the small opportunities.

Unfortunately today firstly I had little bit low mentally and I was little bit tired. Body, I don’t even want to start where I have been (smiling).

Q. What positive things do you take from this tournament?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I take lots of good matches. I think I played really, really decent level. I mean, my draw was very tough. When I saw the draw, when it came out, I was like, Wow, it’s going to be difficult to go far in the tournament.

I went through them. I’m very happy with the way that I’ve been handling myself. Yesterday match as well, I think I pushed myself. Yeah, just happy to be back after Australia, playing in a different continent and still playing well. Yeah, lots of positives.

There’s nothing negative I would say from this tournament because I put even today my 100% as much as I could. I tried to fight. I tried to come back into the match in the second. She played just too good.

Yeah, I just have to accept it and just move on.

Q. Before the year started, did you have a feeling that you could have a year like this? At 31, do you feel like you’re playing the best you’ve ever played?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, definitely I didn’t expect at the beginning of the year that I would play that good. I actually went to Auckland to get some matches, just to try to find my rhythm. Yeah, just everything came together. I worked hard.

Also I think that break in September helped me, that month or two helped me to pick up myself mentally. Yeah, I feel like I’m in a good place. I try to look little bit into my game and my mentality from a different side.

Yeah, so far it’s been working well. I feel like I’m improving. I’m ready to face difficult situations. That’s the most important I feel like.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports