Karolina Pliskova – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Obviously it’s a tough first round. Can you talk about what happened today?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: That was a very tough first round, because, like I said already, she’s a very dangerous player. You never know what’s gonna come from her side. And obviously she’s great serving, so obviously it’s not easy to break her, especially in these conditions when it’s really fast and the balls aren’t flying really fast.

It’s tough. I didn’t have many chances. The first set was close, but still I think she was a little bit better. Second set obviously she was feeling much better, more confident from the baseline, as well. So nothing more to say.

Q. Did you feel all right?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yes.

Q. Anything bothering you?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, I felt okay.

Q. When you come into a tournament where you have done so well the year before, is there pressure to try and match that again?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I didn’t feel that much pressure, but I just like knew that it’s gonna be tough because there is not many rallies with her. So we have one chance and if you don’t make it, then you get three aces and that’s it.

It’s tough to play against her. Obviously my game is a little bit better from the baseline, but there was no chance to, you know, show it because there was no rallies. So it was just tough. I couldn’t just get, you know, through it.

Maybe if I would win the first set would be different, but I think she was playing really well, really well serving, even the second serve.

Like I said, I had few chances, small chances, so bad luck this time.

Q. Is there a way of slowing down the game against her so you’ve got more time and getting into rallies?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: I mean, there was no chance to get into rallies that much I think. Even if you put the return back, she’s playing, you know, risky from the baseline, as well.

There was I think few in the tiebreak, two rallies which she won, and in the second set I was — it was about the first set actually. So the second set was just, you know, very bad for me. But from her, like I said, she improved. And like I said, in these conditions it’s tough, you know, to slow down the game, because there is not much to do. When she’s playing this fast I cannot do much about it.

Q. Are you able to go to Doha next week?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Yeah.