ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH ON HER MATCH AGAINST OSTAPENKO: “I GAVE IT ALL AND I AM PROUD OF MYSELF!”

You played a good match, you had a chance to win it: you broke your opponent’s serve at 3/4 in the second set, and then gained momentum and won the set. It seemed like you still played better at the beginning of the third set, you had many chances to break again, but you didn’t seize them. Do you think those moments had an influence on your attitude and eventually on the result?

They didn’t influence my attitude. I believe that I played at 550 per cent of what I could give, because during the previous week I had only two practice sessions on court. I have nothing to blame myself for, I did all I could. Actually, I am even proud of myself at some level. It seems to me that I have reached some new level of tennis, because I had never given that much at such matches before, and today I have.

You opponent Jelena Ostapenko said she was unsatisfied with how she played, that she had played better during her first two matches. She said she was rushing things up his time, made silly mistakes. You have known her for a long time. Do you agree with her assessment?

I think, tennis is a game with two players. Maybe I was an inconvenient opponent for her, broke her pace, served well. I don’t know… She played her usual tennis. I had expected her to play offensively, hit the ball deep. Both of us might have lacked in quality in the first set, but the match improved a lot later.

It is hard to say if you are sad or happy during the match. Emotions don’t show on your poker face. Is it how you are naturally, or did you work on being able to keep your emotions to yourself?

I don’t know, I feel comfortable this way. I am who I am, and these are the emotions I am feeling now. Maybe it seems this way because I am tired.

It seems like today’s loss might be an impulse for you to become better, because you have shown your best tennis. Is it so?

Today I have become stronger thanks to this match. In terms of tennis, I cannot judge myself too hard, because I didn’t have enough practice time. Had I practiced more, I might have won. Still, today’s match is definitely a great experience, I will learn my lessons and start preparing for the upcoming tournaments.

What did your coach tell you after the match?

He knows what I went through last week, he supported me. My dad texted me that I did great, did a great job. They are happy with what I did, and I am too.

What happened last week? Why did not you practice enough?

I will not say it, because it is personal. If I had reached the final, I would have talked about it, but now I won’t.