MARIA SAKKARI: «IT’S TOUGH TO THINK POSITIVE NOW»

Is there something you can praise yourself and give compliments to yourself after this match? For instance, you made no double faults. Maybe, you’ll compliment yourself for a good serve?

It’s tough to compliment yourself, to think positive just an hour after the match. I just need a rest, then a couple of days off. For sure, there will be positive things, but right now it’s tough to name some of them. 

In the first set you were down 2/5, but managed to win five games in a row and win the set. How did you do this?

It’s just all about being a tennis player. You have to be prepared to fight no matter what the score is and try to come back from the situation like this in the first set. It’s the same how my opponent came back in the third set. It’s a part of our job, a part of our sport. We have to do this no matter what.

When in the third set you were leading 2-0 and Anett was serving, we saw that you were saying something to yourself . Did you cheer yourself up in this way?

Yes, I always tried to cheer myself up, I knew in advance that it would be a difficult match and tried to keep myself in a good shape.

During the tournament according to the statistics, you had 54-55 percent on your first serve. Today you have increased it. Is it because  you didn’t play as risky as before or you just played your game and statistics are just a different story?

You know, you can win a match with 55 percent, you can win a match serving over 70 percent. I don’t think the serve was a problem today, I am just glad I have good statistics, because that is going to give me that confidence for the next tournaments.