TENNIS WTA MONTREAL – 4th of August 2014. D. Cibulkova d. F. Abanda 6-1, 3-6, 6-0. An interview with Dominika Cibulkova
Q. Could you tell us what it’s like to play against a girl who has little experience and against a crowd like this one tonight in Montréal.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I have to say I didn’t play in Canada against a home player a long time I would say because I didn’t really expect some crowd going so crazy. And, yeah, I played a lot of Fed Cup matches and it really reminded me of Fed Cup.
It was really tough to play today. I hit some really good shots and I just heard myself screaming, C’mon. So I had to deal with it.
But I’m enough experienced player to not lose my nerves or just think about it. So I was focusing on myself and what I have to do.
Q. The second set was pretty difficult for you. Last week you lost in the first round in Stanford. How is the adaptation going for the hard courts?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It’s never easy to start again a new series on different surface. I have really tough draw last week in Stanford. I was hoping to get more matches, but I didn’t.
I was going in today’s match really focused. I knew she’s young player, she has nothing to lose, she has all the support. I just really had to calm myself.
After the second set I just sit down and I talk to myself. I was playing well the first set, I knew what I have to change, just go goal after goal.
I wasn’t panicking. I wasn’t losing my head. That was important.