MARIA SAKKARI: “EVERY TIME I PLAY WITH ELISE THE LEVEL OF TENNIS IS REALLY HIGH”

Winning the first set was so important, but it was not easy. What helped you to take this set into a tie-breaker and then win it?

Obviously, I was down a couple of times in the 1st set and when I was down 5/6 I broke her. And it gave me a lot of strength to win the set. I think, I played a very solid tie-break, she also played very well. The level of the first set was very-very high. Every time I play with Elise the level of tennis is really high.

Obviously, we are going to ask you to clarify that episode with the net touch unpleasant though it may be. Did the umpire manage to persuade you that you did touch the net with your racket? Or you just decided to move on and keep playing?

When it comes to an argument with the umpire, he is not going to take his decision back. At this point I was like – OK, even if I am right or wrong I just want to move on because I just want to close this match. He was probably right, to be honest. But I am glad, that I have closed that game.

Are you already thinking about your next match or you prefer to relax and not to think about it?

When you play back-to-back matches you just want to have the day to just relax and enjoy the win. I will start thinking about tomorrow’s match tomorrow morning. For now I want to relax and enjoy, because that was an important win for me.

Do you have any special routine to distract yourself and relax or no?

We have to get tested after every 48 hours, there is nothing fancy we are doing here. I just have treatment in the room and eat some meal ordering food via room service with my team, watch Netflix and go to sleep. But I like that because this is the way I relax.